FROM THE FLOOR

Rebecca McGowan & Jackie O'Riley

A collection devoted to the small beauty
of traditional Irish dancing

Portfolio

WHEN THE MUSIC STARTS, I'LL KNOW

When the Music Starts, I’ll Know is both an oral history project and live show that offers reflections of what it means to be a dancer. Told through the voices of 13 lifelong movers, we explore the paths dancers forge to sustain a lifelong practice: How do artists who are community builders also make time and space for their creative work? What does it mean to rely on your body as your mode of expression? How is identity tied to artistic practice over the course of a lifetime? This project was shaped over time by the stories these women were telling. So many things stood out to us: themes of dance as a calling, dance as sanctuary, and dancing and identity evolving together. We are thrilled to share the recordings of these conversations here, and encourage you to take your time to hear each person telling their stories in their own voice.

FROM THE FLOOR
with Chris Stevens
& Nathan Gourley

Inspired by the music album format, From the Floor is a “visual album” – a collection of dances caught on film that are connected by being of the same moment in our creative process, rooted in a physical space that means something to us, and representing the style and repertoire that we practice.

The Maid in the Meadow - Eight Feet Tall

EIGHT FEET TALL
with Armand Aromin
& Dan Accardi

Eight Feet Tall approaches steps and tunes with both intense respect for tradition and keen sensitivity to the shared rhythmic experience of music and dance. Instruments, shoes, voices, and whole bodies enter into conversation with one another, creating complex sonic textures amid vibrant visual interplay.

ACORN FACTORY
with Maria Fong

Unlike most animations, this one was created after the soundtrack, rather than before. The soundtrack is an improvised meditation on the rhythms of traditional reel steps from Joe O'Donovan, Co. Cork, Ireland. We repeated and shifted phrases, in order to turn the focus away from the step and towards its essential rhythm. Drawn on paper with pen, ink, and watercolors, the factory and real acorns were animated under the camera using stop motion animation.

MOUNT PHOEBUS' HUNT

Traditional version from the dancing of Dan Furey & original version by Jackie O'Riley

Music from Jack Talty & Cormac Begley, Na Fir Bolg

Short Bio

Drawn to the grace, musicality, and subtlety of old-style Irish dance, we create original choreography and interpret traditional steps. Our work magnifies intricate movements and small variations. We aim to honor the inherent musicality of the form and change the frame of what the audience sees and experiences.

Our recent projects explore sound textures, the immediacy of making music with the body, and the dynamic relationship of movement and music, placing particular value on the creative process. We are always seeking opportunities to create and collaborate - reach out to us!

Bio

Upcoming