Biography

Karen da Silva completed a vocational training at Laban and went on to perform in dance, theatre, television and film both as a dancer and actress. She was awarded an MA(Dist) at the University of Surrey where she is currently pursuing research study towards her PhD.She has taught at Laban Trinity, London Metropolitan University & is the external examiner for Coventry University. 

Research Interests

Karen’s area of research is developing ways in which acting methods and techniques can be a useful tool for choreography. She is currently researching this area of work in relation to reading ‘truth’ in the dancing body for her PhD which she is studying at the University of Surrey.

Publications

Choreography Performance Projects

Go Girls  - a Pride ’93 commission, Funded by London Arts Board
Betty’s Day Out, a site specific piece premiered at Woking Dance Festival 2008
Never Always, an autobiographical comedy dance co-written and directed by Emma Bernard, supported by Chisenhale Dance Space 2006
Just Dustin’Jesus, a one act dance play set in Louissiana, 1963. 2008
Cecilia Grey – a site specific solo in Guildford Cathedral commissioned by for Guildford International Music Festival 2009.
Stop Glitch  -a site specific group piece in Woking town square commissioned by for Woking Dance Festival 2009
Hidden – a Hip hop solo created in collaboration with Jo Read commissioned for Woking Dance Festival 2009
Lisa Naerwell’s Hen Night – site specific solo commissioned by Woking Dance Festival 2011

Funding and Awards
Chisenhale Research funding for Never Always
Chisenhale Research funding for Go Girls
LAB New Choreographers Award  for Go Girls
Arts Council Funding for No Means No with Nomads Dance Company
Arts Council England funding and Creative Partnerships for Site Seeing at William Edwards Secondary School, a project looking at the relationship of our bodies to the space we live in.
Professor Janet Lansdale Award for outstanding MA dissertation on the self
Woking Dance Festival – Commision for sitespecific work in 2009
Faculty Scholarship for her PhD at the University of Surrey

Teaching

Choreography
Contemporary
Contributor to MA Performance Theories
BA Dissertation supervision
Professional Placement Tutee

Departmental Duties

Performance Studies Coordinator

Affiliations

Membership and External Examiner
External Examiner for Coventry University
Member of the Editorial panel for Platform at Royal Holloway

Other Professional Interests

As well as a lecturer, choreographer and performer Karen is also an associate artist with the Map Consortium (www.mapconsortium.com) with whom she has had extensive experience designing and delivering training in the corporate, arts and education sectors.  With the Map Consortium, Karen was artist in residence at PriceWaterhouse Coopers London, for 6 months using arts practice to develop programmes on changing established departmental cultures. Karen is the Creative l learning consultant for the Mercury Theatre in Colchester and continues to develop her arts facilitation work independently and with the Map Consortium. Karen has recently participated in a research project at The National Theatre Studios with theatre director Emma Bernard.