Join Philip Johnston and Maiden Voyage Dance Company for a walk through magical Cregagh Wood and encounter dance performances en route.

The walk lasts approx 1.5 hours and involves steep climbs and uneven footpaths so please wear good walking shoes.

Meet at St Patrick’s Church Car Park, Glendun Rd, BT44 0PZ

This event is weather dependent. To check on the day call Katy on 07932 776107.

Philip Johnston is from Northern Ireland where he trained with Helen Lewis and danced in her company: The Belfast Modern Dance Group.

His professional career began in London dancing for several companies before relocating to Norway to begin directorship of the Norwegian Modern Dance Company. He relocated to the United States where he received an MFA in Dance and PhD in Theatre at the University of Illinois.

Philip was an Associate Professor for the Dance and Theatre Departments at the University of Illinois where he taught a variety of courses for both departments. His choreographic work for dance, theatre and opera was presented in the United States at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and in Scandinavia, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Philip has been studying the life-long practice of T’ai Chi and Qigong since first introduced to both practices by Gerda (Pytt) Geddes, his teacher at the London School of Contemporary Dance. He has taught T’ai Chi and Qigong to dancers, actors, musicians and many others at the University of Illinois. Philip is also a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique and trained with Joan and Alex Murray in the United States.

Philip returned to live in his native Northern Ireland in May 2020.

Maiden Voyage is an artist-led commissioning company offering discoveries in dance with, by, and for, artists, audiences, and participants

Their wide-ranging programme of participatory experiences for all ages includes Repertoire outreach programmes based on themes of current productions alongside a developing suite of wellbeing programmes including established programmes Move Fit for primary schools, Seasonal Somatics monthly sessions and weekly Belfast Movement Group sessions.

Established in Belfast by Artistic Director Nicola Curry in 2001, Maiden Voyage is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors and is a registered Charity with NI Charity Commission.