Big House Festival – 3 August 2013
Diverse City (UK) | Emma Martin | St. Raphael’s
Following up on the success of the Unlimited programme commissioned last year as part of the Cultural Olympiad, the British Council Ireland was pleased to sponsor Come Dance With Me at Big House Festival 2013 at Castletown House in Celbridge.
Collaborating with Irish choreographer Emma Martin, Claire Hodgson of Diverse City worked with participants from St. Raphael’s, a care facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Kildare. Together they created a dance show to wow audiences.
Diverse City works nationally and internationally making exceptional shows that profile the work of artists from diverse groups. Diverse City received one of the 19 Unlimited Commissions and produced Breathe – a show that opened the Olympic sailing events on Weymouth beach to an audience of 11,000.
Speaking to the Irish Times, Claire Hodgeson said: 'For people with disabilities, and particularly intellectual disabilities, it’s rare to be part of a high profile public performance. It isn’t a community performance for friends and family – this is at the centre of a festival and will be judged alongside professional work. For them that’s important, because they want to be seen by a wide range of people, to perform in front of big audiences and participate in culture on a level playing field.'