Ciara is an Irish dancing professional who possesses multiple skills as a lead dancer, choreographer, lecturer, television announcer and presenter for major shows and events throughout the world. She is a five-time World & All-Ireland Champion and has starred as lead dancer in Riverdance, Heartbeat of Home and in both Lord of the Dance and Lord of the Dance 3D, alongside Michael Flatley – released in cinemas worldwide. Ciara is proud to be a Senior Editor for The Irish Dancing Magazine. After producing, directing and choreographing her first show alongside Martin Percival for their company Irish Dance Theatre, the duo are currently working on new production, Celtic Warrior – featuring an all female cast. Together, Percival and Sexton formed the Irish Dance Consultants LLC in 2017 to provide services to professional irish dancers round the globe by casting and representing individuals for various projects and touring companies. In 2019 Ciara directed, choreographed & starred in new a new production, Fainne Oir. It premiered to sold out crowds in Ireland & on Broadway in NYC. Ciara has been involved at The Irish World Academy in UL since 2014 and takes pride in her job of lecturing in performance dance, alongside some of the best names in the industry. With each new year, Ciara looks forward to new students & challenges.

Pamela Cotter is an ethnomusicologist, dancer and choreographer, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is a graduate of the BA in Irish Music and Dance at the University of Limerick (2010) and the MA in Ethnomusicology at University College Cork (2011). She is currently working on a research PhD at the University of Limerick and lectures on the undergraduate programmes at the Irish World Academy. Pamela is also Director of the Blas International Summer School of Irish Traditional Music and Dance, and a qualified Irish dancing teacher (T.C.R.G.) with An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha.

Kelsey Schuhle, from New York, was a competitive Irish dancer for 17 years under An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha. Kelsey moved to Limerick in 2011 to study Irish Music and Dance at the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance (University of Limerick). In 2015 she graduated with a BA, and in 2017 received her Masters Degree in Traditional Irish Dance Performance (Irish World Academy, UL). Kelsey has had the privilege of touring with Rhythm of the Dance (2017 UK Tour), and Dublin Irish Dance (2018 USA Tour). Along with this, she has worked with countless incredible dancers such as Brendan de Gallaí, Colin Dunne, Nic Gareiss, and more. Not only does Kelsey perform and teach regularly, she also choreographs all her own material, and has studied over 10 different genres of dance in her time at the Irish World Academy. Most recently Kelsey has been performing and/or conducting workshops globally, in countries such as Mexico, Serbia, Lithuania, Monaco, France, and more. Kelsey is currently collaborating with The Gregory Walkers, blending the styles of Irish Traditional Dance and Early Music (Renaissance & Baroque). Kelsey has been a dance tutor/lecturer at the Irish World Academy since 2015, teaching BA and MA students. She is studying to receive her PhD in Arts Practice at the Irish World Academy, concentrating on stillness/silence in her practice as a percussive dancer. www.kelseyjeanschuhle.com

As a dance artist and choreographer, Kristyn Fontanella holds a BFA with high honours in Theatre and Dance from CCSU and an MA in Contemporary Dance Performance from the University of Limerick. Kristyn has toured the world with many prestigious dance shows including: Riverdance, Lord of the Dance and performed lead female role in Gaelforce Dance. Her current choreographic works focus on her past knowledge of Irish step dancing and presents it in a contemporary context. Kristyn’s latest ensemble work, IN LiMBO has been supported by the Irish Arts Council and will tour Ireland in February 2020. Her current mission is to show another side of the complex world of Irish Step dancing to future generations of dancers.     www.kristynfontanella.com

