biog
c u r r i c u l u m v i t a e
D r . S h a r o n S m i t h
shhmith@yahoo.com
www.maxfactory.org.uk
Over ten years I have collaborated with the performance art company Max Factory www.maxfactory.org.uk. Max Factory works between the languages of visual art, film and theatre and has created installation and performance for diverse contexts and sites.
I am presently working with Gobsquad, a collaborative performance/live film company based in Berlin. I co-devised and perform projects Kitchen and Saving the World. I am presently collaboraiting with Gobsquad on their new production Revolution Now. www.gobsquad.com
Since 1996 I have worked with the Amsterdam based improvisation company MAGPIE www.magpiemusicdance.com.
I gained a PhD from Nottingham Trent University in 2003. The paper is called Something in the way She moves: Politics of Presence in the Performance Act. The research articulates a performance presence that considers self as ‘part-of’ and works against the ’self’ as separate/singular. It is written through Irigagary, Barthes and the performance practice of Max Factory and Magpie
Between 2003 and 2006 I wrote, implemented and managed a degree course in dance at Liverpool Hope University as well as writing and running courses in contemporary performance practice.
Video/Film
Future sound – Max Factory 2008
Studies at Kinning Park – Max Factory 2007
Actually – Steven Eastwood – 2004
A series of Disasters – Desperate Optimists – 2003 (digital)
‘of Camera’ -Independent film by Steven Eastwood 2002 (16mm)
‘Night bus’ – Desperate Optimists 2002 (digital)
’slightly downward and a little inward’ – Max Factory and Nicolas S. 2001 (digital)
‘SCREAM (stay seated)’ – Max Factory and Louise Stevens 1999 (digital)
‘Baby Girl’ - with Louise Stevens 1996 (16mm)
www.map.50.com- Internet series of nine with The Desperate Optimists
Performance history
Max Factory
Beat You Block – installation, CCA, Glasgow March-May 09
Women at Work – Berlin, Arnhem, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester – ongoing
Please Mr. Custer – Max Factory Duckie, London, Nov 06
My neck is too weak to hold up this Bonnet – National Review of Live Art – Feb 05
T.W.A.T.S. – Interdisciplinary Landscapes Conference – Northampton, Sep 04, CCA – Glasgow Sep 03, OMSK Feb 02, Klinker – London Jun 00, Practising Presence Conference, London, Aug 00
the max factory comedy sit down
The Klinker – London N1 – (run of 
February and March 01, Battersea Arts centre, London SW1 – March 01, 333 Club (OMSK), London EC1 – March 01, The Blue Club, Oslo – (run of 3) April 01 , Film Society, Amsterdam – (run of 7) April 201, Arcola Street (OMSK), London N7 – June 01, The Spitz, London EC2 – (run of 3) April and May 01, The Amused Moose, -(run of 2) London W1- August 01, The Guilded Balloon, Edinburgh – August 01, The Bongo Club, Edinburgh – (run of 7) 01, The Windmill, London Sw2 – (run of 5) September 201, Duckie, London – September 01
themaxfactorywill, Commissioned by Atomsk (supported by Eastern Arts and the A.C.E.)
333, London, March 00, Cambridge Dark Room, Cambridge, April 00, Blue Club, Oslo, October 00
Across the Line – Transactions commission (A.C.E and N.W. Arts)January-March 00 A project developed over one month and three residencies including Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool; Arnol Fini, Bristol and Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
Hypnosis Project – Chisenhale Dance Space commission Residency , December 1999
A large empty room – Interactive Performance (hypnosis part II)
Festival of Moving Image, Tilburg, October 99, Liminal Institute, Berlin, October 99
Mocks Performance installation
Lion and Unicorn Pub theatre, London, July 99, Battersea Arts centre, London, March 00, Catalyst Arts, Belfast, April 00, Dock 11, Berlin, September 00
We have been drinking in spite of what your people say – Lion & Unicorn . May 99
TARGET – performance/installation
Liminal Institute, Berlin, October 99, Bluecoat Arts Centre and paradise St. Bus Station, Liverpool, March 99, Prema Arts Centre, Gloucester, Feb 99, Jacksons Lane Dansbase, London, Dec 98, Expo Festival, Nottingham, Nov 99, Oval House, London, Oct 98, B.A.C. Festival of Visual Theatre, London, Oct 98 I.C.A., London, Oct 98, Diskurs Festival, Germany, Oct 98, Red lion, London, March 98, 333 Old Street, London, March 98, Derby Playhouse, Derby, May 98, Muiderport Theatre, Amsterdam, May 98
