Meet Our Teachers
Katie Conlan Knc director/teacher |
Niamh Conlan Knc director/teacher |
Katie Conlan: TEACHER/ KNC DIRECTOR
ABOUT KATIE
KATIE CONLAN IS OUR MUSICAL THEATER, JAZZ, VOCAL, ACTING AND TAP TEACHER AT KNC PERFORMING ARTS. SHE HAS TRAINED AS A PERFORMER AS WELL AS WORKING AS A MUSIC DIRECTOR, CHOREOGRAPHY AND VOCAL COACH. KATIE HAS RECEIVED MANY AWARDS FOR HER PERFORMANCES AND MUSICAL DIRECTION. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
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TRAINING
KATIE STARTED DANCING WHEN SHE WAS JUST 3 YEARS OLD IN BOTH STAGE SCHOOL AND BALLET WITH ANNE MAHER. SHE BEGAN LEARNING PIANO AT THE AGE OF 6 AND HAS BEEN SINGING FOR AS LONG AS SHE REMEMBERS. KATIE HAS OBTAINED A DOUBLE ARTS DEGREE IN MUSIC AND BUSINESS FROM MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY. FROM THERE SHE WENT ON TO GET A DISTINCTION IN HER MUSICAL THEATER DIPLOMA AT IMT AND CONTINUED INTO HER MUSICAL THEATER DEGREE AT AMERICAN COLLEGE DUBLIN WHERE SHE FINISHED TRAINING IN JANUARY 2018. KATIE ALSO STUDIED ON SCHOLARSHIP AT NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY IN 2017, AND AGAIN ONLINE IN 2020. KATIE HAS TRAINED WITH BROADWAY STARS SUCH AS KRISTY CATES, KEVIN DAVID THOMAS, NICK CARTELL, DEIRDRE GOODWIN, AND CONTINUES HER VOCAL TRAINING ONLINE WITH NEW YORK’S JAMES LA ROSA. PERFORMANCE BACKGROUND KATIE HAS BEEN PERFORMED IN MANY OF IRELAND'S LEADING VENUES INCLUDING THE BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATER, INEC KILLARNEY, THE OYLMPIA, THE HELIX, AND THE GAEITY. KATIE HAS PERFORMED IN FLORIDA, NEW YORK AND ALSO IN LONDON. KATIE HAS PLAYED MANY ROLES TO DATE INCLUDING LIESL (THE SOUND OF MUSIC), ELLE WOODS (LEGALLY BLONDE), EPONINE (LEA MIS), BEBE (A CHORUS LINE), CINDERELLA (INTO THE WOODS). KATIE PERFORMED AS A BACKING SINGER FOR WEST END STAR KERRY ELLIS, AND ALSO IN CONCERT WITH JULIE ATHERTON IN LONDON. KATIE HAS RECEIVED MANY AWARDS FOR HER PERFORMANCE INCLUDING BEST SOLO SINGER AIVS 2016, 40 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP MEDALS FOR SOLO SINGING, ACTING, DANCE, VOCAL GROUP AND DANCE GROUPS. KATIE HAS RECEIVED 3 SCHOLARSHIPS AT WCOPA: 2 FOR NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY AND ONE FOR SHELE SONDHEIM MUSIC PRODUCER. KATIE RECENTLY MADE IT TO THE TOP 3 ACTORS OF THE WORLD IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF PERFORMING ARTS GRAND FINAL 2020, WHICH WAS HER SECOND GRAND FINAL APPEARANCE AFTER WINNING VOCAL GROUP OF THE WORLD IN 2016. TEACHING EXPERIENCE KATIE HAS BEEN TEACHING SINCE SHE WAS 16 YEARS OLD. SHE HAS TAUGHT FOR MANY YEARS AS A SINGING TEACHER, VOCAL COACH, DANCE TEACHER, AND ACTING COACH. SHE WON MANY AWARDS FOR HER WORK INCLUDING BEST VOCALS IN MANY VARIETY SHOWS, VOCAL GROUP OF THE WORLD 2016 AND BEST SINGING SCHOOL 2016. KATIE HAS TAUGHT COMMUNITY GAMES DANCE, ACTING AND VOCAL GROUPS FOR MANY YEARS BRINGING HOME MANY ALL IRELAND TITLES TO NEWBRIDGE. KATIE HAS ALSO WON MANY NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARDS FOR HER CHOREOGRAPHY. SOME OF HER VOCAL AND DANCE STUDENTS HAVE APPEARED ON TG4 JUNIOR