Laura Sarah Dowdall

Laura Sarah Dowdall

12 to 24 May 2026

Scroll down to see details of Dance Dialogues — Studio Sharing on Friday 22 May, 3.30pm to 5.00pm
Booking here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/dance-dialogues-studio-sharing-tickets-1989653058859

Laura Sarah Dowdall, a Dublin based socially-engaged dance artist, will be artist-in-residence at Uilinn developing her ground breaking inclusive dance work, Running Blind. Through ten years of collaborative research with the deafblind and blind communities, Laura has created an integrated facilitation and performance approach that makes dance accessible to people with vision loss while also enhancing proprioceptive awareness and haptic communication skills for sighted dancers. During her residency, Laura will advance her artistic vision and engage with the local community through her innovative Dance Dialogues concept. To read more about Laura’s integrated dance work, visit www.runningblind.ie/about

This residency will allow me to research and explore a more sustainable way of working that enables artistic progression, future production, reach and impact through mentoring exchange, dedicated studio time to support and sustain my creative practice, and further development of inclusive dance concepts for performance.

Running Blind workshops and performances have been acknowledged as unique, innovative, experiential masterpieces—described as life-changing and ‘paradigm-shifting’ by participants and audiences across arts, inclusion, health and accessibility fields. After 10 years of dedicated effort developing this work with the deafblind and blind communities, I want to create a sustainable strategy that enables continued artistic development, project progression, and greater reach and impact.

This residency offers a crucial opportunity to reflect on how I can support and sustain my artistic practice as a professional dancer-performer while maintaining the community-engaged aspect of my work that is at the heart of Running Blind.

I will connect with the local community by meeting local dance groups and inviting people into the studio for a concept I developed called ‘Dance Dialogue’—a moving conversation that will invite questions and share insight into my practice, and the stories and experiences that have led me to where I am now!

Running Blind isn’t just about making dance accessible—it’s about transforming how we all understand movement, connection and communication. When sighted and unsighted dancers work together, everyone discovers new ways of sensing, describing and experiencing the world that opens up new creative possibilities, breaks hierarchies and creates lasting social change.

Laura Sarah Dowdall is an innovative dance artist creating accessible, experiential performance that is permeable to audience interaction. She incorporates instant composition, immersive theatre, durational performance and film into contemporary dance work that is site-specific and staged. Laura is founder of Running Blind Dance, developing inclusive dance practice with deafblind and blind communities since 2015. She was inaugural artist-in-residence at Dún Laoghaire Baths Artist Studios (2023), awarded Create Artist in the Community (2024, 2016), and Next Generation Artist by the Arts Council (2017). Her work has been featured on RTÉ Nationwide and presented internationally at inclusive dance festivals and conferences.

Dance Dialogues — Studio Sharing

A relaxed performance & taster workshop with Laura Sarah Dowdall

Friday 22 May, 3.30 – 5pm Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre

Booking on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/dance-dialogues-studio-sharing-tickets-1989653058859

Join Laura in the studio for an open sharing from her ongoing practice Dance Dialogues — a performance method that integrates movement, spoken word and storytelling with audience interaction and instant composition.

This work has grown from a decade of grassroots methodology developed through Laura’s collaboration with visually impaired and deafblind participants and audiences — a body of work known as Running Blind, developing since 2015. This practice radically expands the concept of dance into a visceral, tactile, multi-sensory experience, integrating language, touch and partnering as artistic tools to move dance beyond the purely visual — embedding access organically into the creation of the work itself rather than adding it on.

Dance Dialogues is a performance practice where movement and spoken word are in live conversation — informing and responding to each other in real time. The exchange between performer and audience is tangible, drawing you into the dialogue itself.

The afternoon opens with an opportunity to observe Laura’s practice in progress in a relaxed performance setting, followed by a taster workshop where you can experience the methodology yourself — how access can be supported through language, touch and partnering, rather than relying on vision.

No movement or theatre experience needed. People of all ages and abilities are warmly welcome.

Please wear comfortable clothing and remove shoes before entering the dance floor. Chairs are available for those who need them.

For particular access needs please contact Uillinn in advance: info@westcorkartscentre.com 028 22090

@laurasarahdowdall @inclusive_dance www.runingblind.ie https://laurasarahdowdall.wixsite.com/dancer

This residency is supported by an Arts Council Bursary award.

Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre acknowledges the financial support of The Arts Council  / An Chomhairle Ealaíon in making these residencies possible.