Maria Svensson is a dance artist based in Bodyke, East Clare, originally from Sweden. She holds a BA in Dance Theatre from TrinityLaban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London 2007.

Maria works mainly with improvisation and an approach called ‘Poetic Movement’ which she has gathered from Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company. ‘Poetic Movement’ takes the perspective that dance has a similar relation to our everyday movement in the same way that the poetic use of language has to our normal, everyday speech.
Work includes

  • The solo The Importance of Shepherds performed at Echo Echo Movement & Dance Festival (2015), TOCHT International Dance Festival (2017), and Quarter Block Party (2017)
  • The dance film Mo Spiorad Eilifinte/My Elephant Spirit directed by Maria Svensson and Mark Mc Loughlin screened at Phoenix Cinema, Dingle (2018)
  • The video Poetic Play commissioned by Creative Ireland Clare for Cruinniú na nÓg 2020

Maria is a member of Rural Artists Network and Cork Dance Initiative. She was dance artist at An Lab, Dingle funded by the Arts Council & Kerry County Council 2016-2018.
In 2020 Maria was recipient of the Arts Council Dance Bursary Award, Tipperary Dance Platform Hotspot LAB Award and the HATCH Award from Dance Ireland.

Image credits:

  • Image of Maria Svennson (Black and White)  by Simon Alleyne
  • Image of feet and crayons by Regina Carbayo
  • Image of the people in the water, stills shot from the film Mo Spiorad Eilifinte/My Elephant Spirit
  • Image of boy jumping by Maria Svennson