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Biography

Originally a Wexford native, Dee Grant graduated from Middlesex University, London with a BA (Hons)Dance degree in 1993. In 2008, Dee retrained in Somatic Dance Education with Joan Davis, Maya Lila, Wicklow, a practice that was to have profound effect on both her teaching & theatrical works. Dee is no stranger to bringing professional dance to the fore.

In 1999 she co-founded Myriad Dance, which between 1999-2013 produced numerous choreographic dance works that were shown nationwide, including Dublin Fringe Festival and Dublin Dance Festival and well as being responsible for creating an exceptional new Festival - Sonraigh Youth Dance Festival with National Opera House. Throughout her tenure as Artistic Director, she worked on an ambitious large scale 10 year programme in Youth Dance, in collaboration with the Arts Department at Wexford County Council, who in 2011, commissioned a celebrational dance resource document from her, entitled - “Are We Dancing, Yet?”

In recent years, Dee is a Dance Artist in Residence at Garter Lane Arts Centre Waterford, ireland (2017-2022) where she has instigated several professional development programmes for dance artists in the south east of Ireland as well as being the curator of Jolt Dance Week & Symposium.

Dee has been an Associate Lecturer at SETU Waterford since 1996, working with both Department of Arts & Department of Social Care & Early Childhood Studies.

In her freelance capacity, she has worked (and continues to work) extensively with Arts Officers in Co Mayo, Carlow, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow and Leitrim Local Authorities, developing, devising and leading several large-scale contemporary dance performance projects & events for professional dancers, the health sectors & learning disability sectors.

She has extensive experience leading dance & creative projects in the community. She has been Creative Lead with Traces Dance Ensemble (a Waterford-based ensemble who members have a intellectual disability) since 2015.  

Dee is currently about to  share her somatic-based performance & dance-making processes involved in the making of her upcoming visual guidebook (and blogsite) ‘Prompts For The Mover’ in the context of her own recent experiences of illness with cancer.

The physical workshops and the subject matter explored in the book, may be of interest to dedicated professional artists  & creative academics who are looking for ways to rethink, re discover and challenge their practice due to long or short term medical conditions, injuries, recovery from long covid or chronic fatigue or artists wishing to work more holistically in performance contexts. 

Prompts For the Mover is going to print in Jan 2024

Dee is part of the PLACE Research group: PLACE (Practice-led, Active & Creative Engagement) as well as the 'Lyrical Bodies' Project at SETU Waterford 

In 1999 she co-founded Myriad Dance, which between 1999-2013 produced numerous choreographic dance works that were shown nationwide, including Dublin Fringe Festival and Dublin Dance Festival and well as touring internationally to Arizona's 'DanCelebration' in year's 2005/2006. In 2008, Deirdre performed her own solo work 'Authenticity', premireing at Wexford Arts Centre, Ireland using methodology from her somatic dance experiences and training with Joan Davis.

Dee was Dance Artist in Residence at Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford, Ireland (2017-2022) where she has instigated several 'professional development' programmes for dance artists in the south east of Ireland,  as well as being the curatoring the Jolt Dance Week & Symposium 2019 & 2021.