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Mary Hartney

"When I hear the music I want to dance but I can only move my head and fingers. When I ask the transition year students to lift my arms in the air I am dancing again. I love that feeling."

Marie, Rathfredagh, Cheshire Home service-user & participant in the
County Council's Integrated Dance Programm

Mary Hartney discovered dance and what is now her passion in life, dance teaching, while training as a Physical Education and Math teacher at the University of Limerick. Following a number of years as a P.E. teacher, she decided to pursue this passion when she was fortunate to be awarded an Arts Council Bursary to study at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance in London.

On returning to Ireland Mary was a guest dancer with Daghda Dance Company. She taught dance with Limerick City V.E.C. on its 'Prison and Disadvantaged Project'. In the mid 90's she undertook a year long residency dance programme with Limerick County Council sharing her passion and inclusive approach with teachers and youth leaders. As part of the Council's arts & health programme she introduced dance and movement in the county's community hospital for the elderly in Newcastle West. This led to the development of an innovative integrated dance programme under the auspices of the County Council. This programme which is now an integral part of the transition year studies in 5 county post primary schools, engages disabled and non-disabled dancers in creating and performing dance. In her practise of teaching integrated dance, Mary also works, again under the auspices of Limerick County Council, with students at the University of Limerick, the Irish Wheelchair Association, Rathfredagh Cheshire Home and in recent times, Enable Ireland and Youthreach.
 In 2006 Mary graduated with an M.A. in dance at the University of Limerick. The focus of her M.A. thesis was an action research investigation into her practice of teaching integrated dance.

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