US artist for Birr

US contemporary dance artist Sharon Mansur is to perform alongside Nick Bryson and the Offaly jazz outfit 'Miles O'Bog Ensemble' this Thursday, August 8, in the Marian Hall as a contribution to Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival, which continues until Saturday.

Entry is free to the performance entitled 'Soul Traders'. This is Sharon's first time performing and improvising in Ireland. She is currently based in Washington, DC.

Sharon has trained in dance, visual arts and music. As a child she began creative movement classes aged seven, and continued to study ballet and contemporary dance in Boston through high school to eventually achieve a BA in Dance and English at Connecticut College.

Over the years she has developed numerous choreographic and improvisational performance projects that often embody subtle layers and quietly shifting realities relating to identity, perception and presence.

With Nick she will be investigating these themes during a residency at Birr Theatre and Arts Centre from August 12-17 and a full piece as a result of that will be performed in Washington DC’s Dance Place next year. 

Sharon’s performance work has been seen throughout the US as well as in the UK, Argentina and Mexico. She is currently on the dance faculty at the University of Maryland, teaching courses in improvisation, somatics, creative process and choreographic research.