Claire Cunningham studied music at York University and University College Dublin, specialising in vocal performance and graduating in 1999. She studied voice at the Leinster School of Music and at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. She has worked professionally as a singer since 1999, particularly in the field of music theatre, touring throughout Scotland, including a critically acclaimed week long run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and performing by invitation in Romania, Germany and Ireland. In 2004 Claire started aerial training– her particular interest in this field stems from a desire to utilise the upper body strength created by having used crutches for the last 14 years, and also to investigate her ability for free movement when uninhibited by the disabling factor of weightbearing. This background led to her involvement in 2005 with Blue Eyed Soul Dance Company, England and inclusion in Jess Curtis’ recent works for the company- ‘Touch/Don’t touch’ and ‘Catch’ – performing in Trafalgar Square and Sadlers Wells, London respectively. Her work with Jess prompted a fascination for movement work which Claire is now pursuing avidly and has included recent training with Bill Shannon aka The ‘Crutchmaster’ the unique urban dancer and media artist. With dancer Linda Payne she recently formed Waterbaby – a creative partnership seeking to combine live music/vocals with dance. Their latest work ‘4 Legged Friend’ by choreographer Kally Lloyd-Jones premiered in September 2005 at Tel Aviv Opera House, Israel. Claire recently received a Creative Scotland Award – a high profile grant awarded to Scotland’s most established and prestigious artists –to gain development time for the creation of her own performance style and crutch redesign.
