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Kildare County Council Arts Service

Toolbox of Dance: Exploring Dance with Disability with Colm Gallagher

Toolbox of Dance was a three-day Dance with Disability workshop led by Colm Gallagher, (Education Director, AMICI Dance), which took place in Monasterevin, Co Kildare in September 2006.  The creative process used by AMICI is open and allowed any individual to experience, share and develop his or her own style, direction and movement vocabulary.  A widely experienced dance facilitator, Colm provided a safe environment for this to happen.

Participants on Toolbox of Dance workshop included those with physical, sensory or learning disability, people with mental health problems and people who don’t.  Support staff for service users, or anyone with a openness to the unexpected and an attention to the unusual also participated. 

It is envisaged that this workshop will act as a springboard for further work in the field of Dance with Disability – training, performance and networking.

This initiative was presented by Kildare County Council, in association with SCJM Moore Abbey Services.

Photo Gallery of  Toolbox of Dance Workshop 2006

AMICI DANCE THEATRE COMPANY
AMICI is a unique dance theatre company integrating able bodied and disabled artists and performers.  This extraordinary mix of people makes the company unique. Founded in 1980, its productions and workshops challenge conventional attitudes about disability and the arts.  AMICI is the resident community arts company at The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith.  Presently Amici has a sister company in Sri Lanka called Butterflies and also work extensively in Japan.

COLM GALLAGHER WORKSHOP FACILITATOR
Colm Gallagher worked as a carer in Stewarts Hospital Palmerstown Dublin.  To develop his work in the arts and disability work, he moved to England and met Wolfgang Stange, Artistic Director of AMICI Dance Theatre Company in 1988… thus begins a life changing moment.

Currently the Education Director with AMICI, Colm has worked and taught on many projects in Germany, Ireland, Austria, Poland, USA, Italy, Spain, Bulgaria and most recently Egypt.  Much in demand as a workshop leader in England, he teaches Dance Drama in South Thames College.  Colm has worked with the EU as apart of the Socrates ProgrammE.  He contributed to a recently published book ‘RE-Envisioning Dance’ by Jane Elin, USA.

Performances include:
The Dream of Friends by Caravanna 2000 and Amici (Gdansk); 20/20 Amici (London and Berlin) 2000;  Time Step Amici (London) 2003;  Water Garden & Friends AMICI (Fukuoko Japan) 2004;  (Chelmsford London & Norwich 2005);  Stars are out Tonight AMICI London (2005);  The Offering AMICI London (2005 & 2006)

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