irish modern dance theatre

July 5th – July 9th 2021 - All Performances Free or Donation

Streamed on Facebook live and YouTube live

OVERVIEW
Dancer from the Dance Festival of Irish Choreography is a Dublin and New York gathering of Irish and Irish-identifying choreographers across national borders and practices to celebrate the age, gender and ethnic diversity in Irish dance and contemporary Irish identity. 

 

"Launched in 2019, Scott's personal crusade to promote Irish choreographers on the global stage began as a labour of love to challenge limiting, confused, and often negative notions about Irish choreography and identity... the festival's growth over the past three years has been staggering... Scott's determination has this year’s festival shining a light on some of our finest choreographers, and dance film makers, positioned as part of a global practice and historic tradition, commanding form and space with the very best. [The Festival suggests] "that Irish choreography, like being Irish, like dance itself, and dance on film, is everything you thought it  was and everything you thought it wasn't. And lots in between you never thought possible or never thought of at all. Shaping identity, and dance, well into the future."

Chris O'Rourke, The Arts Review, July 2021

This year's week-long programme gave a stage to 39 choreographers from the US, Ethiopia, UK, Nigeria, Japan, Germany, Belgium and Ireland, and dancers ranging in age from six to 81. The festival's performances, films, workshops and conversations include a screening of In the Bell’s Shadow, about the work of pioneer Joan Davis; a new work by Yoshiko Chuma, who has been associated with contemporary dance in Ireland since 1986; a live Panel Discussion 'Dancing Memory: Defining Identity Through Dance Performance and Creation' moderated by Dr Aoife McGrath and featuring contributions from Zoë Ashe-Browne, Jazmin Chiodi, Sheila Creevey, Finola Cronin, Oona Doherty, Alexandre Iseli, Christine Kono-Pohlman, Michael Seaver, Mufutau Yusuf; and a live Panel Talk on the evolution of sean-nós dance 'Pure Pathways: Progression and Tradition in Irish Dance' moderated by Liam O'Scanláin and Siobhán O’Malley.

​

​

​

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS 

MONDAY 5 JULY
Live online Merce Cunningham Masterclass with Cunningham-trained Ashley Chen |10-11:30
Live online Workshop: 'Dancing through form, Following instinct' with Trisha Brown Company's Jamie Scott | 4-5pm
Live online Panel Discussion | 5pm

"Dancing Memory: Defining Identity Through Dance Performance and Creation"
Performance: BLEED by Tere O’Connor, Artistic Director of Tere O’Connor Dance/NYC | 6pm
Livestreamed Talkback following the film at approximately 7pm
MORE INFO >>

TUESDAY 6 JULY
Live online Merce Cunningham Masterclass with Cunningham-trained Anna Chirescu |10-11:30am
Live online Workshop: 'Functional Anatomy/Symmetry/Asymmetry' with Peggy Gould | 4-5pm

Screening of In the Bell's Shadow, a film by Mary Wycherley and Joan Davis | 6pm

Gathering 1: Livestreamed Dance Performance | 7:30pm
Livestreamed Talkback following the performance at approximately 8:30pm
MORE INFO >>

WEDNESDAY 7 JULY
Live online Merce Cunningham Masterclass with Dance On Ensemble Artistic Director Ty Boomershine | 10-11:30am
Live online Workshop: William Forsythe Improvisation Technologies with Elizabeth Corbett | 4-5pm

Gathering 2: Platform Performance of Works in Progress/Emerging Choreographers | 6pm

Gathering 3: Livestreamed Dance Performance | 7:30pm
Livestreamed Talkback following the performance at approximately 8:30pm
MORE INFO >>

THURSDAY 8 JULY
Live online Merce Cunningham Masterclass with with Dance On Ensemble Artistic Director Ty Boomershine |10-11:30am
Live online Workshop: William Forsythe Improvisation Technologies with Elizabeth Corbett | 4-5pm

Performance: Tilt by Tara Brandel, Croi Glan Integrated Dance Company | 6pm
Gathering 4: Screendance | 7:30pm
Livestreamed Talkback following the performance at approximately 8:30pm
MORE INFO >>

FRIDAY 9 JULY
Live online Merce Cunningham Masterclass with with Dance On Ensemble Artistic Director Ty Boomershine |10-11:30am
Live online Traditional Irish Dance (Munnix) Workshop with Siamsa Tíre Artistic Director Jonathan Kelliher | 4-5pm
Gathering 5: Livestreamed Céilí | 7:30pm

Livestreamed Panel Talk on  the evolution of sean-nós dance practice | 8:30pm

'Pure Pathways: Progression and Tradition in Irish Dance' moderated by Liam O'Scanláin and Siobhán O’Malley
MORE INFO >>

