Resources for Performing Arts

Library Resources

This section guides you to the library's key print and electronic resources for Performing Arts, Dance and Theatre Studies. You can access print and electronic books through your unit reading lists and the library catalogue. Online databases such as Discover and JStor will allow you to search for academic journal articles. There are also links to audiovisual resources for performances and other resources such as newspapers and encyclopaedias provided through the library.


Reading lists for your unit can be accessed from BREO, or by searching for the unit title. Reading lists will provide access to the core-texts and selected readings for your unit.


You can use the Library Catalogue to find print books and ebooks held by the University of Bedfordshire. You can also find journal titles and databases here.


The Discover database allows you to search across multiple academic databases provided through the University of Bedfordshire Library. It is a good place to start searching for academic journal articles on a topic.


JSTOR contains many journal articles in the performing arts and humanities field. You can browse to the Performing Arts subject area (click on Browse by subject / Performing Arts) and search within the subject area. You can also used the Advanced Search options to search with multiple keywords and filters.


The Arts & Humanities Citation Index is available through the ISI Web of Science database collection (click on the 'More settings' drop down menu). The citation index gives publication details for many academic journal titles in the Performing arts subject area. Not all the articles will be available as full-text. If you are studying for a dissertation at level 3 or above you can usually access the full-text through the Document Supply service.


Digital Theatre+ provides access to over 1000 full length productions in the performing arts as well as interviews with practitioners, and theory and criticism relating to the productions.


Oxford Reference contains many electronic reference books and encyclopaedias, including dictionaries and thesauri. You can browse by subject (e.g. Performing arts) or enter a search word to find relevant content.


Credo Reference contains a variety of electronic encyclopaedias and reference books. You can search within individual books or across all content at once. The 'Mind Map' search tool in Credo is useful if you wish to consider related concepts and ideas.


NewsBank contains the full text of many UK newspapers, both local and national. Try searching for recent major theatrical productions to see how they were received when they were staged.


Lexis Library News contains the full text of many UK newspapers, both local and national. Try searching for recent performances to see how they were received.


The Special Collections are an group of archives relating to subjects taught at the University of Bedfordshire. The Cinderella and Hockcliffe collections contain a range of items relating to performance and the arts.

Free Resources and Useful Websites

Below is a list of useful websites and other online resources that are relevant to the Performing Arts.


The National Resource Centre for Dance (NRCD) is based at the University of Surrey. Its aim is to manage an archive which is open to researchers in dance, and to provide resources and support for dance teachers at A' level and GCSE.

Balletcompanies.com This website is a gateway to over 3000ballet and dance companies across the world. The site includes updated information on auditions.

The Place is the home of the London Contemporary Dance School and a centre for the development and promotion of contemporary dance in the UK. The website has details of professional development programmes, courses, and performances relating to contemporary dance.

Jacob's Pillow Dance Interactive is the website of the Jacobs Pillow international dance festival. The website provides free access to an ever-growing collection of dance videos filmed at Jacob's pillow from the 1930's to today. The resources also includes multi-media essays on themes in dance and access to the 'PillowVoices' podcast.

DV8 Physical Theatre - A comprehensive site containing background information on DV8 and its director, Lloyd Newson, as well as information about current productions. The 'Student info' section provides an extensive 'virtual resource pack' that includes interviews with Newson, a copy of DV8's artistic policy and reviews of past DV8 productions.

CandoCo Dance Company - The work of CandoCo incorporates disabled and non-disabled dancers; this site provides background details about the company, promotional videos, as well as listings of current and past season events; the education section provides details of training opportunities with the company.

Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company - the website of contemporary choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh includes a brief history of the company and its founder, as well as details of current and past productions. The website also makes available downloadable education packs for selected productions.

Pina Bausch / Tanztheater Wuppertal - This is the English version of a German website. Two of the more useful sections include the schedule giving upcoming performance dates, and the 'Pieces' section, which lists in chronological order the productions of Bausch and the Tanztheater Wuppertal.

