Ashley Brain, PhD, FHEA
Freelance Dance Educator, Researcher, and Stott Pilates Instructor
I trained intensively in ballet and contemporary dance techniques during my childhood in Canada, and hold a BA (Hons) in Dance from the University of Calgary (in partnership with the School of Alberta Ballet), an MSc in Dance Science from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, and a PhD from the University of Roehampton.
I began teaching on the BA programme at Roehampton in 2009 where I became a Senior Lecturer in Dance and Dance Science. My teaching has focused on ballet, Pilates conditioning, and topics under the dance science umbrella including anatomy, biomechanics, psychology and somatic education. I continue to teach at Roehampton and also teach Pilates conditioning for dancers at London Contemporary Dance School in the UK.
My academic research primarily sits within the 'Dance for Health' sector with my doctorate research looking at the potential benefits of a ballet-based dance class for people with Parkinson's. Recently, I completed a 3-year investigation looking at the impact of South Asian dance forms for autistic children in SEND schools.
