About Joan

Joan Davis has been exploring the nature of creativity, particularly from a body based perspective, for over 50 years.  She pioneered contemporary dance in Ireland in the 70s & 80s and has experimented with collaborative art as a professional artist and therapist.  

 

From 1996, when she moved to Wicklow, she developed the arts practice and performance offerings of Maya Lila and more recently 'Garden as Gallery'.

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Joan is a Body-Mind Centering® Practitioner, has studied Authentic Movement with Janet Adler, and Voice Work with Chloe Goodchild and Rajeswar Bhattacharya.

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She continues to study developmental processes as well as embryology and early infant trauma. She has extensively studied Process Oriented Psychology (Mindell) and is a Hakomi Sensorimotor Trauma Psychotherapist. 

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She has undertaken trainings in Dynamic Attachment Repair Experiences (DARE) with Dr. Diane Poole Heller in Europe. She continues her studies with trainings in HANDLE a holistic approach to neuro developmental healing and repatterning. Joan completed her training as a teacher of the Discipline of Authentic Movement, with Julia Gombos as supervising teacher of her work, over a period of six years.

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In 2013, Mary Wycherley, a dance filmmaker based in Limerick, Ireland, was funded to make a film of the work of Maya Lila. This film, called ‘In the Bell’s Shadow’ has been screened nationally and internationally since it premiered in 2015.

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Joan has three children and four grandsons.

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