Dancer in Residence

Kerry County Council appointed its first ever Contemporary Dancer in Residence in September 2004. This project was co-financed by Kerry County Council and The Arts Council, supported by Siamsa Tíre, the National Folk Theatre of Ireland and by the Association of Professional Dancers of Ireland. The residency was provided to promote awareness of and participation in contemporary dance in Kerry. Essentially we wished to provide access to a professional contemporary dancer in the hope of getting more people dancing and giving new inspiration to those already dancing! Dance as an art form, should be a viable career in a periphery County such as Kerry. We hoped that by developing both audiences and participants that dance opportunities will develop in Kerry.

The residency was charged with three areas of focus, to:

· Give inspiration to professional dance in Kerry through the exiting dance network,

· Develop their own work inspired by their time and contact with Kerry,

· Work with identified areas of the wider community on developing interest in dance.

Maggie Harvey (2004 residency) Maggie worked diligently on all the above and her time was fully booked quite quickly towards creating a dance impact on many levels. Her twelve week residency yielded great enthusiasm for contemporary dance. Her success has inspired a second residency; we aimed to build on her highpoints and to address the issues that arose during the inaugural dance residency.

‘I am a Contemporary Dancer and Dance Facilitator based usually in Cork. I perform on my own and with ‘Rebus Dance Company’. We experiment with Dance Improvisation; integrating it particularly with music, visual art, and voice’. Maggie had a strong vision for the residency;

‘I hope to continue my research into what I have termed the ‘inner song’; a silent internal rhythm, tone and dynamic that accompanies my movement – leading, containing and harmonising with it; developing scores (loose instructions) that contain and inspire new movement possibilities in practise and performance’.

Maggie taught Contemporary Technique; including phrases of movement and creative exercises, and improvisational tools to groups that are interested. During the three months, she visited different areas in Kerry with the intention of ‘demystifying Contemporary Dance’ and ‘encouraging people to try it, and experience its many benefits’. As well as teaching workshops Maggie hosted some performances where the public could witness the process and to ask questions. Maggie was interested in working with any groups that were interested in dancing; ‘in developing a movement vocabulary; exploring their own unique way of moving and creating dance; and enjoying the freedom that dance can offer’. ‘Particularly I am interested in working with musicians; comparing musical structures including improvisational scores’.

Maggie worked with a total of twelve groups, two of them for more than eight sessions. Two groups were professional dancers, the rest were community groups. Maggie also followed her own work research. There were two public performances organised during the residency (Rebus – Milltown Community Centre 2004). Maggie worked most effectively throughout the County during her short residency; indeed the process and end product had a much greater impact than envisaged of a three month residency.

Maggie’s personal practise included researching rhythm in dance / movement with Siamsa Tire Core Dancers and ‘dancing on windswept beaches of Kerry!’ She also worked with percussionist Karolien Verheyen in Caherciveen. Maggie was interested in researching effects of environment on rhythm, how dancing in different environments affects the rhythm that manifests in movement.

The end presentation of work (Just One Step – Siamsa Tíre on 17th January 2005) exceeded all expectations for so comparatively short a residency. Maggie’s work and indeed her enthusiasm, professional and inherent joy of dance shone through all the participants on the night. The inner rhythm was explored and revealed in an evening that truly celebrated the joy of listening to and exploring the body’s own rhythm.

Catherine Young (2006 -2008 residency)Catherine Young succeeded Maggie as Dancer in Residence in Kerry; the residency work continues to evolve. Catherine Young graduated from the University of Limerick with a Masters in Contemporary Dance Performance in 2005. Prior to undertaking her Masters, Catherine spent eight years in the U.S. training and performing in theatre and dance. She has performed in San Francisco with "Pure Dance Company," "City College Repertory Dance Company," and on the American Conservatory Theatre’s MA program. Her training includes modern dance, jazz, afro-haitian, hip-hop and ballet. Catherine began her residency with Kerry County Council in collaboration with Siamsa Tire (The National Folk Theatre of Ireland) in September 2005, with the first residency culminating in her show “Rootless Belonging” in March 2006. She has been awarded a second residency which will run September through December 2006. Catherine is a dynamic and committed artist, she worked diligently to develop new audiences and raise participation levels in Dance. The awareness of contemporary dance in Kerry has received a whole new profile through access and participation. To date Catherine’s performances and choreographed events have attracted full audiences, this is certainly unprecedented for contemporary dance in Kerry.

