Rowena Gander

Dr Rowena Gander is an academic / international performance artist who creates thought provoking solo performance works that question and negotiate themes of sexuality, power and objectification in women. Through taking a transgressive approach to pole dance, Rowena has relentlessly pursued themes of lesbian sexuality in her physical performance work and has created an acclaimed body of work that is powerful, empowering, challenging, and at times, uncomfortable.

Since undertaking training in the Abramović Method and working as a reperfomer for Marina Abramović’s Solo Retrospective at The Royal Academy of Arts (2023-2024), Rowena is bringing a limitless approach to her performance making. Her most recent work in development, Woman | Women (touring in Nov 2024) is a physical solo performance that incorporates space for a new duet to take place with every tour date. The structure of the work is ambitiously designed to rapidly raise the visibility of gay women on stage

In addition to completing three ACE funded national tours of Barely Visible, Rowena has been in receipt of grant awards from Liverpool Improvisation Festival, Leap Dance Festival, Physical Fest, Metal Culture UK, and Unity Theatre’s Open Call. Rowena has work with celebrated directors and choreographers, including Elinor Randle, Jenny Rees, Jen Hale, Jo Fong, Alexandra Pirici, Manuel Pelmus, Dawn Schultz, and Pauline Brooks. Other collaborations include Noel Jones on numerous digital performance projects, and Phil Saunders on lighting design.

Passionate about sharing her practice and pushing boundaries in education, Rowena is a part time lecturer in dance at Edge Hill University. Her research focus combines sexuality, objectification, autoethnography, autobiography, and practice research. Combining academic work and lecturing with wrap around touring activities, Rowena is an expert in public speaking, facilitating movement workshops on sexuality, as well as group discussions on sensitive themes that surround sexuality, including identity, homophobia, and self-expression.

If you would like more information regarding Rowena’s performance work, creative workshops for your students, public speaking, or any other research related projects, please use the contact form or e-mail [email protected].