EUROVISION, REALTA AGUS GEALTA, TWO TALENTED, AND IRELAND'S GOT TALENT, AS WELL AS PERFORMING ON INTERNATIONAL STAGES. KATIE TEACHES VOCALS, MUSICAL THEATRE, ACTING, TAP, JAZZ, MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY, MUSIC, AUDITION TECH, AND DANCE TECHNIQUE CLASSES AT KNC. KATIE CURRENTLY TEACHES DANCE AND VOCALS AT THE CARLOW INSTITUTE OF FURTHER EDUCATION PERFORMING ARTS PROGRAMME. KATIES STUDENTS HAVE WON MANY WORLD TITLES, EXCELLENCE AWARDS, ALL IRELANDS, AND ALSO HAVE RECEIVED TOP RESULTS IN PIANO AND MUSICAL THEATRE EXAMINATIONS. MUSICAL DIRECTION AND CHOREOGRAPHY KATIE HAS WORKED WITH IN THE INDUSTRY FROM A YOUNG AGE TAKING HER FIRST ROLE AS MUSICAL DIRECTOR FOR BUGSY MALONE IN KILDARE TOWN. SINCE THEN SHE HAS BEEN MD FOR LARK'S OLIVER, NEWBRIDGE PANTO 2015-2019, LARKS PRODUCTION OF SUESSICAL 2019, THE MOAT PANTO 2019. KATIE HAS WORKED AS MD FOR TEAM IRELAND WCOPA 2016, WINNING VOCAL GROUP OF THE WORLD, MD AND CHOREOGRAPHER IN BOTH 2018 AND 2019 ALONG WITH NIAMH, BRINGING HOME MANY AWARDS AND TITLES FOR TEAM IRELAND, AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO RETURNING TO LA NEXT JULY WITH HER TALENTED STUDENTS. KATIE DIRECTED NEWBRIDGE COLLEGES PRODUCTION OF HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL IN 2019, AND HAD CHOREOGRAHED/ MUSICAL DIRECTED LARKS PRODUCTION OF CINDERELLA WHICH WAS DUE TO BEGIN A WEEKS RUN BEFORE COVID HIT IN 2020. KATIES CHOREOGRAHY AND MUSICAL DIRECTION CAN BE SEEN IN PERFORMANCES ON THE MAIN STAGE OF PERFORM IRELAND 2019 AND 2020. KATIE DIRECTED AND PRODUCED ANNIE JR WHICH WAS PREFORMED IN BIRMINGHAM IN 2018 WINNING BEST ENSEMBLE, AND SINCE THEN DIRECTED/ MUSICAL DIRECTED ANNIE JR AND GREASE FOR KNC. |
Niamh Conlan: TEACHER/ KNC DIRECTOR
ABOUT NIAMH
NIAMH IS A MUSIC AND MATHS GRADUATE OF MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY AND HAS RECENTLY COMPLETED HER MASTERS WITH HIBERNIA COLLEGE DUBLIN. WHILE SHE IS NOT TEACHING DANCE SHE IS A SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHER. TEACHING MATHS AND MUSIC. NIAMH TEACHES LYRICAL, BALLET TECHNIQUE, CONTEMPORARY AND CONDITIONING AT KNC. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
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TRAINING
NIAMH HAS TRAINED AS A DANCE TEACHER WITH ISTD, PBT, IDTA AND ID COMPANY. SHE RECEIVED A DISTINCTION IN HER IDTA TEACHING QUALIFICATION AND IS A REGISTERED IDTA TEACHER. NIAMH USES PBT AS A TOOL TO HELP HER STUDENTS DANCE SAFELY TO PROLONG THEIR DANCE CAREER. SHE IS A REGISTERED TEACHER WITH THEM SINCE 2016. SHE IS ALSO A REGISTERED TEACHER WITH IDTA AND ID-DANCE COMPANY. HER STUDENTS HAVE SET EXAMS WITH THE IRISH BOARD OF DANCE PERFORMANCE WITH OVER 95% OF STUDENTS RECEIVING DISTINCTIONS SO FAR. SHE WILL CONTINUE TO ENTER STUDENTS INTO EXAMS WITH IBDP, ID DANCE COMPANY AND IDTA IN THE COMING YEAR. NIAMH IS ALSO A TRAINED VIOLINIST. SHE STARTED PLAYING VIOLIN WHEN SHE WAS 6 YEARS OLD AND PROGRESSED TO STUDY AT MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY. NIAMH IS ALSO A TRAINED VOCALIST WHERE SHE STUDIED UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF LORRAINE NOLAN. PERFORMANCE