This residency has been supported in kind by both Siamsa Tíre and the Kerry School of Music. As often dancers need to work with other dancers, the Arts Office and Dance Ireland have supported master classes for Catherine to take classes with peers exploring and developing dance skills. Catherine continues to raise standards in dance practice stimulating exploration of dance. For the remainder of her residency, Catherine decided to work more intensively with a set number of groups to develop their skills in dance and in creating dance.

To date feedback has been extremely positive, when asked if the groups would have liked to have had more contact with Catherine over 92% of groups said yes, and have requested more time with her; ‘Catherine bought a lot of different styles with her’. ‘Her view was suitable to the age group in our club’. ‘Chuir na daltaí ana-shuim sa rince ‘hip-hop’. ‘She was enthusiastic, interested, capable and absolutely fantastic’. ‘Her enthusiasm / ability and capacity to involve those who would not normally engage in dance is noteworthy’. ‘It gave the students a chance to learn dance moves – which they loved!’

Some suggestions from the public included: ‘Go mbeadh múinteoir rince ar fáil níos minic do na scoileanna’. ‘Longer time, more contact – perhaps another dancer also’. ‘Have more Dancers in Residence’. ‘Contemporary Dance has reached far and wide and the peoples own individuality was cherished’. ‘Make the residency at least a one year contract’.

‘If funding allowed perhaps another artist might accompany the Dancer to promote interdisciplinary work’. ‘Bring shows and classes to all areas’. ‘More community based workshops’. ‘Try to get more young people involved in the programmes’. ‘Give more workshops and lectures on dance’. ‘Catherine is an excellent professional. Her work was outstanding and her commitment to dance as an art form was refreshing’.

The biggest issue so far is that the demand on Catherine’s time far exceeds her contracted time. This is positive as it highlights the real demand for Contemporary Dance in Kerry. Catherine spent one third of her residency time working with Siamsa Tíre - The National Folk Theatre of Ireland to help to develop and up skill the permanent dance company. Catherine’s other work entailed actively promoting various dance styles and creative dance to the wider community. The first residency culminated in an evening of dance performance held in Siamsa Tíre Theatre & Art Centre. The work was choreographed by Catherine entitled ‘Rootless Belonging’. The evening was tremendously successful and Catherine was asked to deliver a second term as Kerry County Council’s Dancer in Residence.

Catherine Young (2011)
Catherine returned to Kerry as Dancer in Residence in 2011 under the new Arts Council Dancer in Residency Scheme. The residency was in partnership with KCC, Siamsa Tire and KRSP. During her residency Catherine curated Kerry's first dedicated international dance festival nMotion Dance Festival, which took place over 2 days in April. The festival was a huge success offering a range of master classes and workshops in all disciplines to the Kerry public as well as 2 full evening of performances featuring work made in Kerry by Catherine Young and invited national and international artists. Catherine also continued on as Artistic Director of KERRY YOUTH DANCE THEATRE (nominated for the Kerry Arts & Culture Community Awards in 2010) choreographing their new work "We Are" which premiered at nMotion and toured to the Irish Youth Dance Festival to represent Kerry in Dublin in July 2011. In addition to choreographic work, Catherine continued to provide workshops in dance to the community at large in Kerry, teaching the active retired on the "Dance for the Young at Heart" program in association with KRSP as well as teaching schools and community groups throughout Kerry.

Catherine Young (2012)
In 2012 Catherine received an another round of the Arts Council Dancer in Residency Awards, this time partnering with KCC and Siamsa once more. She will be researching and developing new works to be premiered at the TOCHT FESTIVAL OF DANCE in APril 2012 at Siamsa as well as continuing to develop KERRY YOUTH DANCE THEATRE and dance in general in Kerry.

Catherine Young, Dancer in Residence Booklet 2005 - 2009

2008 - Laura Murphy and Ailish Claffey - residency focused on community based programs, in particular working with schools.

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