Four Short Films by The Belfast Movement Choir
Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation the Maiden Voyage Belfast Movement Choir is an intergenerational project which focuses on movement for health and wellbeing for women and girls across Belfast.
Maiden Voyage Dance began this project in 2019 with live workshops sessions held in North, South and East Belfast. With the first Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 we began remote sessions online with our adult members, these sessions ran over a summer and autumn term, delivered by dance artists, Eileen McClory, Aisling McCormick and Anna Treanor.
Out of adversity, creativity bloomed. The Belfast Movement Choir participants made four short films as a creative and expressive response to lockdown.
HIDDEN BLOOMS was made from recorded footage from the first three weeks of our remote sessions. Led by dance artist Eileen McClory, this work sought to demonstrate the positive creative process, transformation of the natural world through the season of spring, a new beginning, new life. Connecting to the gift of the wonderful weather we were having during the early weeks of lockdown
Music composed by Katie Richardson and film edited by Vasiliki Stasinaki
LOOK, TOUCH, CONNECT was made from recorded footage from the second three weeks of our remote sessions. Led by dance artist Aisling McCormick this group explored and celebrated what we have as resources at home. Working with ideas of space, dimensions, connection and objects in the place we inhabit. Seeing through new eyes, touching with new skin.
Music composed by Katie Richardson and film edited by Vasiliki Stasinaki
OUTSIDE MY WINDOW, INSIDE MY HOME was made from recorded footage from the third three weeks of our remote sessions. Led by dance artist Anna Treanor the group investigated our new perspectives, as we look outside our windows from the security of inside our homes.
This film was nominated in the regional short list for Achates Philanthropy Prize for community projects made during Covid that supported mental health and well-being. It was also shown as part of the NI Mental Health Festival in 2021.
Music composed by Katie Richardson and film edited by Ryan O’Neill
REDISCOVERING was made from recorded footage from remote sessions held in the autumn term. Led by dance artists Anna Treanor and Eileen McClory the participants explored ideas of fear of the unknown and making new discoveries/rediscovering
Music composed by Katie Richardson and film edited by Vasiliki Stasinaki