BACKGROUND NIAMH BEGAN DANCING AT THE YOUNG AGE OF 3. SHE TRAINED IN MANY STYLES INCLUDING BALLET, MODERN, TAP AND JAZZ. SHE COMPLETED HER BALLET GRADES WITH IDTA AND HER MUSICAL THEATER WITH LCM. SHE HAS DANCED ON SOME OF IRELAND TOP STAGES. SHE HAS PERFORMED WITH NUIM DANCE SOCIETY, NEWBRIDGE MUSIC AND DYDC. INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES INCLUDE THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LA. IN 2016/2018/2020 NIAMH PERFORMED IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF PERFORMING ARTS AS A SOLOIST IN DANCE AND MUSIC AS WELL AS GROUP VOCAL AND DANCE. NIAMH WAS CROWNED OVERALL DIVISION WINNER IN THE SENIOR INSTRUMENTAL SECTION 2018 AS WELL AS BRINGING HOME MANY WORLD MEDALS FOR DANCE, INSTRUMENTAL, VOCALS AND MODELING, IN 2016 NIAMH WAS A MEMBER OF THE WORLD VOCAL GROUP WCOPA WINNERS. NIAMH HAS PERFORMED WITH VARIOUS ORCHESTRAS INCLUDING MAYNOOTH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA. SHE HAS ALSO REPRESENTED MAYOOTH IN MANY DANCE COMPETITIONS. TEACHING EXPERIENCE NIAMH HAS TAUGHT DANCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN STAGESCHOOLS AROUND IRELAND AS WELL AS CHOREOGRAPHING FOR MANY COMPETITION TEAMS AND SCHOOL SHOWS BEFORE SETTING UP KNC WITH KATIE. NIAMH PRIDES HER WORK ON ITS CREATIVITY, MUSICALITY, STORYTELLING AND TECHNIQUE. SHE STRIVES TO HELP EACH STUDENT BECOME THE BEST DANCER THEY CAN BE WHILE PREPARING THEM FOR THE DANCE WORLD. NIAMH FOCUSES ON SAFE DANCE TO PROLONG THE DANCE LIFE OF EACH DANCER. NIAMH IS ALSO A VIOLIN TEACHER AND A SECONDARY SCHOOL MUSIC AND MATHS TEACHER. CHOREOGRAPHY AND MUSICAL DIRECTION NIAMH HAS CHOREOGRAPHED FOR MANY SHOWS INCLUDING GREASE (NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE 2017), ANNIE (HOLY FAMILY 2018), SISTER ACT (NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE 2018), SEUSSICAL (LARK 2019), HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (NEWBRIDGE COLLEGE 2019) AND WE WILL ROCK YOU (ST PAULS 2020). HER CHOREOGRAPHY CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN “GIVE IT TIME” MUSIC VIDEO FOR JANE WILLOW ARTIST. NIAMH HAS CHOREOGRAPHED FOR COMPETITIONS AND PERFORMANCES WITH KNC PERORMING ARTS COMPANY, STAGEACADEMY NEWBRIDGE AND STARMAKER DUNDALK AND HAS WON MANY AWARDS, INCLUDING BEST DANCE AIVS 2017 (LOST BOYS), BEST ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY AIVS 2017 (RULE THE WORLD), BEST DANCE AIVS 2019 (GLOBAL WARMING), OVERALL CONTEMPORARY GROUP WCOPA 2018 (BODY IMAGE). NIAMH'S COMPETITION TEAMS HAVE ENTERED MANY NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS WINNING SOLO, DUET AND GROUP AWARDS IN LYRICAL, CONTEMPORARY, JAZZ AND BALLET. NIAMH'S CHIROGRAPHY HAS BEEN PERFORMED ACROSS IRELAND, UK AND USA, AND RECENTLY SHOWCASED ON IRELAND'S GOT TALENT. NIAMH HAS CHOREOGRAPHED FOR TEAM IRELAND WCOPA 2018/2020. HER ROUTINES HAVE BROUGHT HOME MANY WORLD TITLES. NIAMH HAS ALSO TAKEN ON THE ROLE OF MUSICAL DIRECTOR WITH KATIE FOR VARIES SHOWS INCLUDING BUGSY MALONE AND AIVS. NIAMH WAS DELIGHTED TO HAVE HER CHOREOGRAPHY SHOWCASED ON THE MAIN STAGE AT PERFORM IRELAND 2019/2020 AND TO WORKSHOP HER LYRICAL ROUTINE AT THE PERFORMANCE CONFERENCE 2019/2020. NIAMHS CHOREOGRAPHY HAS ALSO APPEARED AT NOISE MOVES DANCE FESTIVAL 2019. NIAMH WILL BE RETURNING TO THE EVENT AS PART OF THE YOUNG CHOREOGRAPHY EMERGENCE COHERT WHERE SHE WILL CREATE A PIECE FOR THE EVENT THIS YEAR. |