Rambert Home Studio The Rambert Home Studio provides links to live streams of performances, online classes, podcasts and interviews. You can also access dance films and the favorite playlists of key dancers.

Rambert Dance Company The site provides a useful history of the company, along with brief profiles of current dancers and choreographers working with Rambert Company. The site includes a detailed database of performances and works.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre Website providing up to date information about performances as well as an excellent History and Timeline section for the company (broken down by decade).

The Merce Cunningham Trust provides resources and information relating to the legacy of one of the greatest American dance artists. The website is a rich resource of history, works, activities and current performances connected to Merce Cunningham.


Robert Wilson homepage - the site includes biographical information about the experimental theatre director, as well as a calendar of current productions. Especially useful is the Robert Wilson Archive section of the site, which provides a detailed list of Wilson's productions, over 900 still photographs of productions, and a list of performers and designers of various productions. Users will have to register on the site before gaining access to all the archive material, although registration is free.

The Wooster Group - the homepage of the New York-based theatre group includes a brief history of the company, and a detailed chronology of its productions form 1975-2006. The Archive section provides some still photographs from past productions.

Complicite Theatre Company - a comprehensive site that provides details about the company and its Artistic Director Simon McBurney. The 'About us ' section includes reviews of productions, as well as details about individual members of the company and their work. Information is given on current and past productions. The Education section lists workshop opportunities with the company, and the site also has a photo library of stills from past productions.

Forced Entertainment - homepage for the British experimental theatre company. The site includes brief sections on the history of the company and its artistic policy, as well as some articles on the company and interviews with its Artistic Director, Tim Etchells. There is a freely available 7-page information pack and a bibliography of writings about the company that can be downloaded from the site. There is also an online shop where DVDs, books, and performance texts can be purchased.

Doolee.com - Describes itself as a '"not for profit" free online guide to modern playwrights and theatre plays'. Users can search or browse for Plays, Characters, Playwrights, Literary Agents, Theatres or Publishers. Provides valuable sections on Gay & Lesbian Theatre, and on theatre books, plays and publications. An especially useful feature allows users to search for plays based on the number male and female parts in the cast.

Victoria and Albert Museum - Theatre and Performance Pages - These pages provide access to a wide range of research and expertise in the area of theatre and performance. All areas of the live performing arts are represented in the collections, documenting both current practice and the history of the performing arts in the UK.

The National Video Archive of Performance - This page provides access to high quality video recordings of performances in the UK. These include prestigious productions of plays by William Shakespeare, Samuel Beckett and Bertolt Brecht. Free appointments can be made to view the recordings individually or as a group.

Theatre Voice is a resource for British Theatre. It goes back to 2003 and includes audio, video, transcripts and reviews.


Kultur International Films - specialist suppliers of Performing Arts DVDs, including a good selection of Dance and Ballet titles as well as Theatre.

Alexander Street Alexander Street are publishers of Streaming Videos covering a range of subject areas including Music & Dance and Theatre and Drama.


Arts Council of England- This is a public body that supports and funds the development of the Arts in England. There are similar public bodies in Wales, Arts Council of Wales; and Scotland, Creative Scotland.

British Council – Theatre and Dance- The British Council promotes British Arts and encourages international collaborations.

British Arts Festivals Association - the site of this membership organisation has an extensive list of arts festivals across Britain; the site also has a links page for festivals in Ireland and the rest of Europe.

The Stage – web counterpart of the printed publication and one of the main sources of job and audition information for Performing Arts. The site also includes news, features and a 'What's On' guide to performance events.

Dance Europe - the website for Dance Europe magazine includes sections on Auditions/Teaching and Summer Courses, Classes and Workshops.

Centre for Performance Research - Based in Wales, the Centre hosts workshops and master classes, as well as lectures, performances and conferences.

Library on social media

Library blogs

Facebook

Instagram