 

BOOK CLASSES>>

 

2021 PARTICIPANTS
Choreographers

View biogs>>
Zoë Ashe-Browne (IRE/BEL)

Tara Brandel (IRE)

Morgan Bullock (USA)
Darrah Carr (USA)


Yoshiko Chuma (JPN/USA)
Seán Curran / Benjamin Freedman (USA)

Joan Davis (IRE)

Justine Doswell (IRE)

Oona Doherty (NI)

Linda Fearon with Caroline Bowditch (IRE/AU)


Kristyn Fontanella (USA/IRE)

Nic Gareiss (USA)

Jessie Keenan (IRE)


Raja Feather Kelly (USA)
Orla McCarthy (IRE/GER)


Ríonach Ní Néill (IRE)
Fearghus Ó Conchúir (IRE)

Liam O'Scanláin (IRE)

Ingrid Nachstern (IRE)

Tere O’Connor (USA)
Anne O’Donnell (IRE)

Tobi Omoteso and Toviyah Omoteso (IRE)

Ciara Sexton (UK/IRE)

Morleigh Steinberg (USA/IRE)

Róisín Whelan (IRE)

Mintesinot Wolde (IRE)
Mary Wycherley (IRE)

Chris Yon and Taryn Griggs with Steve Morrison (USA)




 

 

 

 

 

 

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

​

​

 

 

FESTIVAL CREDITS

 

Curator: John Scott

Céilí Curators: Siobhán O’Malley and Liam Ó Scanláin

Company Manager: Greta Bourke

Production Director: Katherine Reller

Financial Manager: David McConnell

Filmmaker/Editor and Advisor: Luca Truffarelli

Incidental Music: Michael Scott

Streaming Directors: Pearse Redmond/Chris Ignacio

Press Officer: Conleth Teevan

Social Media: YesMan Media

Graphic Art: Form Design

Intern: Leontine Lando

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Dancers/Performers

SHOE HORN/OFFICE by Ingrid Nachstern

Michael Cooney, Millie Daniel-Dempsey, Molly Keane, Ingrid Nachstern, Donking Rongavilla 

BLEED by Tere O’Connor

Tess Dworman, devynn emory, Natalie Green, Michael Ingle, Ryan Kelly, Oisín Monaghan, Cynthia Oliver, Heather Olson, Mary Read, Silas Riener, David Thomson 

THE DEVIL by Oona Doherty

Oona Doherty, Rosie Mullen, Siobhán Barbour 

SEE YOU IN THE GREEN by Mintesinot Wolde

Mintesinot Wolde, Eilise Sullivan and Kate Lohan 

IN THE BELL’S SHADOW by Mary Wycherley and Joan Davis

Joan Davis, Maggie Harvey, Henry Montes, Mary Nunan, Nicholas Twilley and Simon Whitehead 

TILT by Tara Brandel, Croi Glan Integrated Dance Company

Tara Brandel, Oran Leong, Nicholas Nwosu, Tatiana Turner, Niall O’Carroll

ASA by Zoë Ashe-Browne
Zoë Ashe-Browne, Aaron Shaw



A PIECE OF MY HEART by Justine Doswell
Alessandra Azevedo, Joanna Banks, Kama Bugala (DYDC), Millie Daniel-Dempsey, Rebecca Reilly, Emily Kilkenny Roddy

​

DANCING THE CORAL SUITE (excerpts) by Darrah Carr

Cavan Byrne, Michelle Esch, Kendal Griffler, Caitlin Kelaghan, Timothy Kochka, Trent Kowalik, Jonathan Matthews, Laura Neese, Melissa Padham-Maass, Alexandra Williamson

​

EPILOGUE: A DANCER DIES TWICE by Maiden Voyage Dance/Eileen McClory

Sandy Cuthburt, Jane Mooney

​

THE BECOMING by Simone O'Toole

Mollyanna Ennis

​

FÁINNE ÓIR by Ciara Sexton

Shannon Burke, Caoimhe Ennis

​

Dancer from the Dance was launched at 92nd Street Y in 2019 in collaboration with Irish Arts Center, guest curated by John Scott and supported by Culture Ireland.

​

Dancer from the Dance  is  proudly funded by the Arts Council of Ireland and Dublin City Council, and is supported by Dance Ireland, Project Arts Centre, Dance Limerick, Irish Arts Center, New York, Centre Culturel Irlandais, Paris.

​

Special thanks to Friends of Irish Modern Dance Theatre: President Maureen McSherry. Board: Paul Langland, Aran Maree, John Scott, Carleigh Welsh.