Aoife began dancing at a young age with the Naomh Fionnbarra School of Irish dance and The Billie Barry Stage School. Which afforded her the opportunity to perform in many venues around Ireland. She then went on to study a BA Irish Music and Dance, M.Phil in Drama and Theatre Studies and a MA in Dance Performance. During her time in college and shortly after, Aoife performed with many well traditional musicians and dancer such as The Chieftains, Cherish the Ladies, Zøgma Danse, Colin Dunne, Nic Garais, Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien and Kristyn Fontanella Dance. She has also travelled abroad teaching workshops in traditional Irish dance. It was during her time in the Unversity of Limerick, Aoife began collecting traditional repertoire and developed her love of the style and how it is performed. Currently, Aoife teaches dance and fitness at the Irish World Academy at the University of Limerick, she recently joined the teaching team at The Pilates Room, Limerick. Aoife is also a qualified barre and reformer pilates instructor. In the last two years, Aoife has set up her own business, Eala Dance & Fitness, which provides workshops and entertainment for a number of different events and occasions.

Here students will develop their dance practice through three main classes focusing on technique, repertoire and the development of the student’s own personal creative process.  Students’ developing dance practice will be supported through somatics studies in areas such as Feldenkrais, yoga and pilates.

Here students will engage in ensemble work with in-house and visiting tutors  as well  as have the opportunity to select other collaborative performance practices in other folk, world and popular dance and music traditions.

Issues addressed in this module will be taken from current research engagements with the native Irish music and dance traditions. These will critically engage historical narratives, conceptual structuring and evolving identities of the traditions in question. Students will be introduced to concepts of research as a creative, scholarly practice.

In this class students are introduced to diverse music traditions from around the world, including, popular musics of West Africa, the court music of Indonesia, classical musics of India, folk and Celtic musics of Europe, classical music of the Arab Middle East, and traditional musics of Canada and America. Students deepen their knowledge of diverse repertoires and performance practices, develop their scholarly engagement with music and dance, gain a more global view of music and dance, and contextualise their own music and dance practices within the wider world of music and dance.

In addition to their core modules, each year students choose from a large number of elective modules in dance and music, and other subjects outside of the performing arts. These elective modules offer students the opportunity to enhance their educational experience, and broaden their artistic and academic horizons. Elective options vary from year to year but typically students can choose from  range of vocal and instrumental ensembles (from Academy choir to Irish traditional music ensemble), songwriting classes, lectures in country music, courses in choreography, North American percussive dance, Irish folklore and history, and various languages, including Irish.

Here students will develop their dance practice through three main classes focusing on technique, repertoire and the development of the student’s own personal creative process.  Students’ developing dance practice will be supported through somatics studies in areas such as Feldenkrais, yoga and pilates.

Here students will engage in ensemble work with in-house and visiting tutors  as well  as have the opportunity to select other collaborative performance practices in other folk, world and popular dance and music traditions.

This module explores Western Art music and dance practices in an academic and performative context, providing them with an insight into some of the diversity of music and dance practices within these traditions.

In this class students study various genres of popular music and dance. Students deepen their knowledge of diverse popular repertoires and performance practices, and deepen their knowledge of the role of popular culture in social, political, economic, cultural and artistic life. Students develop a critical view of popular music and dance, and contextualize their own music and dance practices within the wider, commercially mediated world of music and dance.

In addition to their core modules, each year students choose from a large number of elective modules in dance and music, and other subjects outside of the performing arts. These elective modules offer students the opportunity to enhance their educational experience, and broaden their artistic and academic horizons. Elective options vary from year to year but typically students can choose from  range of vocal and instrumental ensembles (from Academy choir to Irish traditional music ensemble), songwriting classes, lectures in country music, courses in choreography, North American percussive dance, Irish folklore and history, and various languages, including Irish.

Here students will develop their dance practice through three main classes focusing on technique, repertoire and the development of the student’s own personal creative process.  Students’ developing dance practice will be supported through somatics studies in areas such as Feldenkrais, yoga and pilates.

Here students will engage in ensemble work with in-house and visiting tutors  as well  as have the opportunity to select other collaborative performance practices in other folk, world and popular dance and music traditions.

