Galway Moves is a series of site-specific dance performances and films, choreographed by Dansnest, an award winning dance company based in the Netherlands, in collaboration with five Galway based dance artists; Genevieve Ryan, Kristyn Fontanella, Mia Bradley Evans, Marta Almeida and Patricia Glynn.
Inspired by research emerging from the pandemic, a new question emerged: How can we connect in times of social distancing? Inspired by conversations with dancers about the design of their homes and personal objects within, these conversations from person to person will transform into a choreography in which the resident and the dancer move inspired by each other in a living room or environment.
These new choreographies will be adapted into a series of short dance films, directed and devised in collaboration with Dansnest, Galway Dance Project, the Galway dance artists and film maker and musician Laura Sheeran, resulting in a new way of looking at how dance can connect us.
Produced by Galway Dance Project, and devised by Dansnest, Galway Moves has been adapted and reimagined in line with current public health guidelines. Galway Moves will celebrate community and connection, celebrating the natural resilience of dance.
Galway Moves
Produced by Galway Dance Project and devised by Dansnest from The Netherlands,
These inclusive and diverse dance performances will consist of original pieces of
choreography, with each performance a dynamic search for hidden inspiration.
They will reflect the dynamism of dance and will connect audiences, dance artists and communities. All films will be available online
Dansnest have many years of experience in developing and choreographing performances in public spaces, Galway Moves will celebrate community and connection in the city and county for three days in May. Working with Galway-based dancers, these inclusive and diverse dance performances will consist of original pieces of choreography, with each performance a dynamic search for hidden inspiration. They will reflect the dynamism and landscape of the region and will connect audiences, dance artists and communities while offering opportunities to both professional and non-professional dancers to participate in and engage with dance in various locations.
Galway Moves-Dance Artists Announced
Galway Dance Project are delighted to announce details of the five dance artists who will be working with us and Dansnest to deliver Galway Moves, a commission from Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture
Patricia Glynn
Patricia Glynn MA from Galway is a Contemporary Dance artist in Residence at Galway city council. She facilitates Dance and Movement workshops, choreographs and performs.
Patricia has been supported by Arts Council funding to study in both London and New York University from which she holds MA in Dance studies. She has for many years been active in devising and choreographing projects in Ireland, Uk and USA in theatre, education and community settings and , is recently developing programmes in dance and health and , dance for the older adult .
She presented ‘Between Language and Limb ‘ a Dance /Poetry collaboration with award winning poet and author Geraldine Mills in Galway Theatre Festival 2019.
Mia Bradley
Mia is a recent graduate of the Scottish School of Contemporary Dance and former NYDCS member.
Dance has been her passion since the day she started dance classes in Galway and now she is looking forward to the start of her professional dance career back in her hometown.
Kristyn Fontanella
As a dance artist and choreographer, Kristyn Fontanella holds a BFA in Theatre and Dance from CCSU and an MA in Contemporary Dance Performance from the University of Limerick. Kristyn has toured the world with many prestigious dance shows including: Riverdance, Lord of the Dance and performed lead female role in Gaelforce Dance. Her current choreographic works focus on her past knowledge of Irish step dancing and presents it in a contemporary context.
After the success of her duet As We Know It, her latest ensemble work IN LiMBO premiered in 2018 and will tour 7 venues throughout Ireland in Jan/Feb of 2020 with support from the Irish Arts Council.
Her current mission is to show another side of the complex world of Irish Step dancing to future generations of dancers. www.kristynfontanella.com
Marta Almeida
Marta Almeida was born in 1993 in Lisbon. At the age of 9 years she began her vocational studies in dance at the Escola de Dança do Conservatório Nacional in Lisbon where she completed her studies in June 2011.
Between 2011 and 2014 she continued her professional training, notably in the field of Contemporary Dance, at the Company Ballet Junior of Genève taking the opportunity of the scholarship that was awarded by the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
Over these 3 years, as a dancer of the Company Ballet Junior of Genève, she participated in all of the company’s production and tours, having performed several repertoire by Stijn Celis, Ken Ossola, Barak Marshall, Andonis Foniadakis, Hofesh Shechter, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, Cindy Van Acker among others.
Since 2015 she is a freelance dancer and has participated in several projects in Genève, Lisbon and Brussels. She regularly teaches ballet, contemporary and Pilates, to different levels – beginners to advance and professional.
Recently she finished the master’s degree in Dance Education at ESD, in Lisbon.