Laura Murphy is a choreographer and dance artist based in Ireland. Her work gives physical expression to ephemeral states of mind. Taking an expansive approach to dance, her work includes staged work, dance film, video installations, site-specific performances, solo and ensemble pieces and large scale, socially engaged dance projects. Laura has presented her work internationally at festivals and galleries such as Reykjavik Dance Festival (IS), Edinburgh Fringe (UK), Judson Church (US), the Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest (RO), NN Contemporary Northampton (UK), Dublin Dance Festival and Cork Midsummer Festival (IRL).
Laura works with artists including Colin Dunne, Rob Heaslip, Gemma Riggs, Rhona Byrne, Mary Nunan, Nigel Rolfe, Matteo Fargion, Irene Buckley and Michael Gallen.
Laura's awards include: Best Movement Director, The Irish Times Theatre Awards (2017); E-MOTIONAL Bodies and Cities, A European Mobility and Artistic Exchange Dance Programme (2012-2013); Carte Blanche as part of Modul Dance (2013); an Arts Council Bursary Award (2017, 2016); Artist Project Award from Cork City Council (2017, 2016, 2014, 2013) and an Arts Council Dancer in Residence Award for Cork City (2012 - 2017).
Laura graduated from the University of Limerick in 2005 with an M.A Contemporary Dance Performance; from Trinity Laban, London in 2006 with a P.D.D.S. and in 2014 with a Specialist Diploma in Choreological Studies. Since 2009 she has lectured in dance and Choreological Studies at the University of Limerick and held the position of Acting Course Director, MA Contemporary Dance Performance in 2015.
Recent works include 'You Move Me' at NN Contemporary Northampton 2018, 'Abacus' at Dublin Fringe Festival 2017 and 'Yellow' at Cork Midsummer 2017. She was awarded Best Movement Director at the Irish Times Theatre Awards 2017 for her work on 'Whitby' at the Bram Stoker Festival.
More recently, Laura was awarded Dance Ireland's HATCH 2019. She also worked with 'Session', the new collaboration by Colin Dunne and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, 2019/2020. She is directing 'The Shake' a collaboration with choreographer Siobhán Ní Dhuinnín and visual artist Rhona Byrne to premier in 2021.