2012 Awardee: Chrissie Ardill
The Dewar Arts Award has allowed me to take full advantage of my place on the DEBS scheme at Dance Base in Edinburgh and develop my technical dance skills as well as gaining further opportunities to choreograph and perform.
Biography
Originally from Kilkenny, Ireland, Chrissie moved to Glasgow in 2007 to study dance full time. Alongside her studies, she took advantage of every opportunity to engage in the Scottish dance scene, teaching freelance and choreographing new work.
Sadly, during her time in Scotland, Chrissie’s mother died. This added significantly to Chrissie’s personal and financial challenges, but she remained determined to succeed in her chosen career. She proved herself to be an exciting new talent and was awarded a scholarship place on the Dancers Emerging Bursary Scheme (DEBS) at Dance Base in Edinburgh. This would allow her to receive professional dance classes and mentoring, as well as opportunities for networking and residencies.
A strong dancer with choreography skills that demonstrate “engaging and intelligent lines of enquiry”, Chrissie has been featured in the BBC Alba series ‘Danssa‘ as well as having a duet she choreographed entitled ‘Mangled’ (see below) tour across the UK.
How the Award Helped
The cost of travel between Glasgow and Edinburgh proved prohibitive for Chrissie in accepting her place at Dance Base. Her Dewar Award funded the travel between the two cities, allowing her to make the most of the opportunities offered to develop her skills and further her ambitions.
‘Mangled’ – Choreographed by Chrissie Ardil and performed by Underhand Dance Company
The Dewar Arts Award has allowed me to take full advantage of my place on the DEBS scheme at Dance Base in Edinburgh and develop my technical dance skills as well as gaining further opportunities to choreograph and perform.