Photo by Melissa Mannion © 2005
"Rhythm should be Meehan's middle name."
-Renira Pachuta
Photo by Michael Harrison © 2006
"...as a musician, playing for Maldon is like being a platelet coursing through the heart of traditional Irish music and dance..." -Dale Russ
Photo by Owen Cary © 2002
"Maldon’s education and background in ethnic dance make her an ideal instructor and performer." - Nancy Jarrell
|
Maldon Meehan
In 1998 Maldon completed her BA at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. While in Olympia Maldon was invited as visiting artist in Evergreen's Academic program "Ethnomusicology and Ethnopoetics: The Celtic World". Maldon's passion for the historical and cultural context of dance led her to enroll in the Master of Ethnochoreology program at the University of Limerick, Ireland. While at the University she researched and wrote her MA thesis on the Irish Set Dancing Revival. Graduating with honors, Maldon returned to the states in 1999 where she continued to bring her love and knowledge of Irish dance, music and culture to both the stage and classroom in a way that is inspiring and intriguing to all. In 2001 Maldon founded Meehan Productions, an organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of traditional music and dance. Based in Portland, Oregon, Meehan Productions brought artist from around the world to Portland. Including productions with Patrick Street, the Celtic Fiddle Festival, Danu, Tannahill Weavers, Tommy Peoples, Phil Cunningham, and Aly Bain, Kevin Burke, Johnny B. Connolly, and Foghorn Stringband. Maldon has been bringing Irish music and dance to the public through performance, education and promoting concerts since 1994. As an instructor for Irish dance, including Set, Sean-nós and Céili dance she has offered workshops throughout the U.S., Canada and Ireland. Maldon has performed at festivals and concerts, including appearances at the Irish World Music Center in Limerick, Ireland, the Friday Harbor Irish Music Camp in Washington, Lady of the Lake Dance Camp, Coeur d' Alene, Idaho and Sean-nós Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2004 Maldon moved Ireland where she began co-teaching with Galway dancer/fiddle player Ronan Regan. The two have toured internationally teaching at festivals, music camps, dance communities and performing in theaters. In 2005 Ronan and Maldon released an internationally acclaimed instructional DVD of Sean-nós dance (Irish old-style dance). Maldon is an accomplished sean-nós dancer. Maldon placed 3rd in the 2005 Comórtas Chóilín Sheáin Dharach, a sean-nós jig competition held annually in Ros Muc, Co. Galway and competed in the nationally televised 2005 Oireachtas in Cork city. Maldon returned to Portland, Oregon in 2006 where she currently lives and tours with Ronan Regan, the Footnotes Band and The Nua-Nós Dance Troupe. Performance & Workshop HistoryFestivals/CampsICONS Irish Connections Festival, Canton, MA Albion Grammar School, Albion, CA Alberta Street Public House, Portland, OR RnG Irish Radio, Ireland
|
Maldon Meehan grew up in the duality of two worlds, the city of Portland, Oregon and the Artist Commune of Spring Grove on the Northern California coastline. Her mother, an artist herself, exposed her to art at an early age and her