SCREAM (stay seated) – performance installation with film and video
the lux centre, London August 99, Bluecoat Theatre, Liverpool, March 98, Tramway, Glasgow, Feb ‘98, The Place Theatre, London, Feb 98, Jacksons Lane Theatre, London, Jan 98, Expo Festival, Nottingham, Nov 97, New Works Festival, Y Theatre, Leicester, Sep 97, Amsterdam Theatreschool, Sep 97, Jacksons Lane, London, August 6th 97,
Solo Projects
The Blue Stocking Social Club Housed at Bluecoat, Liverpool. Four events between April and December 2008
The Blue Stocking Social Club – funded by The Arts Council of England and supported by Liverpool Hope University. – world premiere – Cornerstone Festival – Dec 05
The Do – Bluecoat Commission – Liverpool biennial Festival – November 04
Margaret McDonnell in the Company of Friends – Bluecoat Commission, Liverpool, June 04
Something in the way ’she’ moves – The Cube, Bristol , February 2003, Liverpool Hope University, March 2004, The Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool, March 2003
Tend -“er” Chisenhale dance space, London, 1999, Institute contemporary art , 2000, Bluecoat Arts Centre, Liverpool, 2001
Actress/Performer/Deviser
Saving the world – Gob Squad – Berlin Dec 07, Manheim April 08, Berlin March – May 08, London April 2009, Vienna May 2009
Kitchen – Gob Squad – Norwich, Manchester, Trondheim, Nottingham, Ghent, Bath, Lancaster, Dartington, Gothenburg, Cologne, London, Warwick, 07-08
The Wolves in the Walls – NTS – St Andrews, N.Y.C. July-Oct 07
Futurology – Suspect Culture/NTS - uk tour Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Brighton – Feb-May 07
The Wolves in the Walls – Improbable/NTS – uk tour Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Oxford, Malvern Hills – Nov 06
1-2 Suspect Culture Devisor and performer.
Travers 2 – Edinburgh Festival. Aug.03, Tron – Glasgow Oct.03, Arts Ctr – Paisley Oct 03, The Byers – St Andrews Oct 03, Arts Centre – Sterling Oct 03, Lemon Tree – Aberdeen Oct.03, MAC – Birmingham Oct03, Contact Mchr Oct 03,
Teaching
08.09 Magpie Summer Workshop, Amsterdam – structures.
09.08 Central St Martins – lecture series.
01.08 03.08 Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama – move to work
01.08 03.08 Manchester Met. University – Lecturer in Choreoraphy, Composition, Film
02.06 School for New Dance Development – Performance Worshop (4 weeks)
02.05 School for New Dance Development – Performance Worshop (4 weeks)
02.04 School for New Dance Development – Performance Worshop (4 weeks)
09.03 10.06 Liverpool Hope University – Full time Lecturer in C.P.A. and Dance
01.02 07.02 Nottingham Trent University, Contemporary Arts – Performance Devising
02.01 Brighton University – Performance Workshop and lectures (1 week)
10.01 01.02 Nottingham Trent University – Contemporary Arts – Performance Skills
11.99 Animax New Technology Institute, Bad Godesburg, Germany – Dance+Technology
03.99 04.99 School For New Dance Development, improvisation & composition
02.99 Nottingham Trent University –performance workshop (2 weeks).
08.98 Dance Institute – Arhuus, Denmark (3 weeks)
02.98 Priestly VI form College, Cheshire – Devising Workshop (1 week) r
10.97 11.97 School for New Dance Development – Improvisation Teacher
12.96 George Washington University – Workshop Leader (2 weeks)
08.96 Labin Art Institute, Labin, Croatia – performance + devising workshop (4 weeks)
Qualifications
Ph.D in the Faculty of Art and Design at Notitngham Trent University. – 2004
Advanced Diploma. School for New Dance Development, Amsterdam – 1996 (Masters Equivalent)
1st Class Honours Degree in Creative Arts. Nottimgham Polytechnic – 1994
Conferences
T.W.A.T.S. & Something in the way She moves. Interdisciplinary Landscapes Post Feminist Performance Conference, Northampton University – September 2004
ICONOGRAPHY – Bluecoat Arts Centre – June 2003
T.W.A.T.S. Practising Presence Conference – Chisenhale Space, London – November 2002 (also produced and co-ordinated by Sharon Smith.)
‘Where i is‘ – Tourism and the Self. The stochastic elastic Body – Les Baines – Brussels – August 2001