 This module will more deeply engage issues in Irish traditional music and dance studies and, in this context, to apply cultural theory to Irish music and dance Studies in a deeper and more creative way.  Themes of difference and identity as relevant to traditional musicians in the past and present will be interrogated.  Issues will be focused on in the areas of Irish and English Language Song; the multitude of Irish dance styles as well as instrumental practice. These are to be addressed using a thematic approach which will engage theoretical areas such as identity, ethnicity,globalisation and the meaning of tradition. As such this is a research led module.

This module will introduce students to professional audio and visual technologies relevant to performers in their field. The professional world around performance practice, performance education, media and other career paths open to students on this programme will be explored. Students will use such technologies in professional contexts generating project work out of the day-to-day life of the Academy, recording concerts, providing technical support to a wide range of performances and generating media appropriate to the world of performing arts.  Students in this module will learn practical technological applications relevant to their performance practice. Students will learn to use and manipulate PAs and lighting rigs, led by professionals in the field and applied in real-world situations. Students will also be introduced to media generating software such as Final-Cut Pro and Logic to produce high level audio and video outputs.

In addition to their core modules, each year students choose from a large number of elective modules in dance and music, and other subjects outside of the performing arts. These elective modules offer students the opportunity to enhance their educational experience, and broaden their artistic and academic horizons. Elective options vary from year to year but typically students can choose from  range of vocal and instrumental ensembles (from Academy choir to Irish traditional music ensemble), songwriting classes, lectures in country music, courses in choreography, North American percussive dance, Irish folklore and history, and various languages, including Irish.

Here students will develop their dance practice through three main classes focusing on technique, repertoire and the development of the student’s own personal creative process.  Students’ developing dance practice will be supported through somatics studies in areas such as Feldenkrais, yoga and pilates.

Here students will engage in ensemble work with in-house and visiting tutors  as well  as have the opportunity to select other collaborative performance practices in other folk, world and popular dance and music traditions.

The Experiential Anatomy and Movement Analysis module introduce an understanding of the fundamental principles of anatomy and introduce students to the principles of movement analysis to develop an understanding of the functions and structure of the human body and movement through space. The module aims to develop the dancer’s awareness of the relationships between the human body, when engaging with areas such as dance training, fitness, health and injury prevention.

This module is designed to help competent musicians and dancers to come to an understanding of what it means to be involved in music and dance education contexts. There are three main components to this module :Music and Dance Curriculum studies, Professional Studies and School Based Work. The first priority is to help the development of expertise in a variety of educative situations. These range from classroom activities for various age groups and abilities to instrumental teaching, classroom teaching, ensemble, choral, band and orchestral rehearsals, and the passing on of music and dance. There is also an introduction to Community Music and Dance which involves the development of acquired skills in a community music and dance context and as community musicians and dancers

In addition to their core modules, each year students choose from a large number of elective modules in dance and music, and other subjects outside of the performing arts. These elective modules offer students the opportunity to enhance their educational experience, and broaden their artistic and academic horizons. Elective options vary from year to year but typically students can choose from  range of vocal and instrumental ensembles (from Academy choir to Irish traditional music ensemble), songwriting classes, lectures in country music, courses in choreography, North American percussive dance, Irish folklore and history, and various languages, including Irish.

In their 3rd year, Irish World Academy performing arts students go on ‘co-op’, a university-wide module specifically designed for undergraduates to engage in real-world, professional environments. The Cooperative Education division, in consultation with the Academy, helps students to identify working opportunities in a variety of contexts, including arts management, education, performance, media and related fields. Students are encouraged to set up their own six-month placements or to engage in split placements (ideally no more than two placements) in order to explore if their expectations for future careers match the experiences they have during the co-op period. Faculty visits, pre- and post- co-op assessment skills, and final report help students to reflect upon the process, enabling them to critically evaluate their time off campus.

Here students will develop their dance practice through three main classes focusing on technique, repertoire and the development of the student’s own personal creative process.  Students’ developing dance practice will be supported through somatics studies in areas such as Feldenkrais, yoga and pilates.

Here students will engage in ensemble work with in-house and visiting tutors  as well  as have the opportunity to select other collaborative performance practices in other folk, world and popular dance and music traditions.

