Keira Martin, NSCD alumni and current lecturer and choreographer, was invited to the Irish Festival, ‘Dancer from the Dance: Festival of Irish Choreography’, out of 21 artists and her visit there is described below.
The festival was a celebration of Irish culture and identity, including gatherings around Dublin, with a panel discussing ‘Dancing as our tribal identity’, how a dancer carries their identity in their body and how that changes as they perform. The panel was held with Seona Mac Reamoinn (ACE Ireland), Philip Connaughton (Runs ‘Step Up’ youth dance project in Limerick) and Louise Costello (Programme Producer Dance Ireland), which made for an interesting conversation and debate.
The festival also included part of the research Keira has undertaken in recent months, supported by NSCD, and Keira presented excerpts of her own work ‘Here Comes Trouble’ - which is a rigorous personal investigation into womanhood and Keira’s individual identity. It is choreographed by Keira Martin and has deep connections with Keira’s heritage and own personal artistry.
Keira said:
“It was really special to go home and dance where the dance is meant to be. I’m grateful to NSCD for supporting this, as it aligns with the research Carlos [Martinez, NSCD Lecturer] and I are doing on how identity connects to contemporary dance training and practice. Presenting in a non-traditional space to an Irish audience allowed me to test ideas in a meaningful context. Despite the diversity of work at the festival, recurring themes emerged - like the residue held in the body, storytelling, and lived experience. It sparked rich conversations about what it means to be ‘Irish’ in performance, something often mimicked in British settings but here felt authentic, honest, and deeply rooted in life. It’s not something worn; it’s something within you.”
Keira's involvement in this project has been so successful that she has been invited back next year, subject to funding.
Dr Helen Kindred, Director of Studies at NSCD who works with Keira said of her:
"Keira’s work in speaking to identity in contemporary dance training is critical to shifting paradigms of what is seen and acknowledged as ‘contemporary dance’. Her work this summer is instrumental in strengthening relationships and discourse in dance education and performance between Irish and English communities and valuing cross-cultural learning through exchanges."
Keira is now working on new conversations, including embedding cultural dance into established Western dance practices.
John Scott, originally from Dublin, founded The Irish Modern Dance Theatre (IMDT) in 1991. In 1992, the company launched its first production, a piece called Beneath the Storm. The dance company was renamed to John Scott Dance and is responsible for creating, commissioning and expanding dance experience in Ireland.
