Book launch
Joan Harris – the life of a dancer –
Monique Skavlan Sunderland, professor and head of the B.A. program in contemporary dance, has documented the life and career of Joan Harris, which spans from being a professional dancer, instructor, choreographer, to administrator and artistic leader. The Academy of Dance hereby invites you to the launch of the book which will take place at the KHiO library.
Joan Harris is known in Norway through her years as ballet director for The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, as well as being the founder and first director of The Norwegian National Ballet School. Few people in Norway, however, know about her background and career as a dancer in England. The book presents insight into her life set against the backdrop of the educational and working conditions for dancers in the 40´s, 50´s and 60´s. A pioneer in the field of dance education in Norway, it is important for KHiO and the Academy of Dance that the story of Joan Harris has now been documented.
Sunderland has thoroughly searched through archives, collected pictures, and has had several in depth conversations with Joan herself, who is now 90 years old and lives in England, as well as with her relatives and former colleagues. The book also contains contributions from performing dancers such as professor Anne Borg, professor Jahn Magnus Johansen, professor Ellen Kjellberg, dance pedagogue Kirsti Skullerud, former dancer, pedagogue and dean of the National College of Ballet, Marte Sæther, former leader of The Norwegian National Ballet School Stefan Ullner, and dance critic for Dancemagazine in Munich, Inge Zürner. These contributors have helped increase the understanding of Harris´ importance for the development of dance as an art form in Norway.
Sunderland has previously, with funding for the KUF committee, written and published a documentary book about the dancer, pedagogue and choreographer Egon Weng. She has worked on this current project since 2015, a project that is both ambitious and unique: a book as well as a documentation of Joan Harris´ life as a dancer.