Seán Curran
Encyclopedia
Seán Curran is an American dancer and choreographer. Curran's dance company, the Seán Curran Company is based in New York City.
As a boy in the Boston suburb of Belmont, Massachusetts
, Curran began dancing by learning traditional Irish step dancing. "I used to go once a week for a dollar," Curran recalled in a 1999 New York Times profile, "I learned quickly and our teachers had us performing. The dance and performing bug bit me pretty early."
Curran later spent four years as an original member of the New York cast of "STOMP!", performing in the show for four years. Curran has performed with New York’s Danspace Project
and was a lead dancer Bill T. Jones
/Arnie Zane
Dance Company.
Curran is a graduate of New York University
’s Tisch School of the Arts
, where he now serves as a guest faculty member. Curran has also taught at the American Dance Festival
, Harvard Summer Dance Center, Bates Dance Festival, and The Boston Conservatory
.
Curran founded the Seán Curran Company in 1997.
The Company premiered Art/Song/Dance, a collaboration Curran and the Broadway composer Ricky Ian Gordon
, at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in 2004. Art/Song/Dance had its New York Premiere in 2005 at the Joyce Theatre.
In 1985, while a member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
, Curran received the award for best New York Dance and Performance at Bessie Awards
for his solo performance in Secret Pastures. The New York Foundation for the Arts
awarded Curran a Choreographer’s Fellowship in both 1998 and 2002.
As a boy in the Boston suburb of Belmont, Massachusetts
Belmont, Massachusetts
Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census.- History :Belmont was founded on March 18, 1859 by former citizens of, and land from the bordering towns of Watertown, to the south; Waltham, to the west; and Arlington, then...
, Curran began dancing by learning traditional Irish step dancing. "I used to go once a week for a dollar," Curran recalled in a 1999 New York Times profile, "I learned quickly and our teachers had us performing. The dance and performing bug bit me pretty early."
Curran later spent four years as an original member of the New York cast of "STOMP!", performing in the show for four years. Curran has performed with New York’s Danspace Project
Danspace Project
Danspace Project was founded in 1974 to provide a performance venue for contemporary dance. Its performances are held in St. Mark's Church in the East Village area of the Manhattan borough of New York City.-History and mission:...
and was a lead dancer Bill T. Jones
Bill T. Jones
Bill T. Jones is an American artistic director, choreographer and dancer.-Early life:Jones was born in Bunnell, Florida and his family moved North as part of the Great Migration in the first half of the twentieth century. They settled in Wayland, New York, where Jones attended Wayland High School...
/Arnie Zane
Arnie Zane
Arnie Zane was an American photographer, choreographer, and dancer. He is best known as the co-founder and co-artistic director of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company.-Early years:...
Dance Company.
Curran is a graduate of New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
’s Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
, where he now serves as a guest faculty member. Curran has also taught at the American Dance Festival
American Dance Festival
The American Dance Festival is a six and four-week school for dance and a six-week summer festival of modern dance performances, currently held at Duke University and the Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina....
, Harvard Summer Dance Center, Bates Dance Festival, and The Boston Conservatory
Boston Conservatory
The Boston Conservatory is a performing arts conservatory located in the Fenway-Kenmore region of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It grants undergraduate and graduate degrees in music, dance and musical theater...
.
Curran founded the Seán Curran Company in 1997.
The Company premiered Art/Song/Dance, a collaboration Curran and the Broadway composer Ricky Ian Gordon
Ricky Ian Gordon
Ricky Ian Gordon is an American composer of songs, stage musicals and opera. The death of his lover from AIDS inspired Dream True and Orpheus and Euridice...
, at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in 2004. Art/Song/Dance had its New York Premiere in 2005 at the Joyce Theatre.
In 1985, while a member of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company
The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company is an American dance company based out of Harlem in New York City. Founded in 1983 by Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane, the company made its debut performance at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with the world premiere of Intuitive Momentum with lauded drummer...
, Curran received the award for best New York Dance and Performance at Bessie Awards
Bessie Awards
The New York Dance and Performance Awards, informally known as the Bessie Awards in honor of Bessie Schonberg, are awarded annually for innovative achievement in dance and related performances, particularly so-called "downtown" performances...
for his solo performance in Secret Pastures. The New York Foundation for the Arts
New York Foundation for the Arts
The New York Foundation for the Arts was created in conjunction the in 1971. The organization gives grants to individual artists and writers and developing arts organizations with a mission to '.'-NYFA's Programs:...
awarded Curran a Choreographer’s Fellowship in both 1998 and 2002.
External links
- Sean Curran Dance Company Official Site