Class teachers
Nina dibb: class teacher (Acro)
ABOUT NINA
NINA IS A FREELANCE DANCE TEACHER FROM RUSSIA. SHE HAS TRAINED IN RUSSIA, USA AND UK AND SPECIALISES IN CONTEMPORARY DANCE AND ACROBATIC ARTS. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION - BA Hons in Dance - Postgraduate Certificate in Education - Qualified Acrobatic Arts teacher - Pilates instructor - NATD acredited teacher |
TRAINING
Nina Dibb is a freelance dance maker and teacher, specialising in contemporary dance theatre and Acrobatic Arts. Trained originally as a dancer in Russia, eventually took classical ballet, modern dance and drama classes. Nina's study in performing arts includes folk dance and theatre training in Russia, ballet and modern in USA, contemporary and jazz in the UK. She is experienced teacher in a range of dance styles and creative choreographer. Throughout her professional development, Nina trained with a variety of dance companies, including Joffrey Ballet Academy (Chicago) and Rafael Bonachela Dance Company. TEACHING EXPERIENCE In 2012, Nina have been awarded CDET Approved Teacher status with a certificate of good professional practice as a dance, drama and musical theatre teacher by the Council for Dance Education and Training. Her own work has most recently been commissioned by the Dance Associate Ltd, Belfast Metropolitan College, Newry Dance Company, A.I.M. Dance Theatre, NDDC - ND Dance Company, KidKast Theatre School and range of Corporate and fundraising events. Accolades are; winner of Tikhvin Lel, Russia 1991-1999, Barcelona Dance Award 2002, Dance Grand Prix Italia 2002 and Prague Dance Festival 2002. Nominated for the Lifetime Achievement Award at "One Dance UK Award 2020" |
Ciara taheny: class teacher
ABOUT CIARA
CIARA IS 20 YEARS OLD AND IS GOING INTO HER FINAL YEAR OF HER SOCIAL SCIENCE DEGREE AT MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY. SHE HAS BEEN TRAINING AND PERFORMING FOR 15 YEARS NOW. HER LIFE REVOLVES AROUND ACTING, SINGING AND DANCING. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
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TRAINING
CIARA IS A SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDENT AT MAYNOOTH UNIVERSITY. SHE HAS RECENTLY COMPLETED HER DIPLOMA IN MUSICAL THEATRE AND HOPES TO COMPLETE HER ACTING DIPLOMA THIS YEAR WITH THE IRISH BOARD OF SPEECH AND DRAMA. PERFORMANCE BACKGROUND CIARA BEGAN PERFORMING AT THE AGE OF 5 AND HAS STUDIED DANCE, SINGING AND ACTING. IN 2016 CIARA WON BEST SOLO DRAM AT AIVS FOR HER COMEDY SKETCH. SHE WAS ALSO AWARDED SECOND PLACE AT THE LEINSTER SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND DRAMA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2017 FOR HER MUSICAL THEATRE SOLO. CIARA HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD NOMINATIONS IN BOTH ACTING AND SINGING. IN 2016, CIARA GAINED A