Kildare Dance Summer School 20 - 24 July 2009. Tutor Profiles
Kildare Dance Summer School 20-24 July 2009
MICHELLE CAHILL
Michelle is a professional dance teacher and choreographer. She teaches the FETAC dance module in Marino College of Further Education, and facilitates a Laban based dance module to 3rd year Community Sports Leadership students in Dundalk Institute of Technology. Her own company DANCEabout has provided workshops for children and young people at The Hugh Lane Gallery, Flip Flop International Children’s Festival, St. Peters N.S. and at Dance House. Michelle is a graduate of LABAN and danced professionally for a number of years. Her interest in teaching dance across all spectrums of the community led her to the Laban Guild’s Community Dance Leadership course. She recently graduated from the Phoenix Project - a professional development programme for dance teachers led by Anna Carlisle.
ANNA CARLISLE
Anna was Head of Dance at Lewes College and Lecturer in Choreological Studies at LABAN, London. She has taught extensively on the international circuit. Choreographic projects have run in Copenhagen, Iceland, France and Ireland and choreographic commissions for the Brighton Festival include Dances Sacrees et Profanes with the Musicians of All Saints and the Community Opera, Figlia del Mago. Recent site specific works for her inter-generational Community Dance Group, Thin Skin, include The Rise of Spring and Where the Land Meets the Sea for the Arts Council Big Dance, summer 2006. 'She is currently teaching at University of Bedford on the Dance MA programme'. Anna was awarded the MBE for Services to Dance in 2002.
PHILIPPA DONNELLAN
Philippa has worked as a performer, choreographer and teacher in Contemporary dance with many dance, theatre, and opera companies in Europe. She joined CoisCéim Dance Theatre in 2006 to set up CoisCéim Broadreach – a dance awareness programme designed to offer opportunities for people to participate in dance. In 2006 and 2007 she directed two separate dance theatre productions with Dublin Bus drivers and staff, as part of Gut Busters, a CIE health initiative to aid employee's health and fitness. As part of Broadreach she has been instrumental in setting up an extensive programme for people aged 50+ and CoisCéim Creative Steps – young people’s dance theatre. In 2009 Philippa piloted The Choreography Project, a new venture for adults wishing to take part in original choreographic practices and performance.
COLM GALLAGHER
Colm got involved in the field of disability whilst working as a carer in Stewarts Hospital Palmerstown Dublin. He studied Drama at University of Hertfordshire. In 1988 he met Wolfgang Stange the Artistic Director of AMICI Dance Theatre Company… a life changing moment. Colm is currently the Education Director of the company. He also set up and teaches on a new project for seriously disabled people in Kensington & Chelsea (A groundbreaking project in this area).
WENDY HERMELIN
Wendy is an experienced senior tutor for the Laban Guild, teaching on the Laban Guild Community Dance Leaders courses. She works here and abroad, teaching and choreographing in the community setting and in education, particularly in the Primary sector. Recently Wendy has been leading Dancing Stitches workshop days with branches of the Embroidery Guild and West Country Embroiderers in which dance motifs become the design source for the stitching and a weekend workshop entitled Dancing into Elemental Art bringing together the four elements of the natural world through dance and other art forms.
NOELEEN MC GRATH
After spending time in London working as a professional actor and dancer, Noeleen returned to Ireland, re-training as a drama & dance teacher. Through her work in secondary and Further Education colleges (teaching drama and dance to GCSE, A’ Level and BTEC), Noeleen was introduced to Laban’s work and become completely hooked. A graduate of both the Stage 1 & 2 Laban Guild Community Dance leader’s course, she now teaches and assesses on the Stage 1 course. She also took part in the recent pilot choregraphy course, facilitated by Anna Carlisle.
Working as a free-lance drama and dance teacher, she has been involved in:The Rock Challenge, school shows, community pantomimes and general performance training, across the educational spectrum. She is also an external examiner for A' level theatre studies.
