Reference Code: IE 2135 N22

Title: The Myriad Dance Papers

Dates of Creation: 2002-2011

Level of Description: Fonds

Extent and Medium: 49 items (33 files)

 

CONTEXT

Name of Creator(s): Grant, Deirdre (b. 1971) and Myriad Dance

Biographical and Administrative History: Deirdre Grant was born in Wexford and was first introduced to contemporary dance in that town in 1984, when she joined the Barefoot Youth Dance Company.  She later gained a BA in Dance with Education from Middlesex University, London, undertook post-graduate training in Community and Youth Dance, and has recently trained with Joan Davis (Certificate of Somatic Studies).  In 1999, she co-founded Myriad Dance with Brid Malone, and remains the company’s artistic director.  Grant is the author of Are We Dancing Yet, published by Wexford County Council in December 2011.

Myriad Dance successfully promoted dance awareness, participation, and appreciation regionally through various dance performance-based initiatives (mainly site specific works) and development initiatives, including the Sonraigh Youth Dance Festival and the Pulse Youth Dance Programme (2001-2008) in partnership with Wexford County Council.  The latter was expanded in 2009 and continued to operate under the name Education and Community Programme @ Myriad as the largest youth dance partnership with a local authority in Ireland.  In July 2009, Myriad Dance moved into the newly built Wexford Opera House, in which they were one of two resident dance companies.  Over the years, the dance company’s intense focus in youth and education left it at odds with its original role as a production company.  As a consequence, the dance company was wound down in 2015.

Immediate Source of Acquisition: Donated by Deirdre Grant to the National Dance Archive of Ireland on 12 July 2011.  Additional items received on 1 November 2011.

Scope and Content: Postcards, programmes, flyers, and DVDs illustrating the activities of Myriad Dance and County Wexford Youth Dance Company.

Conditions Governing Access: Unrestricted access to all items.

Finding Aid: PDF link.