# Running Blind

> Exploring blindness through dance


## Pages

- [ACCESS + AUDIO DESCRIPTION](https://runningblind.ie/audio-description/): The image above shows eight people smiling at the end of a dance workshop with two guide dogs lying at their feet. This photo featured in the Irish Independent health supplement in 2017 with an article entitled ‘Dancing in the Dark‘. EMBEDDING ACCESS INTO ARTS PRACTICE + PERFORMANCE ​Laura works collaboratively with artists, producers, cultural venues and festivals to create engaging audio description for audiences, interactive touch tours before performances and as part of gallery exhibitions, as well as audio access guides and resources for visitors to arts, heritage and cultural places of interest. Laura is a dance artist specialising in inclusive, […]
- [ONLINE WEEKLY CLASS](https://runningblind.ie/online-weekly-class/): Verbally guided, inclusive movement class. SOMATIC MOVEMENT & MEDITATION Accessible to everyone with hearing, you do not need to watch a sreen or see any demonstration of the movements – all is verbally guided by Laura Sarah Dowdall – movement specialist working with people who are blind, deafblind and have visually loss since 2015. Open to all level of movement experience- beginners and experienced movers will gain from these soothing movement practices that are based on Feldenkreis, Hanna Somatics, Developmental movement practices and inspired by contemporary dance. Wednesdays 8pm (Dublin/London) GMT Ongoing weekly classes work a different theme and body […]
- [EVENTS](https://runningblind.ie/events/): UPCOMING DANCE FOR ALL SHARING – Wednesday 11:30am, November 26th 2025 Join us for a special celebration as participants of the Dance for All project share their experience and explorations over the past few months. Dance for All Sharing Event DATE: Wednesday, 26th November at 11:30 a.m VENUE: Fighting Blindness Hall, 21 Hill Street, Dublin 1, D01 P7V0 Dance for All is a collaborative project by Fighting Blindness and Dance Artist, Laura Sarah Dowdall, funded through the Create Ireland – Artist in the Community programme. The project brings together people who are visually impaired to explore dance as a form of creative expression, confidence-building, and connection. Through […]
- [Training Programs](https://runningblind.ie/training-programs/): Inclusive Dance training programs are delivered in Dance Universities, to teams, schools, communities, and organisations over a four-day workshop or six-week program. Bespoke to your needs, each training will address and support the key priorities of your organisation. Training programs have been delivered to health care providers, social care workers, key-workers in residential supported living settings. Inclusive Dance Programs incorporate: Click to see a video of extracts from an Inclusive dance training in 2023!! Why Movement? Benefits: Emotional + Mental Wellbeing: Contact us for more information on: + Classes, Workshops, Training + Performance Projects + Training for Healthcare staff, Teachers […]
- [In the News](https://runningblind.ie/latest-news/): Featured on Nationwide RTÉ 1, Irish Television, June 7th 2024 Running Blind Dance Project dives deep into the world of dance accessibility. In 2024, Laura began a collaboration with Fighting Blindness to offer inclusive dance workshops for its members. Her work was showcased at the Global Retina International conference 2024 entitled: DANCE- Experience how inclusive dance expands our horizons, learning and perspective! Nationwide, Ireland’s popular weekly national television show features Laura’s work in inclusive dance and her collaboration with the blind community- it featured on their June 7th program- watch the episode here! Running Blind Dance project focuses on making dance […]
- [Workshop Feedback](https://runningblind.ie/workshop-feedback/): Feedback from participants with vision-loss to-date has been that they felt more confident in themselves after the workshops and that their spatial awareness, listening through their senses (especially through their feet) drastically improved and supported their day to day experiences. Here is a video of personal feedback from a 2017 participant, Barry O’Donnell, who lost his vision in an accident and following this is a trailer of a 2017 workshop programme: Participant Quotes from post-workshop focus group discussion: * “I thought dance was impossible, these workshops have made the impossible possible” * “Now I understand that listening is not just with […]
- [Donate](https://runningblind.ie/donate/)
- [Dance for All Workshops](https://runningblind.ie/workshops/): Laura Sarah Dowdall is pleased to offer workshops on an ongoing basis, based on the concepts and ideas explored as part of Running Blind. The integrated workshops inspire all ages and abilities to dance! Encouraging people to reconnect with their bodies, their senses and natural creativity! It improves self- confidence, body-awareness, social skills, physical and mental wellbeing. This workshop programme has been developed in collaboration and exchange with members of the blind community. Dance for All Integrated Workshops featured as the cover story of Health & Living in the Irish Independent newspaper in 2018- “Dancing in the dark – A pioneering dance […]
- [Workshops](https://runningblind.ie/media-gallery/rua-red-residency-2/)
- [Contact](https://runningblind.ie/contact/): For more information on: + Ongoing Classes, Workshops, Training + Performance Projects + Training for Healthcare staff, Teachers + Parents + Professional Coaching, Executive Retreats and Personal Development Programs + Online courses available: Neurological Ease, Creative Wellbeing, Movement for Wellbeing, Somatic Movement, Healing Yoga Email Contact: laura@healingyoga.ie / laura@runningblind.ie Websites: Running Blind: www.runningblind.ie Wellness: www.healingyoga.ie/ability Dance: www.laurasarahdowdall.wix.com/dancer Social Media: Keep updated on the development and progress of Running Blind by connecting to the project! FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM  TWITTER LINKEDIN About Laura: Inclusive Dance Background, Research and Facilitation: https://runningblind.ie/about Holistic Practitioner:  https://healingyoga.ie/about-us/ Dance Artist: www.laurasarahdowdall.wix.com/dancer
- [Audience Interaction (Photos: Rafael Kostrzewa, Moira Reilly)](https://runningblind.ie/media-gallery/audience-interaction-smock-alley-photo-credits-rafael-kostrzewa-moira-reilly/)
