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Kelly M

- Research Program Mentor

PhD at University of Minnesota

Expertise

museum studies, performance studies, dance studies, ethnography, performance and politics, Latin American studies, theatre history, women's studies, creative projects, playwriting

Bio

I hold a PhD in Theatre Historiography and a Masters degree in Performance Studies. My doctoral dissertation focused on political and social activism through performance in contemporary Chile, and my MA thesis analyzed the politics of representation, collection, and curation in museum spaces in NYC. All of my research foregrounds the body and looks at pressing issues of the moment through a choreographic lens. Currently, I manage education programs at an art museum, where I combine my love of teaching with my passion for the arts. I'm deeply invested in facilitating access to arts experiences for diverse audiences young and old! I also perform as an actor and musician and have directed both devised and scripted work in the past.

Project ideas

Project ideas are meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.

Riots, Parties, and Protests: Performative Strategies, Political Projects

How can theatre and performance help us understand the politics of protest? We'll use performance as a lens for digging into the strategies of political and social movements. We'll analyze how groups and individuals articulate their goals and use their bodies to disrupt and reimagine everyday spaces.

Tik Tok, Creator and Destroyer of Worlds

Tik Tok is everything right now.... so let's get critical about it! We'll consider how Tik Tok allows niche creators to build ephemeral communities, and we'll think through the promise and the pain contained within those temporary virtual spaces. We'll draw on theory from visual culture studies, media studies, and performance studies to examine how Tik Tok functions and its role in our present moment.

Languages I know

Spanish

Teaching experience

At the university level: I've taught theatre and dance studies as an instructor and teaching assistant. At the K-12 level: I've taught K-12 enrichment classes in theatre, acting, stop-motion animation, and Spanish language and cultures. As a museum educator: I teach groups of all ages! I facilitate multimodal inquiry-based educational experiences with art for learners young and old.

Credentials

Work experience

Boca Raton Museum of Art (2021 - 2023)
Academic Programs Manager
Walker Art Center (2018 - 2021)
Lead Educator
The Museum of Russian Art (2023 - Current)
Museum Learning Manager
The Museum of Russian Art (2024 - Current)
Museum Learning Manager

Education

Colgate University
BA Bachelor of Arts (2009)
Theater, Spanish
New York University
MA Master of Arts (2010)
Performance Studies
University of Minnesota
PhD Doctor of Philosophy (2015)
Theatre Historiography

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