HISTORY OF DANCE AT WYA |
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TO 1998In the early 1990s WYA facilitated a number of dance projects with such choreographers and dance teachers as Cathy O'Kennedy, Fidelma Twomey, Deirdre Grant and Cindy Cummings. We have also run once-off classes including Carol Langstaff (from the U.S.), who works with Pan Pan of Dublin.
WYA has also participated in national festivals of youth dance, and individuals have participated in international training events. In 1994 one of WYA's young dancers, 17-year-old Tom Power, devised and choreographed a dance performance called Path of Wells. Tom has since gone on to work professionally in the performing arts.
In 1997 WYA presented a specially commissioned piece of dance as part of the launch of a Tapestry in Waterford Regional Hospital. The Tapestry was part of the Hospital's Healing Arts Programme aimed at using arts within the normal hospital life. The dance piece was devised by the 25 young dancers under the leadership of 16-year-old Margot Phelan. |
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CHANCE 2 DANCE
In 1999 Waterford Youth Arts (then Waterford Youth Drama) was lucky enough to hear about Libby Seward, a UK contemporary dance teacher with a Waterford connection. She agreed to come to Waterford for one week and work with three groups to produce two dance pieces from each group. The result was the Chance 2 Dance 1999 Festival, a remarkable presentation in such a short time.
The following year Libby agreed to come back once again to try to repeat her success. She managed to pull it off again with another magical performance after only one week's work. The Chance 2 Dance 2000 Festival was another great success.
These two photos are from the Chance 2 Dance 1999 Festival. |
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WYA DANCE ARTIST IN RESIDENCEWaterford Corporation in partnership with Waterford Youth Arts received grant approval from The Arts Council in 2000 for a Dance Artist in Residence for the period Oct 2000-April 2001. The project was to employ Libby Seward to initiate a number of 'taster' dance workshops for a wide variety of dance groups throughout the area. The second part of the residency was for preliminary work to start on creating a youth dance company for the city. As a result of this grant the following work took place:
Ezimotion ProjectCoisCeims Dance Theatre Company under the sponsorship of ESB has initiated a three-year project with selected groups around Ireland. WYA Dance is the South East Regional Partners in the project. Under this pilot project 25 young people from Waterford are experiencing the inputs from selected professional dance teachers. On a local level Garter Lane Arts Centre is providing the space for all workshops.
Dawns-y-Bawb, Welsh-Irish Exchange ProjectThis was a meeting of cultures, two groups of dancers, one from Waterford and the other from Wales, coming together to dance, laugh and get to know each other. The project ended with a wonderful performance in May 2001, in the theatre in Harlach, in North Wales. The exchange project took place over three cycles. The young people from Waterford who participated were: Elaine Raher, Patricia Murphy, Lia Nevin, Patrick Butler, John McNamara, Charmaine Walsh, Elaine O'Neill, Sarah Blanc, Joanne Freyne and Gillian Storan. And from Wales: Angharad Hewitson, Jemma Gannon, Sioned Pierce, Delyth Mahoney, Lleucu Evans, Sarah Owen, Alaw Jones, Jessica Jones and Lowri Cunnington.
Hullabaloo DanceIn May 2001, as part of 'Hullabaloo - Waterford's first Festival for Children', Libby agreed to provide one dance piece from the 'Moving Image' show for the launch of the event at William Vincent Wallace Plaza. She also ran two very successful dance workshops as part of the event.
Choreography for other showsLibby also did the choreography for Requiem and Our Day Out for Waterford Youth Drama and for Calamity Jane for the Presentation secondary School.
Moving Image, April 2001At the end of the residency a very ambitious dance show was seen for two nights in Garter Lane Arts Centre. The show was called 'Moving Image' and included a dance piece from all the workshop groups but also included four local secondary schools that Libby had worked with as part of the residency. The show was a great success and played to packed houses. There was also a matinee performance for the younger children on the Saturday and again it played to a packed house and a great reception.
Other projectsWorkshops for young people Outreach Workshops in the Community Outreach Workshops in Schools |
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