This module is designed to enable music and dance students to develop awareness and understanding of the impact of the arts on health and well-being. The module aims to develop well-rounded music and dance graduates who are aware of the role of the arts in various contexts (such as hospital, community healthcare and mental health) and the impact of their own health and well-being on their own arts performance. The role of arts in society will be examined as well as the wide variety of approaches to creative engagement and the value of art.

This module will introduce students to the important contextualising disciplines of ethnomusicology and ethnochoreology and their main principles and orientations as well as the practical application of fieldwork and the production of ethnographic representations.

In addition to their core modules, each year students choose from a large number of elective modules in dance and music, and other subjects outside of the performing arts. These elective modules offer students the opportunity to enhance their educational experience, and broaden their artistic and academic horizons. Elective options vary from year to year but typically students can choose from  range of vocal and instrumental ensembles (from Academy choir to Irish traditional music ensemble), songwriting classes, lectures in country music, courses in choreography, North American percussive dance, Irish folklore and history, and various languages, including Irish.

Here students will develop their dance practice through three main classes focusing on technique, repertoire and the development of the student’s own personal creative process.  Students’ developing dance practice will be supported through somatics studies in areas such as Feldenkrais, yoga and pilates.  Students in this module will have the option to focus on the development of their final public performance.

Here students will engage in ensemble work with in-house and visiting tutors  as well  as have the opportunity to select other collaborative performance practices in other folk, world and popular dance and music traditions.

This module is intended students in the first semester of their fourth year, preparing to embark on an extended research project which will be presented in a 10,000 word thesis or equivalent. The student will agree on the subject of the project with the course director and will be introduced to a number of sample research projects and methodologies.

This module will examine issues pertinent to the lives of professional musicians and dancers. Issues such as promotion, effective communication, industry structures, touring, dealing with statutory arts bodies and funding structures will be practically engaged. Classes may feature professionals working in these fields and regularly faculty with relevant experience. This aspect of the module is supported by a lecture series and assessed through attendance and written assignments in the form of professional portfolios and resources.

In addition to their core modules, each year students choose from a large number of elective modules in dance and music, and other subjects outside of the performing arts. These elective modules offer students the opportunity to enhance their educational experience, and broaden their artistic and academic horizons. Elective options vary from year to year but typically students can choose from range of vocal and instrumental ensembles (from Academy choir to Irish traditional music ensemble), songwriting classes, lectures in country music, courses in choreography, North American percussive dance, Irish folklore and history, and various languages, including Irish.

Here students will develop their dance practice through three main classes focusing on technique, repertoire and the development of the student’s own personal creative process.  Students’ developing dance practice will be supported through somatics studies in areas such as Feldenkrais, yoga and pilates.

Here students will engage in ensemble work with in-house and visiting tutors  as well  as have the opportunity to select other collaborative performance practices in other folk, world and popular dance and music traditions.  Here students will also have the opportunity to complete their final, public performance.

This is the second of the two Irish World Academy modules for the FYP. The student works in a one on one context with supervisor in this module while receiving certain skills training to enable them to fill out the structure of the FYP started in the previous semester. Students will produce their own unique piece of research in an genre and disciplinary approach to the performing arts of their own choosing.

This module will provide a conceptual basis for dance as an education tool. It will be interrogating and extending students’ knowledge and understanding of the content, methodologies and assessment procedures relevant to the teaching and learning in a variety of dance contexts. Students will develop their knowledge and competency of best practice in Dance education including dance aesthetics, creativity and child/student centered pedagogy.

In addition to their core modules, each year students choose from a large number of elective modules in dance and music, and other subjects outside of the performing arts. These elective modules offer students the opportunity to enhance their educational experience, and broaden their artistic and academic horizons. Elective options vary from year to year but typically students can choose from  range of vocal and instrumental ensembles (from Academy choir to Irish traditional music ensemble), songwriting classes, lectures in country music, courses in choreography, North American percussive dance, Irish folklore and history, and various languages, including Irish.