2020 Associate Artist
Today, Paul Johnson, Dance Ireland CEO, annuonced Sibéal Davitt as Dance Ireland's 2020 Associate Artist.
Now in it's eighth year, the Associate Artist programme is a significant means for Dance Ireland to support the development of dance artists and choreography in Ireland.
With each Associate, we offer a suite of supports, including administrative support, studio space, advice and networking, in support of their self-directed projects. During their year-long association with Dance Ireland, our Associate Artists also act as ambassadors for the organisation and for dance as a whole.
Dance Ireland has worked in many guises with Sibéal, from providing teaching opportunities to residency supports to a mentorship award and international networking moments: In 2016 we were a development partner with Dublin Dance Festival on Embodied, which included her solo creation Fógraím / I Proclaim. In 2017 we awarded her a Mentored Residency Support Award for As We Know It (in partnership with Kristyn Fontanella), working with Colin Dunne on developing the duet which subsequently we presented under our First Looks programme, which led to performance engagements in Germany and France.In 2018 Dance Ireland supported the development of Surrender Navigation group work, in addition to teaching & outreach opportunities, culminating in awarding her 2020 Associate Artist.
An exciting and accomplished Seán Nos dance artist, Sibéal fuses, collaborates and pushes the boundaries of her practice with contemporary performance practices. Supporting this, is Sibeal's commitment to clearly communicating her belief in the transformative power of dance, music and collaboration.
Sibéal embodies our values, and at all times strives to connect… engage…challenge…and in the process ….evolve her practice. An excellent and positive ambassador dance, the Irish language, we greatly look forward to working with her in the year ahead.
'Tá áthas an domhain orm an gradam seo a bhaint amach. It's a huge honour to be named as Dance Ireland's Associate Artist. 2020 will be a very busy and exciting year for me as I delve into research and development for two new works. Dance Ireland will be an invaluable partner on this journey of exploration and expansion and I undoubtedly look forward to seeing what unfolds'. Sibeal on her appointment.
During the first half of 2020, Sibéal will begin development on her new work 'Minseach', a new full length dance work about the learning and teaching of the Irish language in modern day Ireland. She will work in collaboration with acclaimed writer and actor Caitríona Ní Mhurchú with additional collaboration with sound designer Sinéad Diskin.
Later in the year Sibéal will continue her exploration in the studio with dancers Emily Kilkenny Roddy, Jade O'Connor, Olwyn Lyons and Millie Daniel Dempsey developing a new short work entitled 'Leanaimis'.
She will be sharing works in progress at the end of both residencies.
Dance Ireland Associate Artists: Aoife McAtamney, Emma Martin, Liv O’Donoghue, Philip Connaughton, Maria Nilsson Waller, Catherine Young, Patricia Crosbie, Liam Scanlon, Luke Murphy and Aine Stapleton.
ABOUT Sibéal
Sibéal Davitt is a dance artist and performer from Dublin. She has performed at venues and festivals all over the world for over 10 years. Her style of dance is influenced by contemporary, classical and Irish traditional ‘sean-nós’ dance, having trained in all styles from a young age.
In 2016 she created 'Fógraím/I Proclaim' and performed at the GPO as part of 'Embodied', a series of six solos by female choreographers commissioned by Dublin Dance Festival, in partnsrship with Dance Ireland, and in 2017 she performed in 'As We Know It’ alongside Kristyn Fontanella at First Looks, Open Studio at Tanzmesse at KLAP Marseille and ‘Tradition and Beyond’ for Echo Echo Festival of Movement and Dance.
In 2017/18 she co-choreographed two pieces with Olwyn Lyons for CoisCéim Dance Theatre's youth dance company ‘Creative Steps’. In 2018 she created a short ensemble work ‘Surrender Navigation’ for Five Lamps Arts Festival.
She co-choreographed 'Ask Too Much Of Me' directed by Veronica Coburn at the Abbey Theatre in August 2019.
Sibéal is one of five recipients of the 2019 inaugural Markievicz Award.