March 2009 Rinceoir Cónaitheach Sean-nóis ceaptha ag OÉ Gaillimh

(English Version)Tá sé fógartha ag Ionad an Léinn Éireannaigh, OÉ Gaillimh, go bhfuil Seosamh Ó Neachtain ón Spidéal ceaptha mar an chéad Rinceoir Cónaitheach Sean-Nóis riamh san Ollscoil. Léiríonn a cheapachán an bheocht atá sa damhsa ar an sean-nós i gConamara faoi láthair agus an cumas iontach atá ag Ó Neachtain mar dhuine de na damhsóirí is fearr dá bhfuil ann. Chuir an Dr Louis de Paor, Stiúrthóir Ionad an Léinn Éireannaigh, fáilte roimh an gceapachán mar chuid de thiomantas na hOllscoile do na taibh-ealaíona, agus go háirithe do phobal ealaín thraidisiúnta Chonamara: "Is iontach an rud an borradh atá tagtha faoin damhsa sean-nóis le deich mbliana anuas, agus tá sé aitheanta anois ar an léiriú is cinnte agus is fearr de chultúr na hÉireann, anseo agus thar lear". Fuair Seosamh Ó Neachtain céim as OÉ Gaillimh agus tá sé ar dhuine de na rinceoirí is mó cáil atá tar éis damhsa ar an sean-nós a chur ar an ardán náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta. Sa bhliain 2000 fuair sé sparánacht ón gComhairle Ealaíon le staidéar a dhéanamh ar rince tap i Nua-Eabhrac. 'A wonderful improvisation of down-to-earth Irish tapping that showed the direct link between Irish roots dancing and American rhythm tap', a thug Ballet.Magazine ar an damhsa a tháinig as an staidéar sin. Fuair an rince a rinne sé leis an damhsóir Tamango ón Afraic moladh chomh hard céanna ó léirmheastóir an Irish Times a dúirt go raibh cosa Uí Neachtain 'like playful birds at the floor. He almost hovers, and you almost wonder if he might be able to dance across water'. Tá stáitsí ar fud an domhain roinnte ag Seosamh Ó Neachtain le cuid de na ceoltóirí traidisúnta is fearr dá bhfuil in Éirinn faoi láthair, Altan, De Danann, Máirtín O'Connor, Harry Bradley, Jesse Smith, Johnny Connolly agus Róisín Elsafty ina measc. Chomh maith leis sin, tá an clár a rinne sé sa tsraith Ceolchuairt do TG4 i ndiaidh gradam ag an bhFéile Scannán Ceilteach 2009 a bhaint amach. Tá sé ag gabháil do chéim MA le Ceol agus na Meáin Chruthaitheacha in Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Dhún Dealgan faoi láthair. Mar chuid den obair a bheidh ar siúl aige i gcaitheamh na bliana, múinfidh Seosamh Ó Neachtain sraith ceardlann damhsa ar an sean-nós in Amharclann Bhanc na hÉireann, OÉ Gaillimh. Tosóidh na ceardlanna ar 7.00in agus beidh an chéad cheann ar siúl Dé Máirt, an 7 Aibreán. The Dancer-in–Residence programme is supported by Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta and The Arts Council in association with the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway. -críoch- NUI Galway Appoints Sean-Nós Dancer-in-Residence The Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway is delighted to announce the appointment of Seosamh Ó Neachtain, from An Spidéal, as its first ever Sean-Nós Dancer in Residence. His appointment acknowledges the current vibrancy of sean-nós dancing in the Connemara Gaeltacht and Ó Neachtain's outstanding abilities as one of the most celebrated practitioners of his particular art form. Dr Louis de Paor, Director of the Centre for Irish Studies, welcomed the appointment as part of the University's commitment to the performing arts in general, and to the traditional community arts of the Connemara Gaeltacht in particular. 'The revival of sean-nós dancing over the past ten years has been quite extraordinary, to the point where it is now identified as one of the definitive and most popular expressions of Irish culture, at home and abroad.' A graduate of NUI Galway, Seosamh Ó Neachtain is one of a handful of performers who have rejuvenated the Gaeltacht tradition of sean-nós dancing, introducing the athleticism and sophistication of a dynamic but neglected art form to national and international audiences. He has performed on concert stages throughout the world with some of the finest exponents of traditional music, including Altan, De Danann, Máirtín O'Connor, Harry Bradley, Jesse Smith, Johnny Connolly, and Róisín Elsafty. In 2000, Seosamh was awarded a bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland to study aspects of tap dance in New York City. The resulting performance was described by Ballet Magazine as 'a wonderful improvisation of down-to-earth Irish tapping that showed the direct link between Irish roots dancing and American rhythm tap. In his collaboration with African dancer Tamango 'a dialogue expressed not in words but in physical exhilaration', Ó Neachtain's feet, according to the Irish Times, were 'like playful birds at the floor. He almost hovers, and you almost wonder if he might be able to dance across water …' His contribution to the TG4 series Ceolchuairt explored the influence of Irish dance on American tap dancing and has just won the entertainment category in the Celtic Film Festival 2009. Seosamh is also one the founding members of the traditional dance show Barr go Sáil/Heel to Toe which has performed at festivals such as Tonder Festival, Denmark, Celtic Connections, Glasgow and the International Dance Festival of Ireland. He is currently studying for a Masters Degree in Music and Creative Media at Dundalk Institute of Technology. Seosamh Ó Neachtain will conduct a series of dance workshops at NUI Galway beginning on Tuesday 7 April. The workshops, which are free of charge and open to the public, will take place in the Bank of Ireland Theatre, commencing at 7.00pm. The Dancer-in–Residence programme is supported by Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Údarás na Gaeltachta and The Arts Council in association with the Centre for Irish Studies at NUI Galway. -ends-