Objekt 2 - Flyer promoting a show by Kerry Youth Dance Theatre

Catherine Young was born in Dublin in 1972. She holds a Master’s Degree in Contemporary Dance Performance and has studied and worked with Printz Dance Project (USA), PURe Dance Company (USA), The American Conservatory Theatre (USA), Retina Dance Company (UK/Belgium), Lacina Coulibaly (Kongo Ba Teria Dance Company – Africa), Ousseni Sako (Salia ni Seydou Company – Africa), Wendy Houstoun (UK), Siamsa Tire (Irl) and Hofesh Schecter Company (UK) among others. Her work is heavily influenced by African dance and yoga.

In 2005, Catherine Young became Kerry County Council’s Dancer in Residence, in which role she continued until 2008. In that year, as part of her residency, Catherine Young founded the Kerry Youth Dance Theatre as a creative voice for teenagers and young adults. The company has produced a strong body of work and was nominated for the Kerry Arts & Culture Award in 2010. In 2010, Young established her professional dance company YoCo (Young & Company), and in 2011 went on to curate and launch the nMotion Dance Festival as part of her residency at The National Folk Theatre (Siamsa Tire).

Catherine is a board member of Dance Research Forum Ireland. She teaches master classes and workshops and performs regularly in Ireland, Europe and the USA.