PLACE ON TEAM IRELAND TO COMPETE IN LA AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WHERE HER TEAM TEAM WERE CROWNED VOCAL GROUP OF THE WORLD AND BROUGHT HOME 8 GOLD AND 3 SILVER MEDALS FOR VOCAL AND DANCE ALONG WITH 5 OVERALL DIVISION TITLES FOR VOCAL. CIARA WAS ALSO SELECTED ON TEAM IRELAND 2020 WHERE SHE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE AS A SOLOIST IN ACTING, VOCAL, DANCE AND MODELLING AND AS A TEAM MEMBER FOR VOCAL. SHE RECEIVED 1 GOLD, 3 SILVER AND 5 BRONZE MEDALS. CIARA HAS PLAYED MANY ROLES INCLUDING: EPONINE (Le Mis), CHARLIE (Charlie and the chocolate factory), GLINDA (Wicked) and RIZZO (Grease). SHE HAS PERFORMED IN MANY THEATRES NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONAL. TEACHING EXPERIENCE CIARA HAS BEEN A TEACHING ASSISTANT WITH KNC SINCE THEY OPENED IN 2018. SHE HAS ALSO TAUGHT WITH SHOOTING STARS ATHY AND COMMUNITY GAMES. CIARA HAS NOW QUALIFIED AS A MUSICAL THEATRE TEACHER AND WILL BE TEACHING MUSICAL THEATRE AND ACTING CLASSES WITH KNC THIS YEAR. IN 2016 CIARA WAS DELIGHTED TO CHOREOGRAPHY FOR OLD BAWN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS PRODUCTION OF “A CHRISTMAS CAROL”. |
Eirren turner: class teacher
ABOUT EIRREN
EIRREN FINISHED SCHOOL IN 2019 AND WENT ON TO STUDY MUSICAL THEATRE WITH AMERICAN COLLEGE DUBLIN WHERE SHE RECEIVED HER DIPLOMA IN MUSICAL THEATRE. EIRREN HAS BEEN TRAINING IN PERFORMING ARTS FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS AND HAS BUILT UP MANY PERFORMANCE CREDITS. PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
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TRAINING
EIRREN HAS COMPLETED HER MUSICAL THEATRE DIPLOMA WITH AMERICAN COLLEGE DUBLIN AND IS SOON TO COMPLETE HER GRADUATE EXAM IN MODERN DANCE. PERFORMANCE BACKGROUND EIRREN HAS BEEN PERFORMING SINCE SHE WAS 7 YEARS OLD. SHE HAS TRAINING IN ACTING SINGING AND DANCE AND HAS PERFORMED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONAL. EIRREN HAS COMPLETED HER GRADE 6 VOCAL EXAM WITH LCM AND SENIOR DANCE EXAM IBD. SHE HAS BEEN A SOLOST IN BOTH VOCAL AND DANCE IN MANY SHOWS AND HAS PLAYED MANY ROLES INCLUDING: JANE (Mary Poppins), MABEL (Mack and Mabel), KAREN (Mean Girls) AND, MOST RECENTLY, CHA CHA (Grease). EIRREN HAS COMPETED IN MANY INTERNATIONAL DANCE COMPETITIONS WINNING MANY TITLES IN LYRICAL, JAZZ, MUSICAL THEATRE AND SONG&DANCE. IN 2017 SHE WAS CROWNED BEST DANCER AT AIVS AND ALSO WAS JAZZ CHALLANGE WINNER AT INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION VAD. IN 2018 EIRREN REPRESENTED IRELAND AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF PERFORMING ARTS IN LONG BEACH CALIFORNIA WHERE SHE BROUGHT HOME 14 WORLD MEDALS FOR VOCAL AND DANCE. SHE HAS ALSO BEEN NOMINATED FOR SEVERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD IN MUSICAL THEATRE. TEACHING EXPERIENCE EIRREN HAS BEEN A TEACHING ASSISTANT WITH KNC SINCE THEY OPENED IN 2018. SHE HAS ASSISTED WITH SHOW AND COMPETITION CHOREOGRAPHY AND ALSO EXAM PREPARATIONS. SHE HAS ALSO BEEN A COACH WITH COMMUNITY GAMES. EIRREN HAS NOW QUALIFIED AS A TEACHER AND WILL BE TEACHING LYRICAL CLASSES WITH KNC THIS YEAR. |
