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Who's Who

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DAvid Bolger - Artistic Director/ Director & Choreographer

David is the co-founder and artistic director of CoisCéim Dance Theatre.

Over the past 15 years he has directed the Company to gain International recognition, while animating the dance landscape within Ireland through performance, outreach programmes and professional development training.

David has directed and choreographed 16 original productions for the Company. Many of which have tour both nationally and internationally receiving prestigious awards for their innovation, performance and choreography. CoisCéim have performed throughout Ireland, UK, Scotland, France, Germany, Venice Biennale, USA, China and Tasmania. The Company was awarded two coveted Fringe First at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on two consecutive years running 2006/2007. Recent productions for the Company include, FAUN, DODGEMS, OUT OF HARMS WAY, CHAMBER MADE, SWEPT, RITE OF SPRING, WHEN ONCE IS NEVER ENOUGHM NUT CRACKER, BOXES AND BALLADS.

In 2001, David co-wrote the dance film Hit and Run. Together with director John Comisky, the film, choreographed by Bolger, was awarded several awards including The Paula Citron Award for choreography for the camera, and The Jury Prize in the Dance On Camera Festival, Lincoln Centre, New York. David was also nominated for an American Choreography Award, USA, one of the highest standards of achievement in choreography throughout the entertainment Industry in 2002.

In 2003, CoisCéim was commissioned to create a large scale performance A Dash of Colour involving 75,000 people for the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics, which was televised worldwide and Intimate Details, a dance spectacle based on the human and animal ornamentation found in the Book of Kells for the Opening Ceremony of the Ryder Cup, 2006 also televised and broadcast to over 10 million people.

David has received many commissions for his work notably Ausserhalb Der Gelfahrenzone for the Tanztheatre in Freiburg/Heidelberg, RAW for Fidget Feet Aerial Dance Company (2008) and On The Wall  for Croi Glan Integrated Dance Company (2009).

His collaborations with director Trevor Nunn  include The Relapse, Tom Stoppard's The Coast Of Utopia, Love's labor's lost (National Theatre London). Nick Hytners production of The Man Of Mode (National Theatre, London).

Many productions at the Abbey Theatre include Tarry Flynn, The Colleen Bawn  (also National Theatre London), The Secret Fall Of Constance Wilde, She Stoops to Folly, The Marriage Of Figaro, The Man Who became a Legend  and Big Maggie.

For Druid Theatre Company David collaborated with director Garry Hynnes on the award winning Synge Cycle (Ireland, USA, Australia, Scotland and UK), Sive, Sharon's Grave, and The Year Of The Hiker. Other projects include The Merchant Of Venice (Second age), Buffalo Bill has Gone to Alaska (Pigs Back), Hurl (Barabbas) DANCING AT LUGHNASA (Théatre du Nouveau Monde Montreal) and in 2007 David directed Madison's Decent by composer Mícheál ó Súilleabháin , based on a story and paintings by Page Allen (MontClaire State University, New Jersey).

David  was musical stager and choreographer for Cameron Mackintosh's production of Martin Guerre, which toured the UK and USA 1999/ 2000,  Stephen Sondeim's  FOLLIES (National Concert Hall Dublin), Guys And Dolls, (Leicester Haymarket/ Gaiety Theatre Dublin), The Pirates Of Penzance (Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis) directed by Joe Dowling and Gone With The Wind (New London Theatre) directed by Trevor Nunn.

More recently David directed and choreographed the world premier of the musical comedy MacBecks at the Olympia Theatre Dublin and the Cork Opera House.

David made his Opera Direction debut in 2004 with Gluck’s Orfeo which received an Irish Times/ESB  Theatre Award for Best Opera Production, before being the first Irish Opera Production to be invited  to perform at the State Theatre in Wiesbaden (2005). His second Opera Handel's Imeneo (2005) also received a nomination for Best opera Production for the Irish times theatre awards. In 2008 David directed Britten's  A MID SUMMER NIGHTS DREAM (Gaiety Theatre, Dublin,).

Other opera productions include La Traviata (English National Opera), assistant director/choreographer, and the world premier of Nicholas Maw's Sophie's choice (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) directed by Trevor Nunn.

Film Choreography, Dancing At Lughnasa, with Meryl Streep and directed by Pat O Connor.

In 2007, David was elected to membership of Aosdána, which honors artists whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the Arts in Ireland.

 

PHILIPPA DONNELLAN - BROADREACH DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER

Philippa Donnellan trained at the Martha Graham School, New York. She had worked as a dancer, teacher and choreographer for a number of companies including: Middlesex University; Adventures in Motion Pictures; Institute del Teatro, Spain; Rosas Dance Co, Belgium. From 1998 to 2005 Philippa worked with Green Candle Dance as Education Officer and Community Dance Artist, leading dance projects in a variety of education and community contexts. Following an inspiration journey to Brazil for carnaval in 2004, she choreographed LA FOULE for The Company of Elders - a performance group for the over 60's at Sadler's Wells Theatre, London.

In 2006 Philippa worked as Dance Consultant for Hammersmith and Fulham Council, London on a professional development project designed to enable teachers to extend their dance teaching skills within the education curriculum.

Philippa joined CoisCéim Dance Theatre in 2006 to set up CoisCéim Broadreach - an outreach dance programme designed to increase opportunities in dance for people of all ages and experiences. Most recently Philippa worked with other members of CoisCéim in the creation of La Vie en rose- dancing to the music of edith piaf. A CoisCéim/ Dublin City Council  partnership, this was a Dublin wide dance project for people aged 50+. It culminated in a dance performance by participants to the songs of Edith Piaf at City Hall as part of Bealtaine 2009.

 

JENNY TRAYNOR - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Jenny has produced all of CoisCéim's shows and tours both nationally and internationally since 2004.

She worked for many years in the Arts Council in the areas of music, theatre, dance, arts education and venue development. She was General Manager at Project Arts Centre from 2001 - 2004.