Dr Marina Rova
Staff details
Dr Marina Rova is Programme Convenor, lecturer, registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist, PhD Supervisor and interdisciplinary researcher. Her practice-based PhD (2017) explored kinaesthetic empathy through the intersections of dance movement psychotherapy, phenomenology and cognitive neuroscience.
Marina leads the MA Dance Movement Psychotherapy programme and is a research active academic lecturing on a range of subjects (DMP theory, academic skills, research methods, experiential groupwork and supervision), offering PhD supervision under the Social, Therapeutic and Community Studies (STaCS) department and contributing to research and writing in the arts therapies and related areas. She is peer reviewer and member of the International Advisory Panel for the International Journal of Body Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy and External Examiner for Derby University.
Academic qualifications
- Doctorate of Philosophy 2017
- MA Dance Movement Psychotherapy 2009
- Post Graduate Diploma Dance Movement Psychotherapy 2007
- BA Hons Dance 2005
Teaching and Supervision
As a PhD supervisor Marina offers guidance in practice-based research projects focusing on embodied relational process, community practice and the use of arts and creativity as a therapeutic or social intervention. Marina has particular interest in existential, phenomenological and posthumanist ways of knowing and languaging lived experience. Marina is available to supervise related PhD projects.
Publications and research outputs
Book
Thompson, Naomi; Nasimi, Rabia; Rova, Marina and Turner, Andy. 2022. Community Work with Migrant and Refugee Women: 'Insiders' and 'outsiders' in research and practice. Bingley: Emerald. ISBN 9781801174794
Edited Book
Frizell, Caroline and Rova, Marina, eds. 2022. Creative Bodies in Therapy, Performance and Community: Research and Practice that Brings us Home. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 9781032119809
Book Section
Frizell, Caroline and Rova, Marina. 2023. Arriving, becoming and arriving again. In: Caroline Frizell and Marina Rova, eds. Creative Bodies in Therapy, Performance and Community: Research and Practice that Brings us Home. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 1-11. ISBN 9781032119809
Rova, Marina. 2022. Kinaesthetic entanglements and creative immersion in embodied performance. In: Caroline Frizell and Marina Rova, eds. Creative Bodies in Therapy, Performance and Community: Research and Practice that Brings us Home. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 36-49. ISBN 9781032119809
Rova, Marina and Behm, Marrianne. 2022. Borderlands: Exploring creativity as a practice of liminality in the arts therapies. In: Caroline Frizell and Marina Rova, eds. Creative Bodies in Therapy, Performance and Community: Research and Practice that Brings us Home. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 152-161. ISBN 9781032119809
Rova, Marina and Thompson, Naomi. 2022. Trauma-Informed Practice with Migrant and Refugee Women. In: Naomi Thompson; Rabia Nasimi; Marina Rova and Andy Turner, eds. Community Work with Migrant and Refugee Women: 'Insiders' and 'Outsiders' in Research and Practice. Bingley: Emerald. ISBN 9781801174794
Rova, Marina and Haddow, Sarah. 2017. Moving Bodies: Dance Movement Psychotherapy Groups for Mothers and Babies in Inpatient and Outpatient Perinatal Mental Health Services. In: Monika Celebi, ed. Weaving the Cradle: Facilitating Groups to Promote Attunement and Bonding between Parents, Their Babies and Toddlers. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp. 120-131. ISBN 9781848193116
Article
Rova, Marina; Burrell, Claire and Cohen, Marika. 2020. Existing in-between two worlds: supporting asylum seeking women living in temporary accommodation through a creative movement and art intervention. Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy: An International Journal for Theory, Research and Practice, 15(3), pp. 204-218. ISSN 1743-2979
Rova, Marina. 2017. Embodying kinaesthetic empathy through interdisciplinary practice-based research. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 55, pp. 164-173. ISSN 0197-4556
Conference or Workshop Item
Rova, Marina. 2020. 'Kinaesthetic intersubjectivity through the lens of Dance Movement Psychotherapy'. In: Whose Intersubjectivity Anyway? Five perspectives across psychotherapeutic modalities.. Stillpoint Spaces, London, United Kingdom 18 January 2020.
Rova, Marina. 2018. 'Moving toward 'new lands': Transforming embodied knowledge in the 21st century'. In: 3rd EADMT Conference - "Crossing Borders and the In-Between. DMT at the Leading Edge". Athens, Greece 5-7 October 2018.
Performance
Rova, Marina. 2014. |mu| a live dance theatre research performance accompanied by a photography and art exhibition. In: "|mu| - a live dance theatre performance accompanied by a performance and art exhibition", Univesrity of Roehampton, United Kingdom, 2014.
Rova, Marina. 2011. De Mentis Silent Stories. In: "De Mentis: Silent Stories I,II & III", Chisenhale Dance Space, United Kingdom, 25-27 February 2011.
Professional Activity
Rova, Marina. 2022. PhD Supervisor, Goldsmiths, University of London.
Rova, Marina. 2020. PhD Upgrade Examiner, Goldsmiths, University of London.
Thesis
Rova, Marina. 2017. Embodying Kinaesthetic Empathy a: practice based and interdisciplinary research. Doctoral thesis, University of Roehampton
Further profile content
Featured publications
Professional projects
Marina is a member of aRTSjAM collective, a continuous professional development group led by a community of arts therapists. She was also co-founder of ArtsMinded Community Interest Company (2018) acting as a co-director until 2022. She is peer reviewer and member of the International Advisory Panel for the International Journal of Body Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy and External Examiner for Derby University. Marina has acted as an independent consultant in various performance, health and charitable organisations advising on embodied reflective practice approaches, service development and team building. Notable commissions include the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dementia Pathfinders CIC, St Georges NHS Foundation Trust, Matthew Bourne New Adventures, Place to Be, Dance East, Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education (IATE) and Edge Hill University (among others).
Research projects
..
On Being a Cultural Nomad - an autoethnographic study of migration
work in progress...watch this space for updates
Conferences and talks
2018:
‘Moving Toward New Lands: Transforming Embodied Knowledge in the 21st Century'
Keynote Speaker as part of the 3rd European Association for Dance Movement Therapy Conference 'Crossing Borders and the In-Between' - Athens/Greece
2014:
‘Embodying Kinaesthetic Empathy as an Intersubjective Phenomenon and Clinical Intervention’
Presenter as part of the 1st European Association for Dance Movement Therapy Conference 'Resilience within a Changing World' - Riga/Latvia
Grants and awards
2012:
PhD scholarship
Psychology Department - University of Roehampton
Performances
Rova, M. (2014). ‘|mu|’ a live dance theatre performance accompanied by a photography and art exhibition. London: Centre for Arts Therapies Research: University of Roehampton. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlR__g8UOf0
Rova, M. (2012).’Silent Story’ solo performance. Embodying Loss Symposium, Centre for Arts Therapies Research: University of Roehampton.
Rova, M. (2011). ‘De Mentis Silent Stories’ a live dance theatre performance accompanied by a photography and short film exhibition. Chisenhale Dance Space: London. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl7_t9Qph8k
Rova, M. (2010). ‘De Mentis’ a preview performance and Q&A session. 1st National Dance and Dementia Conference. Bluecoat: Liverpool. http://www.chezfred.org.uk/chat/20101210MemoryConference/
