Artistic Associate Osian Meilir

Could you tell us a bit about yourself, your journey in dance in Wales and beyond?

Osian Meilir is a performer, dance-maker and movement artist originally from Pentre’r Bryn in Ceredigion on the west coast of Wales. Meilir went on to train at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, attaining a first-class degree, before continuing his studies and completing his M.A. in Dance Performance as part of Transitions Dance Company, graduating in 2017.

In their professional work, Meilir’s work as a performer has seen him working with artists such as Jo Fong, Laura Wilson, Lizzi Kew Ross & Co, Gwyn Emberton Dance, Satore Tech and Fearghus O’Conchuir. His work also expands into working in theatre for young audiences, performing in works by Carlos Pons Guerra and Cahoots NI, touring the UK and internationally, as well as his own solo work for Arad Goch Theatre Company - Palmant / Pridd (Pavement / Pasture). He premiered his first mid-scale production - ‘Qwerin’, as director and choreographer in 2021 and developed and expanded the work to its full length for touring in 2022 with Arts Council funding. 'Qwerin' has since toured internationally, appearing in festivals in Australia in 2023. Meilir also has extensive experience in leading workshops and classes for children, young people and adults alike.

 

Meilir’s very early experiences and background of Welsh folk dance has led him to appreciate dance from all different cultures, and to enjoy how dance can build meaningful bridges between people from around the world.

What has been a career highlight, or highlights so far?

Without a doubt, a career highlight for me was touring my own choreographic work, Qwerin Bach in Australia early this year. Getting to perform my work in various locations across the island of Tasmania as part of Ten Days on the Island festival was truly special.

You are an artistic associate with National Dance Company Wales? Could you talk about that experience, and any particular highlights?

Being an artistic associate of National Dance Company of Wales is a unique experience. As a Welsh dance artist who’s followed the company’s work for many years, it feels great to have the opportunity to develop my practice and career on a national and international level. As a freelancer, having the support from a company like NDCWales is very valuable. It gives me a platform to develop and showcase my work and an opportunity to build new relationships. Meeting and working with the brilliant artists and people who are part of the company has been a highlight.

You are creating a brand new work as part of 4X10 this summer with NDCWales. Could you tell us a bit about what you have in mind? How do you feel about creating this work with the company?

I’m a mixture of both excited and nervous about creating this new work on the company. As with every new creative process, entering that room is like stepping into the unknown for me. I’m going to be creating a work surrounding the idea of unity and individuality, looking at the concept of synchronicity and the underlying idea that there is unity in diversity. I’m not entirely sure how these ideas will manifest into movement just yet, but I’m eager to get creative in the studio once again for sure!

What advice would you have for an artist starting out in Wales?

My advice would be to be open and receptive to all kinds of opportunities, even the ones that you might not think are for you, you might just be surprised at how much you will learn and grow, and you never know who you will meet along the way. I would also advise people to reach out to individuals and institutions who have been working in the sector for years to ask for their advice and guidance, it’s always good to be honest and transparent about what you know and what you don’t know.

What is next for you and what else are you working on?

I have been and will be working a lot more in Theatre in this year and into the next, expanding my practice into movement direction, working with actors as well as dancers. I’ve recently been working with Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch as a choreographer and movement director on their new production for children and young audiences, Jemima that’s currently on tour. I’m also coordinating a project called Mas ar y Maes gyda Balchder, working alongside five partner organisations and a team of freelancers, running projects and developing opportunities in order to develop an intersectional, Welsh language Queer arts scene in Wales. I’m also continuing the tour of my own choreographic work for the outdoors, QWERIN with performances across Wales, England and in France this summer.

Where could people find out more about you, or follow your work?

You can head to my website at www.osianmeilir.com for the whole list of QWERIN tour dates and to read / see more of the work I’ve done in the past. You can also follow me on Instagram at either @osianmeilir or @qwerin__