Członek Grup Badawczych: Between.Pomiędzy Research Group, Okinawa Research Group
Dr Dobkowska is a lecturer in Theatre Studies at University of Gdańsk. She completed her studies in the United Kingdom - BA (Hons) in Drama and Performance (First Class Degree), MA in Design (Distinction) and PhD in Theatre Studies, fully funded by two scholarships from Royal Holloway University of London.
Currently, she researches concepts of absence in theatre and visual representation of language in design. She published a monograph about the subject of absence in theatre, performance and visual art. Absence as a gap between the perceived and known has creative potential in art. In her research, she moves beyond European theatre to find intercultural representation of absence. Performance of Absence in Theatre, Performance and Visual Art was published by Routledge in 2021. In parallel to the first project, she actively researches Japanese Theatre. Together with the Okinawa Research Group she focuses on Okinawan Theatre - Kumiodori.
Portfolio: www.dobkowskas.com
Dr Dobkowska – teatrolożka zatrudniona w Zakładzie Badań nad Sztukami Scenicznymi IAIA UG. Bada połączenie filozofii, ekologii i teatru oraz interesuje się teatrem światowym, głównie japońskim. Ukończyła z wyróżnieniem studia w Wielkiej Brytanii: BA (Hons) Drama and Performance na University of Wolverhampton, MA Design na Goldsmiths, University of London i PhD w dziedzinie Theatre Studies na Royal Holloway, University of London (2015), gdzie otrzymała dwa trzyletnie stypendia naukowe na prowadzenie badań. W latach 2015-2017 pracowała w Japonii jako dyrektorka międzynarodowej szkoły z akredytacją amerykańską WASC oraz na Uniwersytecie Riukiuańskim i Uniwersytecie Meio na Okinawie (2017-2019). Autorka publikacji w wydawnictwach Routledge i Intellect Books.
Academic Qualifications
2017 – 2018 Teaching Certificate in Higher Education, Rose Bruford College of Theatre and Performance, London
2010 – 2015 PhD in Theatre Studies, Royal Holloway University of London
2009 – 2010 MRes Design with Distinction, Goldsmiths University of London
2006 – 2009 BA (Hons) Drama and Performance with First Class Honours, University of Wolverhampton
Relevant Employment
February 2020 to Present Lecturer in Theatre Studies, Performance Art Department, University of Gdańsk, Poland (Full-Time)
August-September 2022 Visiting Scholar at University of the Ryukyus, Japan
September 2017 to April 2020 Visiting Scholar at Meio University, Japan
September 2017 to September 2019 Lecturer at Meio University, Japan (Part-Time)
April 2017 to September 2019 Lecturer at University of the Ryukyus, Japan (Part-Time)
April 2015 to August 2017 Principal at Santa Monica International School, Japan (Full-Time)
Active member of the Between.Pomiędzy Research Group: https://www.between.org.pl/en/
Active member of the International Federation for Theatre Research (IFTR)
2023 Distinction in Humanities from The Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) for the publication Performance of Absence in Theatre, Performance and Visual Art. Routledge, 2022.
2023 Research Grant from the University of Gdańsk: UGrants First grant for the research project: Creative English.
2022 Rector's Award (1st Degree) from the University of Gdańsk for the monograph: Performance of Absence in Theatre, Performance and Visual Art, Routledge, 2021.
2021 Publication Award from the University of Gdańsk for the monograph: Performance of Absence in Theatre, Performance and Visual Art, Routledge, 2021.
2021 Publication Award from the University of Gdańsk for the article: ‘Kumiodori – teatr królestwa Riukiu.’ Didaskalia, 161, 2021.
2021 Research Grant from the University of Gdańsk: UGrants First grant for the research project: Absent Theatre – Okinawan Kumiodori Theatre.
2020 Publication Award from the University of Gdańsk for the article: ‘Physical Poetry: Using Japanese Butō in an EFL Poetry Performance Project.’ English in Education, Issue 1, Volume 54, 2020.
2019-Present Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), UK
2017-2020 Visiting Scholar at Meio University, Japan
2013 Research Grant from Royal Holloway University of London: Recipient of funding to present paper entitled ‘Performative Absence as Exchange of Signifiers’ at TaPRA Conference in Glasgow, the United Kingdom.
2010-2013 PhD Research Scholarship from Royal Holloway University of London.
2010-2013 Maintenance Scholarship from Royal Holloway University of London.
2009 Highest Grades Award from the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom: Recipient of Highest Classification Award in Drama Department in the academic year 2009.
