THIS IS
This Is: This is in the making. This is where we find meaning. This is what it is. This is the story of how we came to be in this space together now . . . with you. This is here. This is what we make of it
Created by award winning choreographer Adam Benjamin
Dancers:
James O'Shea
Mary Nugent
Dawn Mulloy
Tom Pritchard
Tara Brandel
Absolute Fringe, Dublin September 2010 (Dance in Progress)
Abhainn Ri Festival 2011, Callan (work in progress)
Sant Andreu Teatre, Barcelona September 2011 (international premier)
Ballina Arts Centre, September 2011
Funded by the Arts Council and Culture Ireland and supported by the Firkin Crane
Click here to view a video of the performance
IN MY BODY ARE THESE ISLANDS
As Irish culture rapidly shifts and changes how does this affect our internal landscape? "Islands" is a site-specific touring dance piece incorporating community members at each performance location. Inspired by the writings of John Donohue, this work explores how our environment influences our cultural attitudes, thoughts and feelings and reflects on our essential human relationship with the places we are from.
Further performance dates in Spring 2012 yet to be announced.
Choreographer Tara Brandel
Dancers:
Mary Nugent
Dawn Mulloy
Tara Brandel
And members drawn from the communities visited below:
Firkin Crane, Cork with Cork IWA
Clonmel Junction Festival 2011 with KCAT Equinox Theatre
Abhainn Ri Festival 2011 with KCAT Equinox Theatre
Ballina Arts Centre (extract) with Ridgepool Training Centre and Danceworld
Courage Centre, Minneapolis with Young Dance
Funded by the Arts Council and supported by the Firkin Crane
Click here to view a video of the performance
FLING
Aerial dance soloI invited Caroline to bring her unique perspective as a disabled dance artist to my work. We talked about how the aesthetic of a disabled choreographer may be different to a non-disabled choreographer's, because their experience of their own physicality is different. Because her movement range is vastly different to mine she would ask me to do unusual things - not knowing if they were physically possible for my body. In this way she challenged me to go to new places with my dance.
Director: Caroline Bowditch
Choreographer/Performer: Tara Brandel
Firkin Crane June 2010
nMotion Dance Festival, Siamsa Tire, April 2011
Funded by the Arts Council and supported by the Firkin Crane
Click here to view the video
On the Wall
A humourous and poignant quartet that looks at the feelings we have about our place in the world.
Choreography: David BolgerDancers: Tara Brandel, Rhona Coughlan, Dawn Mulloy, Mary Nugent
Bantry Boys Club, 2010
Cork Midsummer Festival, June 2009
Civic Theatre, Tallaght, July 2009
Dublin Fringe Festival, September 2009
Sant Andreu Teatre, Barcelona, September 2011
Funded by the Arts Council and supported by the Firkin Crane
Click here to view this performance.
Edge
An aerial dance piece. Falling, soaring, scrambling, bound. We are poised on the brink of love and fear.
Choreography: Tara BrandelAerial Mentor: Genevieve Mazin
Dancers: Rhona Coughlan, Dawn Mulloy, Deirdre Murphy, Julie O'Leary, Tara Brandel
Bantry Boys Club, 2010
Clonmel Junction Festival, July 2009
Funded by the Arts Council and Clonmel Junction Festival, and supported by the Firkin Crane
Click here to view a video clip of the performance