Dance Limerick Choral Moves performance participation project for people aged 50+

Ger O’Rourke, Mary Moriarty and Maura Turner, who have signed up to participate in Dance Limerick Choral Moves, Dance Limerick’s new dance project for people aged 50+

Do you enjoy dancing?  Like to try something new?  Dance Limerick has just announced details of a new dance performance project for people aged 50+. Dance Limerick Choral Moves draws inspiration from well-known choral music classics and will encourage participants to embrace the beauty, magic and movement in the works of famous composers from Brahms to Beethoven, from Mozart to Mendelssohn.  Led by choreographers Philippa Donnellan and Kristyn Fontanella, the project begins with a free taster dance workshop on Thursday 30 March at 2 pm at Dance Limerick, John’s Square.  The project continues for six weeks and culminates with an informal performance and social event on Sunday 14 May.  No experience is necessary and no upper age limit applies.  Participants can come alone or bring a friend.

Ger O’Rourke, Mary Moriarty and Maura Turner, who have signed up to participate in Choral Moves, Dance Limerick’s new dance project for people aged 50+

Dance Limerick Choral Moves follows Dance Limerick’s hugely successful 2016 project Here’s Looking at You, Kid, led by Philippa Donnellan.  Having led many dance projects for older audiences, Donnellan teams up this year with Limerick-based dance artist and choreographer Kristyn Fontanella, who teaches Dance Limerick’s weekly dance class for people over 50.  Outlining how the project will operate, she explains “After the taster workshop, we’ll run 12 sessions in April and May, leading to an informal performance and social event on Sunday 14 May.  The sessions begin with easy movement warm-ups to stretch the muscles and focus the mind, followed by creating simple and lively dance sequences to the music of all styles.  It’s a social occasion also, so over a cuppa there’ll be time to chat with others about our favourite music, hopefully inspiring each other to invent new choreography.  Ideas could come from Mozart’s exuberant Marriage of Figaro, the gorgeous love songs of Puccini, or even Carl Orff’s raucous Carmina Burana (better known as the theme from the Old Spice ad) – We can’t wait to see what people suggest!”

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Dance Limerick Choral Moves has come about as a result of Dance Limerick’s ongoing wish to engage with older people in Limerick and the Mid-West.  Jenny Traynor, Director of Dance Limerick, explains “As part of our remit, Dance Limerick runs classes for all ages, from tots to adults, and we now have a very successful weekly dance class for people over 50.  Choral Moves brings the participation of our older movers to a new level and also gives us the opportunity to introduce new people to the joys of dance.  We had great fun with Here’s Looking at You, Kid last year.  Many new friendships were made and many new dancers were born!  We’re really fortunate to be able to work again with Philippa Donnellan, who has considerable experience and really knows how to encourage people to tap into their creativity, as well as our own Kristyn Fontanella, who has done great work leading our older movers to class over the last six months”.

For more information on Dance Limerick Choral Moves click here

For more information on dance in Limerick click here