- [Audience Feedback](https://runningblind.ie/audience-feedback/): Conor Marren, Actor- Audience “Your show brought alive the sense of now. The choice to dance at times without the music made by the violin, but only with the quiet music of your feet and breath was powerful, unique and so truthfully real that I could not help but feel free of time and connected with the present, a oneness that some may seek through meditation or other practices. The blind walk down the staircase was worth the ticket alone. When Laura appeared on stage she was so present that the word ‘Brave’ came strongly to mind. Powerful. Elegant, with […]
- [Press & Reviews](https://runningblind.ie/press-and-reviews/): “A visual feast in pure flowing white…mesmerising and hypnotic…” -David Keane : The Reviews Hub / Read full review here. “Mesmerizing and flawless making you part of something special and intimate…Laura is magnificent to watch.” -Tatjana Lobza : Arts & Culture Reviewer / Read full review here. “Your show brought alive the sense of now […] the quiet music of your feet and breath was powerful, unique and so truthfully real that I could not help but feel free of time and connected with the present[.]” -Conor Maren : Actor, audience member “…An amazing experience, it really honed in on the sense […]
- [Videos](https://runningblind.ie/media-gallery/videos/): August 2017 Trailer The most recent trailer for August 2017 performances of Running Blind. Running Blind Integrated Dance Workshops A glimpse of the work done in Laura S Dowdall’s integrated dance workshops at RUA RED South Dublin Centre for the Arts Video by Joe Morris RUA RED Residents – Laura S Dowdall A short look at Laura Sarah Dowdall’s residency at RUA RED South Dublin Centre for the Arts. Video by Riona Long The Making Of… In this video (5 min), Laura talks about the ideas and processes that led to the making of Running Blind. Video by Alessandra Usai. […]
- [Smock Alley (Photo Credit: Rafael Kostrzewa)](https://runningblind.ie/media-gallery/smock-alley-performance-running-blind/)
- [Making Of Video](https://runningblind.ie/watch-making-of-video/): In this video, Laura talks about the ideas and processes that led to the making of Running Blind. Video by Alessandra Usai. Sound by Robert Coleman.
- [Watch Trailer](https://runningblind.ie/watch-trailer/): A short trailer for Running Blind. Video Credit: Paul Webster. Music Credit: Mmoths
- [Dublin Work in Progress (Photo credit: Ewa Figaszewska)](https://runningblind.ie/media-gallery/dublin-work-in-progress/)
- [Calendar](https://runningblind.ie/calendar/)
- [Fringe Lab Research](https://runningblind.ie/media-gallery/fringe-lab-research/)
- [About](https://runningblind.ie/about/): Research, community collaboration, and development of the Running Blind Dance project began in 2015 and has led to a series of accessible dance performances, community sharings, international collaborations, integrated workshops, training programs, performance projects, and short films. This project has been developed and inspired by our collaboration with people who are blind, people who have low vision, and people who are deafblind. Video here of recent Dance for All project in collaboration with members of Fighting Blindness, supported by Create, Artist in the Community Research (2023) and Project Realisation Award (2024): Laura is an international facilitator and speaker on creative […]
- [Running Blind](https://runningblind.ie/)
- [Performance](https://runningblind.ie/performances/): 2018 Open-Studio Invitation! You are invited to a studio sharing on December 12th from 2:00 – 2:30 pm in Dance Theatre of Ireland, Dun Laoghaire. Please rsvp if attending to laura@runningblind.ie Following a summer and winter workshop programme- Dancers will share their experience of the Integrated Dance Programme in a practical and performative demonstration of our learning and development throughout the year. Dancers have come from all walks of life- medical professionals, social workers, therapists, body-workers, dance artists, community workers, walkers, jivers, rappers! The group consists of people who are sighted, low vision, blind and deafblind. We all dance together and learn […]
- [Media Gallery](https://runningblind.ie/media-gallery/): Photo credits:
- [Laura Sarah Dowdall](https://runningblind.ie/laura-sarah-dowdall/): Laura Sarah Dowdall is an innovative dance artist creating engaging performance that is experiential, immersive and permeable to audience interaction, incorporating site-specific performance, spoken word and film.  Laura is a socially-engaged artist working collaboratively with communities and collectives to support positive action and awareness of access, inclusion, environmental, creative and wellness needs of people and our planet. She integrates her skills as a collaborative arts practitioner, somatic therapist, nature-based practitioner, and systemic constellation-work facilitator to support personal and collective growth. Laura enjoys collaborative interdisciplinary practice, she has worked with community organisations, visual artists, accessible rights activists, health workers, the deafblind […]
- [Background](https://runningblind.ie/background/): The overall intention of this project is to heighten awareness of the blind and deafblind communities in Ireland and abroad, to make dance and its performance fully accessible to people with vision loss through the creative solutions developed and presented through the ongoing research. Research, community workshops and performance projects since 2015 have seen this work develop from an accessible dance practice to an integrated dance project that invites all abilities, all ages, all levels of vision, all backgrounds and all professions to participate, learn and dance together. The non-hierarchical structure of these workshops and training programs have benefited people […]
- [Sample Page](https://runningblind.ie/sample-page/): This is an example page. It’s different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I’m a bike messenger by day, aspiring actor by night, and this is my website. I live in Los Angeles, have a great dog named Jack, and I like piña coladas. (And gettin’ caught in the rain.) …or something like this: The XYZ Doohickey Company was founded in 1971, […]


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