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Martin Austin is a PhD Candidate at University of Toronto’s Centre for Drama, Theatre
and Performance Studies. His in-process dissertation, Dance as an Ethics of Care, explores the question: How can dancing inform new ways of living a more ethical life? Martin approaches this inquiry by conversing the queer aesthetic philosophies of Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben, and Leo Bersani with the ethnographic contributions of working dance artists. By considering dance’s capacity to bring forth poiesis, practice, and community, Martin’s work aims to provide meaningful interventions into current conversations on risk, consent, and being in the world with others. His research can be found in the 2024 special issue for Performance Research, “On Sadness”.

Outside of academia, Martin is a regular writer for the CBC. He has interviewed the likes
of Christopher Wheeldon and Aszure Barton for his feature articles, which aim
to highlight the value of dance to Canadian audiences. Martin was previously a
critic for Intermission Magazine, where he reviewed performances at the Stratford Festival, Canadian Stage, Toronto Dance Theatre, and more.

Martin also participates in many research initiatives that explore dance’s intersections with technology, science, and community. He is the Research Officer for Beyond the Pose, a New Frontiers in Research Fund grant exploring new methods of representing human motion in machine-learning models. He is the Research Assistant for Category Is:, a SSHRC study investigating anti-Black racism with members of Canada’s kiki ballroom communities. And he is Lead Coordinator for the Institute for Dance Studies, a co-curricular network that supports Canadian dance scholars through events and working groups.

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