Here’s what Roisin Whelan, the first recipient of the Strollers Network Propel Award, has to say about her experience:

The Propel Programme has allowed me to take massive steps in my career as an emerging choreographer. The programme has not only supported me to make new work such as my first full-length work ‘Man Down’ which premiered in VISUAL Carlow, one of ten Strollers Network Venues, along with the networks support across various bursary, residency, and project awards over the past three years.

One of the main supports which I have delved into is the strategic support from the network, monthly check in’s with venues across the network who share their industry knowledge and advice, and share their thoughts on my upcoming projects and applications. My practice has evolved to think strategically, long term, and to look beyond the immediate future to plan for the various transitional phases in my career. As an emerging artist, everything is new and constantly evolving. I am jumping into new avenues and opportunities on a regular basis and having the support of the network has allowed me to take those leaps with a strong network of supports.

Strollers has created an incredible programme through the Propel Award which has evolved my practice and my thinking and allowed me to delve deep into my work on a creative and strategic level. This is a one-of-a-kind award that not only focuses on the artist’s creative work but their ambition and goals, with a support network that is keen to assist in whatever way they can through space, time, mentoring, and financial support just to name a few. I look forward to my final year of support which will be focusing on the further expansion of my current strategic work and new creative pieces which will be presented to audiences in the near future.

About Roisin:

Róisín Whelan is a dancer and choreographer based in Carlow. She holds a Bachelor of Performing Arts and Master of Performance (Distinction) from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Before setting up her own company, she performed extensively with Black Box Dance Company (Denmark), Matthew Bourne’s award-winning New Adventures (UK), and Bregenz Festspeile (Austria). Róisín continues to perform in Ireland and abroad as a dancer on stage and on screen and teaches professionally for several dance organisations. As a choreographer, Roisin is creating highly physical and technically demanding work with strong narratives that is accessible to all regardless of their age, gender, or socio-economic background. Recent choreographic work includes The Glasshouse, commissioned by Ballet Ireland; The Parting Glass commissioned by The University of Malta, and Man Down funded by The Arts Council Project Award 2022.

Róisín is the recipient of the inaugural Propel Award, a three year-long artist development and mentorship programme funded by the Strollers Network, Ireland’s largest consortium of Arts Centres and a member of the Northern Ireland Opera Open Studio as an Emerging Choreographer for the 21/22 season. A previous recipient of the Galway Dance Project Residency Award 2023, LD Dance Performance Residency 2021, Backstage Theatre Activate Residency 2020 & 2021, Dance Ireland Regional Residency Awards; Ballet Ireland Emerging Choreographer Award and Arts Council Bursary and Project Awards.

The Strollers Network is delighted to announce Dance Artist Roisin Whelan as the recipient of the Propel Programme Award 2021/22.

Following an open call application process the Strollers Network is  delighted to announce Roisin Whelan, Artistic Director of Roisin Whelan Dance Company, as the recipient of the PROPEL Programme Award 2021/22.

PROPEL is a new, year-long artist development and mentorship programme designed and produced by the Strollers Network, a partnership made up of ten arts centres from across four regions of Ireland. The aim of this programme is to strengthen the ecology of the Irish theatre sector by supporting the development of new work by independent theatre makers and to support the sustainable development of artistic practice through a structured mentorship and training programme designed and delivered in consultation with the artist or company.

The programme offers a €20,000 bursary to support the early-stage research and development of new work and to cover the cost of ongoing professional development through training and mentorship.  The award also gives access to development and rehearsal spaces in ten Arts Centres across the country, support and mentorship from a panel of experts in producing, fundraising, technical production, dramaturgy, publishing, marketing, finance, cultural entrepreneurship, audience development and engagement, and strategic business development and cultural business management. Finally, this will give the artist an opportunity to present a work-in-progress performance as part of a major Irish festival.

Following the announcement David Francis Moore, Chairperson of the Strollers Network, said, “We are very much looking forward to working with Roisin over the coming year to support her in the development of her artistic practice. We are also incredibly excited to be able to support the strategic growth of an emerging production company that is quickly establishing itself as one of Ireland’s foremost dance theatre companies”.

Roisin Whelan is a dance artist born in Carlow. Having completed her Bachelor of Performing Arts and Master of Performance at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance she then went on to join Black Box Dance Company (Denmark) and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures (UK) as a performer.

As a choreographer, Roisin is funded by Arts Council Ireland and throughout 2021 will be developing a new children’s show entitled ‘The Galaxy of Occupations’. Roisin also received Business to Arts funding from the Bank of Ireland ‘Begin Together Fund’ and will be releasing a new short dance film entitled ‘Man Down’. Roisin has been supported by LD Dance Shawbrook, Dance Ireland and Backstage Theatre Longford as Artist in Residence (2020) and will be creating her new works with the support of VISUAL Carlow, Tipperary Dance Platform, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, Shawbrook Dance and Backstage Theatre Longford this year. Roisin is a member of the Northern Ireland Opera Open Studio as an Emerging Choreographer for the 21/22 season and was awarded the Ballet Ireland Emerging choreographer award, Activate Residency Award with Backstage Theatre Longford, Dance Ireland Regional Residency Award and LD Dance Performance Residency this year along with the Tipperary Dance Platform Fellowship Award.  Roisin is currently running a large-scale community development project which brings one-to-one movement sessions to residents of the Carlow area  who are aged sixty-five or more and who may be experiencing isolation.

Speaking about the announcement Roisin Whelan said, “I am thrilled and incredibly grateful to be joining the PROPEL Programme in the coming year. I am at an exciting time in my career where I am beginning to create projects on a large scale and I know the guidance and mentorship of this programme will allow me to take this step on my journey with an incredible team of venues and individuals by my side. The programme will allow me to  propel my career into the future and focus not only on artistic but also strategic elements of my practice which will further develop and enhance my work. I look forward to talking this leap into my future alongside the Strollers Network.”

The Propel Programme will run from August 2021 to July 2022..

To find our more about R.W.D, Roisin Whelan Dance Company log on to www.roisinwhelandance.com