Siamsa Tire Blog about new show Anam. Read Entry Three

Sue-Ellen Chester-MacCarthy - Co Director gives her take on Anam:

I am so very excited and honored to be taking on the role of co-director on Anam! What an incredibly talented cast!

I've been in love with rhythm since I can remember, my earliest memories being bobbed on my Father's knee as he whistled or sang along, in his rich baritone voice, with the likes of Dean Martin, Johnny Cash, Dionne Warwick and Ray Charles. Then my sisters teaching me to Go-Go dance while we played Aretha Franklin or the Supremes on the record player, I was hooked!

I got my first pair of tap shoes when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I had fallen off my bike and out of one too many trees when my Mother packed me off to dance classes that my sisters were attending. I wasn't all that fussed at first until I did put on those tap shoes. I admit that the thing I was probably most in love with was making a racket, much to my Mother's dismay - I kept tapping up and down her polished wood hallway till she kicked me out the house! My wonderful Dad (God rest him) built me my own little ply wood platform down in the garage, I was delighted! I could make all the noise I wanted and not scratch the polished timber floors.

My teacher Sandra Breen, was and is very talented and was married to, God rest him, a very talented Jazz Musician, Alan Brown. Under her guidance, we were imbued with a love of musicality.

Over my long, very varied and enjoyable career there have been times when the old tap shoes were set aside for long periods of time. Sadly there wasn't much of a platform for tap dancing back in the day in Australia. Needless to say, being around these boys I feel downright rusty at times but, they are certainly inspiring to be around!

I have worn the cap of Choreographer & Rehearsal Director many times but this is my first in the role of Co-Director and I couldn't be happier than to work alongside Jonathan Kelliher on what is his very personal and special project. When we worked on Moriarty together, Jonathan got me acquainted with the wisdom of John Moriarty and the quote that stays with us and inspired the creation of Anam was the one about sitting still long enough so that your soul can catch up.

We are striving to make this show simple, honest and personal. To allow these very talented artists, who carry with them a wealth of history, to honour those that have come before and inspired their journeys and to allow those long lines of artists to express themselves through the language of music and dance so eloquently expressed by these artists.

Enjoy!

Sue-Ellen Chester-MacCarthy

Read other entries of Siamsa Tire blog here

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