Galway Dance are delighted to announce the recipients of our Síolta Residency Awards 2024.
Diarmuid Armstrong is a dance artist and choreographer from the northwest of Ireland, He works full time as a freelance dancer, he has joined productions with companies such as Irish modern dance theatre, Attic projects, Liz Roach company and Cois Ceim. Along with this Diarmuid is the director/choreographer of “Crooked thinking”, a dance theatre company. Their work aims to create interesting tangible scenarios, that can be blended with abstract movement in a way that is cohesive with the story being told. A balance between the literal and abstract is an important part of the company’s work.
Rocío Dominguez is a dance artist based in Dublin. She has worked as dancer, choreographer and assistant choreographer with Junk Ensemble, Alexandre Iseli, Luke Murphy, Loosysmokes, Anna Newell, BrokenCrow, Polina Kremasta and Joclecio Azevedo among others, in Ireland, Portugal, Greece and Argentina.
Rocio has been supported by the Arts Council of Ireland, Dublin City Council, Dance Ireland, Tipperary Dance, and Ensimismados Festival (Costa Rica).
Rocio has created the pieces War (Faculty of Architecture of Porto 2018), and Mental Make-Up (co-created with Catarina Garcia, Teatro Campo Alegre 2018), and showed the work in progress of MANY MEs (Teatro Leal, Tenerife, 2022).
Philippa Donnellan is a choreographer based in Dublin. She creates dance theatre in collaboration with diverse artists and communities in response to specific themes and settings. Formerly with CoisCéim Dance Theatre as BROADREACH Director (2006-20) and with Dance Limerick as Curator of DL.BRIDGE programme (2021-22), she recently directed The Big Reel a dance and live music performance for older age communities touring to care/arts centres. Philippa is currently researching a multi-disciplinary theatre piece Taking Flight supported by Uillinn/West Cork Arts Centre and the Arts Council. And, as Kildare Dance Artist in Residence 2023-24, she is developing a new site-responsive project Stepping the Land exploring our connection to the land and natural world.
‘ I am thrilled to be invited to undertake a Síolta Residency in 2024 with Galway Dance – to begin research of new work and to connect with the wider Galway community. I look forward to getting going! Thank you ‘
Aneta Dortová is a dance artist, choreographer, and musician based in Galway, Limerick, and Pilsen. She is an MA in Contemporary Dance Performance graduate from the Irish World Academy, University of Limerick. Her artistic practice focuses on the relationship between live music and dance, and traditional dance and contemporary dance. She enjoys collaborations with dance artists and musicians of any genre. She believes in the transformative power of dance and its potential to forge connections within and between communities.
A multidisciplinary dance artist in the genres of traditional Irish, contemporary and aerial dance, Oran Leong moves across fields of theatre, abstract and spectacle performance. Working for various companies and choreographers, he also creates his own independent works. With an interest in the use of objects and gender in movement, Oran values authenticity and collaboration in the creative space. He has been Fidget Feet’s Associate Artist since 2022 and in 2023, was Dance Artist-In-Residence at Ballina Arts Centre. Oran is grateful to receive the Síolta Residency and looks forward to engaging with the Galway dance community.
Lydia Zimmer, Boston Conservatory graduate (BFA ’11), is a Halifax-based dancer and choreographer. Supported by Canada Council for the Arts and Arts Nova Scotia, she has attended several international artist residencies in Iceland, Bulgaria, and Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Noteworthy recent pieces include ‘Mercurials’ for Mocean Dance (2022) and ‘Xenofauna’ for Atlantic Ballet Theatre for ImpactFest (2023). Lydia’s company, ZIMMERDANS, earned acclaim with a sold-out premiere of ‘The Devil’s Intervals’ in Live Art Dance Production’s 23/24 season. Recognized with the Emerging Artist Recognition Award through Creative Nova Scotia, Lydia is very excited to attend the Síolta Residency with Galway Dance in June 2024.
