ABOUT
“Part of the civic architecture of Glasgow”
(Paul English, journalist, 2019)
“Scotland’s Dancing Doyenne”
(GO Radio, 2022)
As an artist, dancer and entertainer I seeks to awaken personal & shared spaces, taking participants on a journey of discovery which translates into a more vibrant & connected view of the world and self!
My name is Kate E. Deeming I am an dancer, artist and entertainer who works in communities, using dance to make good things happen! My work has spanned decades and continents.
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, USA, I have been based in Pollokshields, Glasgow, Scotland for over 20 years. My MO in life is about getting people to feel good about themselves and in the world. I do this through dance!
As an Artist I make ‘durational’ work that is- dances that span days or even years involving, in many and creative ways, hundreds and thousands of people. Although trained formally in dance and performance, much of what I do is outside of cultural/creative institutions (hence mostly outdoor dance) as I find I can engage with more people, spreading more joy (and grooves!). I purposely dance where people are over time as a way of building relationships and trust, as we learn to move together, creating communities of dance.
I also develop projects in schools and with community organisations in project that reinforce the idea that we are all dancers, facilitating individual voices and collaboration through movement in joyous displays.
As an entertainer I am often hired to MC or lead events in community and cultural happenings. Recent partners include Mini Manoeuvres, UEFA, The Hidden Gardens, Merchant City Festival, and UCI Cycling World Championships.
Over the decades I have worked a lot of what I do/have done is 'hidden', in that it is not announced via media channels (though captured more often these days with social media) aiming instead to inform and enlighten live moments. I am vested in supporting a joyful and loving world, reminding us all we have infinite power and miracles in ever cell of our being.
I have had four of my 'events' go viral around the world. In 2020, 2021, & 2022 in a video of me dancing as a joyful Christmas tree around the streets of my neighbourhood of Pollokshields, Scotland. Over the darkest week of the year I danced 60km and 100km, simultaneously bringing much joy to those witnessed it and also raising money for local primary schools. In 2022 I danced 24 hours to raise money for local warm banks.
In the mire of lockdown/post lockdown world, in 2021 I initiated several fun incarnations of daily dance - in January/February I initiated a daily dance practice of dressing as the Wally/Waldo characters from 'Where's Waldo/Wally' series where Wally could be 'found' in the local environment, if people *choose* to witness. Those who 'found me' got points. Later in the year I embodied a 'Disco Chicken' doing daily dances to support my Joy Project through Tramway Beyond Walls, this was witnessed by thousands and resulted in local radio interviews on Radio Clyde amongst others. In August and September I introduced the 'Danstronaut' to children at Drongan & Catrine Primaries in East Ayrshire which resulted in a film/dance/writing collaboration under the banner of 'Tweet'.
In 2010 I received a commendation from the Scottish Parliament for my 2-year dance practice along the Glasgow River Clyde, (earning me the title of ‘Glasgow’s Morning Dancer’, ‘The Broomielaw Dancing Queen’ and ‘The Princess of the Clyde’ ) in association with my two year project with the NGO FunforLife in Sri Lanka delivering dance workshops to children during and after the war.
In the 2019 coverage of my performance happening "Four Corners" which got 500 children dancing on the streets as part of Dance International Glasgow (Tramway with the Work Room) and had another global viral video with Nicola Sturgeon dancing as part of the project, journalist Paul English referred to me as 'part of the civic architecture of Glasgow"
Trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (2000) and Franklin & Marshall College (PA, USA, 1995), I also studied Kahlbelia, Odissi, Bharanatym, Flamenco, and Tango in their origin countries exploring how these traditional dances are rooted in their physical and social environments. This anthropological curiosity has led me to seek how community and mastery meet to knit communities together. I am interested in where formal and informal practice meet to create sustainable local communities of dance.
I am a member of Actor’s Equity, The Work Room (Glasgow’s Independent Centre for Dance) and IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine and Science).
“People don’t ask, ‘what are you doing?’ anymore, they say ‘what are you doing next’? and ‘can I join you’”? (On seeing my costumed shenanigans)