Open to adults (18 – 80+)

No prior dance or theatre experience necessary

Led by Kildare Dance Artist in Residence Philippa Donnellan and Theatre Artist Ruth Lehane.

Come and take part in this lively taster dance-theatre workshop, beginning with an energising physical warm-up to stretch the body and awaken the senses.

Together, we’ll dig into the themes of Philippa’s residency – our connection to the natural world and relationship to the land – and playfully explore using dance, music, drama and text to create new scenes and moving sequences. Be inspired, jump in and discover more about CREATING DANCE THEATRE!

After the workshop there’ll be time for a cuppa and a chance to find out how to get involved in this new dance-theatre project.

Duration: 2 hours

Image by Anthony Griffin 

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT TAKES PLACE IN NEWBRIDGE TOWN HALL 

PHILIPPA DONNELLAN          

KILDARE DANCE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Philippa Donnellan is a Contemporary Dance choreographer based in Dublin. Originally from the UK, she has created dance theatre with diverse communities in varied settings across Ireland and worked with many organisations including CoisCéim Dance Theatre as BROADREACH Director (2006 to 2020), and Dance Limerick as DL.BRIDGE public engagement Curator. In 2021 in association with Dance Limerick, she co-directed with Ruth Lehane, WOMEN & WORK, THE CONTRACT– an intergenerational project with local women that culminated in a site-specific performance in Limerick Chambers for Culture Night 21. In 2022 with dance artist Ailish Claffey, she created DANCE BUALADH BOS a performance project with/for older-age communities, supported by Kildare County Council’s Creative Ireland Award, Creative Places Athy and ArtsandHealth.ie. Philippa is currently developing a new multi-media performance piece TAKING FLIGHT at Uillinn, West Cork Arts Centre.

RUTH LEHANE

GUEST THEATRE ARTIST

Ruth Lehane is an award-winning actress, writer, theatre maker and movement director.  Trained at Trinity College, Dublin, at the Ecole Jacques Lecoq, Paris and at The Theatre Resource Centre, Toronto, Canada, Ruth is a highly skilled practitioner influenced by the disciplines of Lecoq and Theatre of Clown. She has considerable experience in artistic collaboration and creation of new performance work with different communities of age and experience across the island of Ireland.  Ruth has worked with a range of companies both nationally and internationally including: The Abbey, Dublin; The Lyric, Belfast; Barabbas; Blue Raincoat; The Ark; Big Telly; The Belgrade Theatre; Cahoots NI; Tinderbox and Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre Co.  Ruth is the founder of Fourth Leaf Theatre Company, a group committed to making theatre that provokes challenges, inspires and delights audiences.