Juanita Praeg

Biography

"Juanita is an Associate Professor in Performance Studies and Choreography at Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa. She has extensive experience as a performer, choreographer, educator and researcher, having worked in the academy and the performing arts profession for over 30 years. Her interest in teaching is to engage critically and creatively with performance studies as a vital discourse and practice within the South African context. She has accumulated her teaching experience within selected tertiary educational structures as well as working within project-based professional theatre and community contexts. Juanita holds a Masters Degree (Cum Laude) in Choreography and Theatre Studies and is currently working towards her PhD. Ms Praeg, the longest standing member of the First Physical Theatre Company, has contributed to the company’s vision and been actively involved in all its research, educational, community, performance and choreographic programmes over the past twenty three years. She has been Artistic Director for the company 2010 - 2015 and has an active practice-as-research profile. In 2011, she was recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award at Rhodes University and in August 2011 performed a public lecture which spoke to her teaching pedagogy and professional experience of the performing arts in the context of development challenges. She was appointed Head of the Drama Department at Rhodes University until 2013 - 2015. "

Research Interest

Critically and creatively with performance studies as a vital discourse and practice within the South African context