This is a space for mothers to meet, unwind, build strength and confidence in balance with their babies’ development. These workshops aim to support women to respond to their new lives with their babies, in community with their peers, their children and their own bodies.

Meet

Katherine O’Malley – I am a dance artist, teacher, and mother. I am resident dance artist at VISUAL Carlow. I have been developing a workshop series for mothers and babies (3 month – 1 yr old) over the past year in VISUAL, Carlow supported by the Arts Council of Ireland and Carlow Arts Office. I draw from my extensive 27 year experience in dance, yoga and somatic practices.

I am in VISUAL Carlow from 11am to 5 pm everyday from 16th till 20th August 2022. I would love to meet new mothers with their babies interested to meet with me and continue my workshop series.

Mind

The focus is to encourage Mum to mind her own body while looking after baby, to improve flexibility, strength, and balance. I will cater to the individual needs of each mother and common needs of the group. I am particularly interested in mother's needs at this extraordinary time of their lives. The workshops which help familiarise new mothers with the developmental stages of their babies in the first 12 months of life whilst also supporting mothers to rehabilitate, situate, balance and understand their new, post-birth body, and how it feels.

Move

Workshops will be led in seated and lying down postures with and alongside baby. There will be some rocking, rolling, cradling, curving, stretching, some baby and self-massage. Workshops respond to each participant’s needs. Benefits include: improved circulation, blood pressure, bonding with baby, release of aches and pains and moving with ease and efficiency while carrying baby.

Play

Workshops aim to promote health, creative, safe play for post-natal mothers and their babies. Moving together with your baby allowing you time to understand your needs and theirs in a playful relaxed environment. These workshops help you discover a pathway for you both to get what you need.

If you have any questions at all please contact us, Katherine is happy to answer any concerns you may have. Katherine draws from her extensive 27 year experience practicing dance, yoga, somatic practices and her study of the natural body in movement. All equipment and props are provided. All you need is to bring yourself and your baby. The workshops are suitable for mothers 12 weeks post-childbirth and babies up to 18 months old.

“Through these workshops I will support women to respond to their new lives with their babies, listening to themselves physically and psychologically, in community with their peers, their children and their own bodies.”

– Katherine O’Malley

Katherine O’Malley is a dance artist, teacher, choreographer and mother. She is also an Amatsu Orthopath, a Japanese natural healing art and movement philosophy. Katherine’s practice is rooted in body experience and looks at arenas of perceived physical identity, embodied cognition, how we know ourselves and what we ‘need’, both as autonomous individuals and in interaction with others and society.