TRANS-BORDER

TRANS - BORDER - is a site specific work examining our relationship to geographical borders, both physical and theoretical. Coaxing the audience into the outdoors, performers appear in various unlikely spaces. An international cast of dancers guides the audience through the changing landscape of South Dublin, looking at the functions and duality of specific sites, through live performance and film. A series of duets and solos draw attention to this public space, establishing a dialogue around ‘who’ is allowed to have access to these spaces. The piece perhaps exposes conflicting aesthetics or identity clashes in the county but ideally attempts to create a sense of balance and cultural vibrancy. TRANS-BORDER was developed with a group from The Doors to Elsewhere programme.

The Doors to Elsewhere programme is an integrated drama group for adults with disabilities living in South County Dublin. Doors to Elsewhere was established in 2011 and is produced by Tallaght Community Arts. The work combines drama, dance, music and singing. Performances are original, devised works collectively created by the participants. All of the participants perform, and they are also the writers, directors and designers of the work. For this performance Doors to Elsewhere participants have been joined by drama students from Green Gables, Tallaght.

Artist Biography

Cathy Coughlan is a multidisciplinary artist based in Dublin. Supported by The Arts Council Cathy trained as a professional dancer in the UK (1994-97) and continued her arts training with The National College of Art and Design, gaining a B.A. in fine art (2005), where her practice, deeply rooted in dance, primarily developed through video installation and performance.

In June 2016 Cathy presented a series of Hybrid Dance Works 'OIL & WATER' which marked the end of 18 months as Dance Artist in Residence at RUA RED Arts centre, supported by The Arts Council and South Dublin County Council.

In 2015 Cathy received Create’s – Artist in the Community Bursary Award – where her research focused on new modes of collaborative practice through screen based technology. This research culminated in the co-founding of HAVOC Dance Company. In 2014 Cathy choreographed and directed ‘Source’, a production for Tiger Dublin Fringe Festival, which gained two award nominations.

Cathy’s work has also been supported by Dublin City Council (Project Award), Laois County Council/Laois Partnership (Residency support funding), The Dunamaise Arts Centre (2010-2012 Residency), Dance Ireland (2013/2014 Residency) and Shawbrook Dance Centre (2015 Hatch Residency). As an artist working in a collaboration with communities she has delivered projects and performances in association with RADE, Common Ground, Create, Focus Ireland, the Fatima Regeneration Project, Dunamaise Arts Centre, Dublin City Council and Dance Ireland. For the last six years Cathy has worked closely with CoisCeim Broadreach in association with Bealtaine Festival and Dublin City Council – presenting work at IMMA, Hugh Lane Gallery, Aviva stadium, Axis Theatre and the IFI.