Biography
Dr Catherine Foley designed and is course director of the MA in Ethnochoreology and the MA in Irish Traditional Dance Performance programmes at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick, Ireland. She is Founding Director of The National Dance Archive of Ireland, Founding Chair of Dance Research Forum Ireland, and Founding Director of the dance festival Trath na gCos. Catherine has published extensively including her two monographs, Irish Traditional Step Dancing in North Kerry (Book and DVD; North Kerry Literary Trust, 2012), and Step Dancing in Ireland: Culture and History (Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 2013). The latter was shortlisted for the Katherine Briggs Folklore Award. She has also published her research in international scholarly journals including Dance Research Journal, Yearbook for Traditional Music, Dance Research, and New Hibernia Review.Catherine was Visiting Scholar at Indiana University in the US in 2013 and Visiting Professor at Roehampton University, London in 2014. Catherine has served on numerous professional boards: she is currently serving her second term as the elected Chair of the ICTM's Study Group on Ethnochoreology (2014-2022) and is an elected member of the ICTM's executive board (2017-2023); she is also on the board of directors of the Firkin Crane. She has served on boards of the Arts Council's funding awards schemes.
Catherine is also a dancer and musician. She has choreographed original dance work including a newly commissioned set dance, The Sionna Set Dance, which was published by the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance as a multi-media educational package with Arts Council funding. She has also produced a solo DVD: Steip Damhsa: Irish Solo Traditional Set Dance and Step Dances (2015). She is a frequent adjudicator of the annual nationally televised Oireachtas sean nós dance competitions,
In addition, Catherine has undertaken the role of Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee of a number of international conferences hosted at the University of Limerick. These include the 44th International Council for Traditional Music's World Conference (2017); Dance Research Forum Ireland's 1st International Conference (2006); and the Society of Dance History Scholar's Conference (2003). In this role, Catherine has received Fáilte Ireland regional and national awards for her work as a cultural ambassador.
Research Interests
Dance and music ethnography, embodiment and culture, identity construction through movement, place and dance, dance performance, social and political dimensions of dance, world dance, movement analysis.Specialisation: Ethnochoreology, dance Anthropology, ethnography, Irish traditional dance practices and studies, Irish traditional music and song, dance documentation and analysis
Professional Activities
Award
- 2012 - European Cultural Contact Point Award for 27th Symposium of the ICTM's Study Group on Ethnochoreology
- 2012 - Failte Ireland Award for 27th Symposium of the ICTM's Study Group on Ethnochoreology
- 2010 - European Cultural Contact Point Award for Dance Research Forum Ireland's 3rd International Conference
- 2009 - Arts Council Award for Set-Up Phase of the National Dance Archive of Ireland
- 2006 - Arts Council Award to Dance Research Forum Ireland to Commission Feasibility Report for National Dance Archive
- 2006 - Arts Council Award for Dance Research Forum Ireland's 1st International Conference
- 2003 - The Arts Council Award for Society of Dance History Scholar's 26th International Conference
- 1985 - Bursary from Trustees of Muckross House (Killarney) Ltd., Co Kerry
- 1984 - Bursary from American Irish Foundation.
- 1983 - Bursary from the Arts Council of Ireland.
Committee
- 2009 National Dance Archive of Ireland, Management Committee, As Director of the National Dance Archive of Ireland, I Chair the Archive's Management Committee.
- 1999 College of Humanities Research Board, University of Limerick ,
- 1999 Steering Committee for the Irish National Chapter of the International Council for Traditional Music. ,
Association
- 2005 Founding Board Member, ENARTA (European network in Ethnochoreology and Dance Anthropology)
- 2005 Founding Board Member, ICTM Ireland
- 2003 Founding Chair , Dance Research Forum Ireland (DRFI)
- 2003 Member, Society of Dance History Scholars
- 1999 Member, Congress on Research in Dance (CORD)
- 1999 Member, The British Forum for Ethnomusicology
- 1999 Member, An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha (The Irish Dance Commission)
- 1997 Board Member, Irish Traditional Music Archive
- 1996 Board Member, International Council for Traditional Music (IFMC)
Employment
- 1996 University of Limerick - Course Director / Senior Lecturer
- 1991 St Bernadette's Primary School - Teacher of Music
- 1988 University College Cork - Lecturer in Music
- 1978 Cork Vocational and Education Committee - Secondary School Teacher of Music and Irish at Gairmscoil Ghobnatan Naofa, Baile Mhuirne, Co. Cork.
- Trustees of Muckross House - Collector of Irish Traditional Music, Song and Dance
Education
- 1988 Laban Centre for Movement and Dance - Ph.D.
- 1977 University College Cork - Bachelor of Music
Other
- Televised performance of the Sionna Set Dance, choreographed by Catherine Foley, on 1st September 2007
- The Sionna Set Dance Educational Pack (conceived and coordinated by Dr. Catherine Foley), comprises of a DVD of the Sionna Set Dance, choreographed by Dr. Catherine Foley, and a CD of the accompanying music, as well as a bi-lingual (Irish and English) 24-page illustrated booklet containing a brief history of set dancing, the conceptual and historical background to the Sionna Set Dance, and illustrated details of the actual set dance
- Interview about, and teaching of, the Sionna Set Dance. Live from the Concert Hall, Limerick, 5th July 2007
- Interview about the Sionna Set Dance, 22nd March 2007
- Panel participant at "Ardan", TG4, 18th March 2007
- Newly commissioned set dance. Commission received from the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance for the Sionna Festival, November 2005.