Mary Wycherley was born in West Cork, Ireland in 1977. She is based in Co. Tipperary and works both nationally and internationally. As a dance artist, choreographer, filmmaker and curator, Mary’s work expands across disciplines and communities and is experienced in live performance, cinematic and gallery settings. Her dance-led work is propelled by a practice of noticing.
She examines movement to uncover the nature of our exchanges across time, place and environment. Her curatorial impulse manifests in festival-making and platforms for dance practice and research. Collaboration is central to her work and she connects across a range of artists and settings.
Dance, Film & Commissions
Mary holds a BA in Arts from University College Cork, and MA in Contemporary Dance Performance from University of Limerick, as well as being a former dancer with Cork City Ballet. She continues to teach regularly at UL, where she was Course Director of the MA Contemporary Dance Performance there 2016-18. Her national and international teaching in dance, film and interdisciplinary creative process spans University level, professional masterclass and individual mentoring contexts. Mary was appointed Limerick Dance Artist-in-Residence 2015–2017 by the Arts Council and Limerick City and County Council, and has acted as a board member for both Dance Limerick and Dance Research Forum Ireland.
Her work has been commissioned by Dance Ireland (2009), Mary Nunan (2010), Joan Davis (2014), Liz Roche Company (2016), John Scott Company (2019) and Tipperary Dance Festival and The Heritage Council (2020). Recently toured works include the feature length film In the Bells Shadow, live dance for gallery work Invisible Histories, award-winning film WRoNGHEADED, the film quintet Far Flung Dances and No.5 Rupture. Mary is currently devising Weathering, supported by Dance Limerick and Tanzrauschen Festival, funded by the Arts Council of Ireland and Limerick City and County Council.
Festival & Events
Since its inception in 2014, Mary has co-curated Light Moves Festival, a festival based in Limerick city that celebrates adventurous dance, film and media arts both in Ireland and abroad. The programme features screenings, installations, talks and performances with some of the most respected figures in the field, as well as emerging talents in dance, film and new media.
In 2019 Mary developed a new initiative, Studio Light Moves, aimed at investing in and nurturing creative process and enquiry in dance, technology and screen-based dance practices. Within Studio Light Moves is Open Futures; a test ground and critical exchange residency-based platform for dance artists and media artists interested in collaborating to explore the intersection of dance with media and screen-based practices.
In 2022 Mary presented CLOCK at Pima! Fest in collaboration with Jürgen Simpson. CLOCK is a workshop oriented audio-visual adventure using electronic performance systems in an exploration of electronic sound and visuals. Working with members of Clare Youth Service Music Project, it invited them to explore and sample their environment during a series of workshops.
She examines movement to uncover the nature of our exchanges across time, place and environment. Her curatorial impulse manifests in festival-making and platforms for dance practice and research. Collaboration is central to her work and she connects across a range of artists and settings.
Dance, Film & Commissions
Mary holds a BA in Arts from University College Cork, and MA in Contemporary Dance Performance from University of Limerick, as well as being a former dancer with Cork City Ballet. She continues to teach regularly at UL, where she was Course Director of the MA Contemporary Dance Performance there 2016-18. Her national and international teaching in dance, film and interdisciplinary creative process spans University level, professional masterclass and individual mentoring contexts. Mary was appointed Limerick Dance Artist-in-Residence 2015–2017 by the Arts Council and Limerick City and County Council, and has acted as a board member for both Dance Limerick and Dance Research Forum Ireland.
Her work has been commissioned by Dance Ireland (2009), Mary Nunan (2010), Joan Davis (2014), Liz Roche Company (2016), John Scott Company (2019) and Tipperary Dance Festival and The Heritage Council (2020). Recently toured works include the feature length film In the Bells Shadow, live dance for gallery work Invisible Histories, award-winning film WRoNGHEADED, the film quintet Far Flung Dances and No.5 Rupture. Mary is currently devising Weathering, supported by Dance Limerick and Tanzrauschen Festival, funded by the Arts Council of Ireland and Limerick City and County Council.
Festival & Events
Since its inception in 2014, Mary has co-curated Light Moves Festival, a festival based in Limerick city that celebrates adventurous dance, film and media arts both in Ireland and abroad. The programme features screenings, installations, talks and performances with some of the most respected figures in the field, as well as emerging talents in dance, film and new media.
In 2019 Mary developed a new initiative, Studio Light Moves, aimed at investing in and nurturing creative process and enquiry in dance, technology and screen-based dance practices. Within Studio Light Moves is Open Futures; a test ground and critical exchange residency-based platform for dance artists and media artists interested in collaborating to explore the intersection of dance with media and screen-based practices.
In 2022 Mary presented CLOCK at Pima! Fest in collaboration with Jürgen Simpson. CLOCK is a workshop oriented audio-visual adventure using electronic performance systems in an exploration of electronic sound and visuals. Working with members of Clare Youth Service Music Project, it invited them to explore and sample their environment during a series of workshops.