This year’s Afternoon of Dance has been curated by choreographers Clara Kerr & Michael McEvoy. The programme includes an open somatic session, live dance performances, dance film, and live music from Northern Ireland’s most exciting dance practitioners including, Helen Hall, Eileen McClory, Sandy Cuthbert, Sarah White, Naoimh Brown and Sarah Flavelle. It will conclude with a discussion led by award-winning writer, arts journalist and critic, Jane Coyle.
To kick off the day, Sandy Cuthbert will lead a FREE somatics session at Seapark, Holywood, beginning at 11.0am. Please register for this session on the ‘Somatics Session’ page of Festival events.
Sandy is a freelance dance and somatic artist and practitioner with over 40 years of experience within the dance industry. She has a background in contemporary dance and movement improvisation. Sandy is a professional member of ISMETA and is a registered Somatic Movement Educator, presently facilitating through retreats, co-creation, and weekly classes at The Crescent Arts Centre.
The programme will continue in the Holywood Yacht club at 1.30pm. The performances will start with the exciting talent of Helen Hall. Helen is a Belfast-based dance artist. As someone with sight loss Helen is curious as to how her experience of interacting with the world around may differ from others. It is this curiosity of the margins and telling untold stories that intrigues her and often finds voice in her work.
There will then be a short coffee break, enjoying Johnson’s Coffee, before Sarah White and Naoimh Brown share their work.
They will be followed by the Belfast-based contemporary dance artist Sarah Flavelle. Sarah has performed in projects with Off the Rails Dance Company, Fidget Feet Aerial Dance, Maiden Voyage Dance, and at Shawbrook Dance Company Space with RĂłisĂn Whelan Dance. She has performed in music videos for Jamie Duffy and And So I Watch You from Afar. Last year Sarah presented her work at Six Dance Collective’s Dance in Motion in The MAC.
Finally, Eileen McClory will share a screening of her work BIND. Eileen was the recipient of the Arts Council’s Major Individual Award 2022, the highest value honour bestowed on artists in Northern Ireland, the inaugural Belfast City Council Artist Bursary 2021, and was Belfast International Arts Festival Artist in Residence 2020/22. Eileen is fascinated by the potential of creating experimental, original, and innovative work through collaborative interactions with different practices in arts and media.
The afternoon will conclude with a Question and Answer session with all artists lead by Jane Coyle. We will focus on each artist’s current creative process, and discuss how they see it evolving amidst dance in its many different forms in Northern Ireland.
Event Details
- Doors Open at 1:00PM
- Starts at 1:30PM
- Location
Holywood Yacht Club, Holywood, BT18 9JN - Tickets here