Aoife Courtney

Biography:

Aoife graduated with a B.A. in Drama Performance from the Conservatory of Music and Drama, D.I.T. in 2007. Since then her theatre performances include: Heart of Darkness (Winner Spirit of the Fringe 2007), The Hourglass (Lyric Players), and Kat in ‘Jet Lag Waltz’ (Ready Fire Aim). She also devised, directed and performed in ‘What are you waiting for?’ a live show staged at Electric Picnic 2008.  For TV she played Fammke in Fairly Balanced for RTE and more recently has worked on 'The Republic of Telly', also for RTE. For radio she has recorded a one-woman play ‘Waiting for Rain’ by Barry Casey and ‘Malachi’s Madrigal Episode 2’ both for NEAR FM. She has also directed two episodes of ‘Malachi’s Madrigal’ for NEAR FM which was aired last year.

Aoife is one of the founding members of Ready Fire Aim a company based in both Dublin and London, which is dedicated to making work that explores the contemporary world. The company’s first production ‘Jet Lag Waltz’ was a commission for the company by John Grogan and was staged in 2008. Ready Fire Aim also believe that on going training for the actor-artist is essential; and have organised an extensive range of workshops for professional performers over the last two years, including ‘The Art of Presence’ and 'Acting to Microphone' which Aoife facilitated in association with Voice Box. Ready Fire Aim have just produced their first film 'Look' which is in post production. In conjunction with The Workman's Club, a new art and music venue in Dublin City, Aoife has begun Art Party - a monthly night bringing live performance arts to a new audience. The company are currently in pre-production creating performances for a large warehouse party in London.

In January 2010 Aoife brought five dancers from Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Israel and the UK to Dublin to work together on some improvisational dance and performance practices, as part of this she facilitated some open workshops for the general public, over 60 participants took part in these free of charge workshops in Dance House. This Autumn Aoife has been facilitating a Monthly Underscore practice in Dance House.

In 2008 and 2009 Aoife worked with Dance Art Group in Seattle where she performed as part of their 'Off the cuff' series and took part in the Seattle Festival of Dance Improvisation. She staged a solo that began as part of that festival as a work in progress at Project Brand New Magic Moment during the Dublin Fringe Festival. In 2009 she spent a month in Massachusetts, USA working intensively with dance luminary Nancy Stark Smith. Both her work with Dance Art Group and Nancy Stark Smith was generously supported by The Arts Council of Ireland under their travel and training scheme.

In February 2010 Aoife was invited by Dublin Youth Theatre’s new artistic director Gary Keegan to direct a one act play for their new members. The show was staged in April.