'This process is always a lot of fun': Longford choreographer to host workshop

Marguerite Donlon, the internationally acclaimed choreographer and former ballet dancer from Longford town, has announced an upcoming August dance and live music workshop. Alongside musician Giacomo for an inspiring experience for all ages, the event will take place in Longford Slashers between August 14-18.

Junior participants between the ages of 7-12 will have their workshop from 10am to 1:30pm over five days, and will cost €110 (additional siblings are €95). Seniors, from ages 13-99 are from 2:30pm to 6:30pm, and will cost €120 over the five days.

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This is to be a unique workshop, exploring creative potential through dance, improvisation and music. In the end, Marguerite and her team will have guided participants to create exciting dance pieces with an original live electronic song created for them by the composer, Giacomo. Participants will use their imagination to create fantastic costume designs which will be exhibited at the end of the workshop.

Marguerite came to chat about how this workshop came about, and how the desire to do it has been over a few years.
“I used to do summer workshops quite often many years ago when I was a dancer at the English National Ballet and the Deutsche Oper Berlin. We had long summer vacations so it was perfect.

“I also did many workshops at Shawbrook and Backstage, and it was always very inspiring to see the emerging dance talent. Many of those students have gone on to have very exciting careers in dance.

“However, with my job as Artistic Director and other family commitments in recent years, it made it a bit more difficult to find time. Now that I am freelancing, and can organise my schedule better, I decided to make time to do a workshop in my hometown, Longford.”

She added how proud she is of Longford, as it has made itself a dance hub, mentioning Anica Dawson of Shawbrook and Mona Considein and her team in Backstage. The rise of dance schools in the county has been described as “fantastic” by Marguerite.
“I am a huge believer that dance is a very powerful art form. Not only in hope to create the next budding ballerina, but to open up and understand how it is to work as a team, to build confidence and to understand yourself deeply.”

There will be some surprise guest teachers coming to take part alongside Marguerite and Giacomo, which will be announced at a later date.

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As to why all ages should get involved, Marguerite said:

“What I am offering is more about creativity and making dance. From the first thing in the morning, till last thing at night, almost everything we do, and see is in a way a form of dance. Movement has been our first language, so it’s a language that we deeply understand. Our participants will be given a vocabulary of movement, which they can then dissect, and play with. They will learn tools of how to create original dance movements and they will create unique solos, duets or and group pieces.

"I would like to invite people out of their heads and into their bodies with confidence, to ignite their creativity and to feel proud of their ideas.

The workshop ends with an informal showing on the final day

Everyone can sign up regardless of experience to enjoy the process and creativity.

Register via: Marguerite@donlon.de