2006-2007 Experience Award from Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton: Recipient of Experience Award to conduct one year internship in theatre as Theatre Technician Assistant.
2005-2006 Project Grant from the European Commission, Brussels: Recipient of a grant from Youth in Action Programme awarded for a performance art project.
Practice as Research and Art Projects
2019 Ryūmya and Yui – Drama Production. The playscript has been researched and written by Dr Szymon Gredżuk, and applied to the text adaptation by Alistair McCallum of the original work – Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. This play was staged by the Drama Production class. Meio University, Japan
2018 and 2019 Poetry Performance – In January 2018 and January 2019, through butō methods, students developed their interpretation of contemporary poetry. Meio University, Japan
2017 British Theatre – This project consisted of ten workshops, where students developed their own original theatre script across genres of drama and physical theatre. University of the Ryukyus, Japan
2016 Graphic Design – Justitia: Multidisciplinary Approaches to the work of Jasmin Vardimon Company. Bristol: Intellect Books. August 2016.
2016 Production Design – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. Santa Monica International School performance, Okinawa, Japan
2015 Production Design – The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Santa Monica International School performance, Okinawa, Japan
2014 Graphic Design – PhD Thesis: Performance of Absence. Royal Holloway University of London
2013 Graphic Design – drama script: Theatremorphosis by Dan Rebellato
2013 Graphic Design – Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA) conference handbook. Royal Holloway University of London
2010 – 2013 Graphic Design – Platform: Journal of Theatre and Performance Arts at Royal Holloway University of London
2011 Set Design – The Siamese Twins by Artes Escenicas Rayuela and the Silver Lining Theatre Company in London
2010 Installation Design – Heterotopia Provocation Exhibition in London
2010 Installation Design – Making Believe Exhibition at Goldsmiths Postgraduate Design Degree Show as part of London Design Festival
Contemporary British Theatre
Japanese Theatre
Interdisciplinary Art
Theatre and Design
Performance and Philosophy
Dobkowska, Sylwia. Performance of Absence in Theatre, Performance and Visual Art. Routledge. 2021
This research project investigates the concepts of absence across the disciplines of theatre, visual art, and performance.
Absence in the centre of an ideology frees the reader from the dominant meaning. The book encourages active engagement with theatre theory and performances. Reconsideration of theories and experiences changes the way we engage with performances, as well as social relations and traditions outside of theatre. Sylwia Dobkowska examines and theorises absence and presence through theatre, performance, and visual arts practices.
This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of theatre, visual art, and philosophy.
Dobkowska, Sylwia and Paul Johnson Eds. Justitia: Multidisciplinary Approaches to the work of Jasmin Vardimon Company. Bristol: Intellect Books Inc. 2016.
In this independent research project I worked together with Dr Paul Johnson as a co-editor. The book was initiated following a conference on Jasmin Vardimon Company. As a designer and co-editor, I look into innovative ways of displaying non-chronological order of events in performance through the use of materials with varied opacity, such as tracing paper. This material allows reading through multiple layers of paper, as well as dividing one line into multiple physical pages. I look at the process of turning page as an element of book performance. Details in design present ideas, such as merging text and performance is presented on the front page through stage directions written in the beams of light (detail visible on a printed copy).
Dobkowska, Sylwia and Szymon Gredżuk. ‘Przekład kulturowy: Teatr w Japonii.’ Between Edukacja Kosmopolis 2020, Webinar. (22 October 2020)
Dobkowska, Sylwia and Szymon Gredżuk. ‘Okinawa Research Group – Kumiodori.’ 101 lat relacji polsko-japońskich. Perspektywy, działania, więzi. Muzeum Sztuki i Techniki Japońskiej Manggha, Kraków, Poland. 27-28 February 2020. (27 February 2020)
Dobkowska, Sylwia and Szymon Gredżuk. ‘Kumiodori – 300 Anniversary of Theatre from Okinawa. Connections.’ Between the word, the sound and the image: A Centenary of Polish-Japanese Diplomatic Relations. Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland. 4-5 December 2019. (5 December 2019)
Dobkowska, Sylwia. Performative Absence as Exchange of Signifiers. Theatre and Performance Research Association (TaPRA). University of Glasgow and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow in the United Kingdom. 4-6 September 2013.
Dobkowska, Sylwia. Present Absence in Theatre. Postgraduate Pioneers. Royal Holloway, University of London, the United Kingdom. 23-24 June 2013.
