ABOUT THE RESEARCH

This practice-based research investigates the effects of the application of Orthodox ascetic practices to choreographic processes and dance performance. The practices that fall within the scope of this research are the practice of silence, and detachment from material objects. The findings are discussed in the thesis and presented in this portfolio.

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The practical part of the research took place in the form of a series of dance workshops and residencies. These included an initial trial workshop in Thessaloniki in Greece, in which I experimented for the first time on Orthodox ascetic practices with a group of eight dancers, followed by three dance residencies: At Dance Ireland in Dublin with five dancers, at Queen’s University Belfast with two dancers, and at Shawbrook Centre in Longford with six dancers. Each residency led to the creation of a short choreographic piece which we then shared with an audience. 

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The data was acquired through group and individual interviews, reflective journals, photos, and videos of the creative process in the studio and of the performances. A written thesis and this portfolio are the outputs of the research project. 

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