Dr John Mullins
- Phone: +61 2 9385 4246
- Email: j.mullins@unsw.edu.au
- Building: Robert Webster
- Room No: Dance Studio
Senior Lecturer
PhD, M.Ed CA
Overview
John Mullins was Head Teacher, Dance, at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts for 15 years prior to joining the School of Media, Film and Theatre in Semester 2, 2006. He has extensive experience in Secondary Schools’ Dance Curriculum development, writing and implementation including: the Dance Years 7-10 Syllabus (1988); the 2-Unit Dance Syllabus (1992); the Dance Stage 6 Syllabus (1999) and the Dance Years 7-10 Syllabus (2003). He was Chairperson of the Dance 7-10 Syllabus Committee, Dance 7-12 Syllabus Committee, Dance Stage 6 Syllabus Committee and the Years 7-110 Dance Syllabus Advisory Committee. John was Chairperson of the HSC Dance Examination Committee (1993-1994), Supervisor of Marking HSC Dance Examination (1993-1997) and a Senior Marker (2003-2005). John trained in dance with Margaret Chapple (Bodenwieser Dance Centre, 1976-1989). In 1982 he was awarded a Teaching Service Fellowship to investigate Dance Programs in Performing Arts High Schools in the USA. He has had Works adjudicated for performance in the biennial USA National High Schools’ Dance Festival (1992-2006) as well as receiving two choreographic commissions from Booker T Washington High School of the Performing and Visual Arts (Dallas, Texas) and commissions from Jefferson High School (Portland, Oregon) and Butler University (Indianapolis). He has choreographed works for the School Spectaculars (1985-2005), the Sydney North Region Dance Festival (1982-1988), the Sydney Region Dance Festival (1991-2006) and the State Dance Festival (1984-2006). John coordinated and was principal lecturer for the UNSW Postgraduate ‘Certificate of Teaching Dance in Education’ (1997-1998). Apart from his current research interests that include the areas of Dance in Education, Dance Choreography and Performance, Choreographic Process and Practices and Dance Curriculum, John has been involved with both Regional and State Dance Festival productions as an Item Lighting Designer (1985-2006). John was awarded a PhD in Dance in Education from DeMontfort University in January 2005 with internationally reputed dance educator, Dr Jacqueline Smith-Autard as his First Supervisor.
Teaching
Convener of the Dance Program in the School; Dance Styles; Modern (Contemporary) Dance Technique; Performance and Choreography; Dance Method 1.
Publications
‘Special Talents – Special Needs’ Commonwealth Schools’ Commission
‘Choice and Diversity’ NSW Department of Education
‘Perspectives’ NSW Department of Education
‘A Program for Gifted and Talented Children – Exemplary Practices’ Commonwealth Schools’ Commission
‘Dance in Education and Dance Education in the United States of America’ NSW Department of Education
Productions
1991-2006
Choreographed Works for Newtown High School of the Performing Arts Senior Dance Company: ‘Moxie’
‘Stabat Mater’
‘Only The Lonely’ (2006 USA National High Schools Dance Festival)
‘Into The Light’
‘The Keening’
‘Journey’ (2004 USA National High Schools Dance Festival)
‘Taiko’ (2002 USA National High Schools Dance Festival)
‘Whimsy’ (2000 USA National High Schools Dance Festival)‘
Bach Suite’
‘Tango’ (1998 USA National High Schools Dance Festival)
‘Death and the Maiden’ (1996 USA National High Schools Dance Festival)
‘It’s Not Rock’ n’ Roll’
‘Crazy for Broadway’ (1994 USA National High Schools Dance Festival)
1985-1991
Choreographed Works for the NSW Public Schools Senior Dance Ensemble 1:
‘Carmina Burana’
‘The Planets’
‘The Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus’
‘The Paul Simon Suite’
‘The English Folk Song Suite’
1976-1979
‘A Pale Dead Moon in A Sky Streaked with Grey’ (Best Production, NSW Arts Council High Schools’ Drama Festival)
‘JS/07/M/378’ (Best Production, NSW Arts Council High Schools’ Drama Festival)
‘Chrysalis’ (Most Outstanding original Production, NSW Arts Council High Schools’ Drama Festival)
‘Cradle’ (Outstanding Lighting Design and Program, NSW Arts Council High Schools’ Drama Festival)
Overseas Choreographic Commission
1999 Butler Ballet (Butler University, Indianapolis)
1999 Jefferson High School (Portland, Oregon)
1997 Booker T Washington High School of the Performing and Visual Arts (Dallas, Texas)
1995 Booker T Washington High School of the Performing and Visual Arts (Dallas, Texas)
