Starting this autumn, two of Antwerp's Royal Conservatoire programmes will be headed by new faculty members. With the retirement of Annouk Van Moorsel, who has been head of both Dance and Music & Performing Arts Education for many years, a new chapter is beginning. Two familiar faces from the Conservatoire are taking up the baton: Natalie Gordon will become head of the Dance programme and Bob Selderslaghs will take charge of the Educational programmes.
We say goodbye to Annouk Van Moorsel on 1 November, who is retiring after many years as head of Dance and the Educational Programmes in Dance, Drama and Music. Her career at the Conservatoire has been more than impressive: under her leadership, both programmes have been thoroughly reformed, developed with a view to the future, and we have seen strong growth in students, projects and impact. We would like to thank Annouk Van Moorsel for her many years of dedication, her vision and the way in which she managed to connect students, teachers and staff. Her duties will now be divided between two new programme heads.
Bachelor's & Master's in Dance
Natalie Gordon will take over the leadership of the Dance programmes (bachelor's & master's). Natalie studied dance at the University of Roehampton in London, where her interest in Laban's theories was sparked. She continued her training as a notator at the Labanotation Institute and obtained her diploma as a Certified Laban Movement Analyst in the Integrated Movement Studies programme in America with Peggy Hackney. Gordon specialises in teaching Laban analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals and was a producer and movement analyst for Retina Dance Company. While living in England, she worked with Random/Wayne McGregor and Physical Recall Dance Companies, taught technique and Laban analysis at the University of Roehampton, and gave specialised Laban courses for teachers throughout the country. Since moving to Belgium in 2004, she has been teaching in the Bachelor's programme in Dance and the Educational programmes in Dance at the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp and is co-artistic coordinator for both programmes. Natalie is also active as a researcher and author on teaching methods in dance education.
Educational programmes in Music & Performing Arts
Bob Selderslaghs will be the new head of the Educational programmes in Dance, Drama and Music. Selderslaghs is a teaching artist and researcher in drama and education. He graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Antwerp in 1996 with a Master's degree in dramatic arts (specialising in spoken word) and obtained his teaching diploma shortly afterwards. He has always combined his artistic work as a (voice) actor, director and theatre maker with artistic-pedagogical activities in part-time art education, secondary art education and in various non-formal art education settings. Since 2008, Selderslaghs has been closely involved in the Conservatory's educational programmes as a coordinator, lecturer and researcher. He is also chair of the CORPoREAL research group. In 2022, he obtained his PhD in the arts from the Antwerp Research Institute for the Arts at the University of Antwerp. He has published numerous articles and books on art initiation, process drama, and more specifically on Mantle of the Expert, a dramatic research approach to learning and teaching that he explores in various contexts.
With Natalie and Bob, the Conservatoire gains two strong profiles at the helm of programmes that are firmly anchored in the arts and education. Their experience, vision and artistic drive promise an inspiring continuation of the work that Annouk Van Moorsel has built up.