
dyad
dyad is an evocative duet filmed in the magnificent surroundings of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.
A meditation on archetype and architecture, this evocative work reflects on the qualities of a woman whose faith and body served as a connection between the human and the divine: Mary / Maryam.
Read 4-star review by Michael Seaver, The Irish Times
Dublin Dance Festival
Thurs 20 May - Mon 31 May
Concept: Justine Doswell, IMDT Associate Artist
Choreography: Justine Doswell in collaboration with the cast
Dancers: Salma Ataya and Justine Cooper
Director of Photography & Film Editing: Luca Truffarelli
Dramaturgy: Katalin Trencsényi
Music Composition & Performance: Mary Barnecutt
Lighting Design: Paul Keogan
Set Design: Andrew Clancy
Costume Design: Katie Davenport
Costume Supervision: Monica Ennis
Sound, Recording & Mix: Sandra O'Mahony
Preliminary Research & Development: Salma Ataya, Ella Clarke, Justine Cooper, Millie Daniel Dempsey, Rebecca Reilly, Emily Kilkenny Roddy
Consultancy: Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, Imam Anwar Shah
Mentorship: Ella Clarke, John Scott
Production Manager: Lisa Mahony
Produced by Irish Modern Dance Theatre
Recorded in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, by kind permission of the Dean, Very Rev Dr William Morton.
dyad
Dance Limerick | Thursday 20th January
A meditation on archetype and architecture, dyad reflects on the qualities of a woman whose faith and body served as a connection between the human and the divine: Mary/Maryam. A woman chosen among all women, revered in both Christianity and Islam. A link across time, culture and creed.
Explored through the liquid virtuoso of dance artists Salma Ataya and Justine Cooper, dyad delves into the complex nature of interconnection, twinned concepts and shared ideals. Their presence unites with Andrew Clancy’s sculptural design, Gearóid O hAllmhuráin’s lighting and Mary Barnecutt’s evocative cello, to foreground the universality of the body as a sacred vessel and an extraordinary construction. A contrapuntal embodiment, reflecting on the essence of a sacred feminine archetype, a paradigm of purity and piety, aspects of which have influenced and dictated women’s lives and roles in the structure of societies over many centuries.

Created by Justine Doswell in collaboration with
Cast: Salma Ataya and Justine Cooper
Dramaturgy: Katalin Trencsényi
Music composition and performance: Mary Barnecutt
Lighting design: Gearóid O Hallmhuráin
Set design: Andrew Clancy
Costume design: Katie Davenport
Consultancy and Recitation Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri (Chief Imam and Mufti, Islamic Centre of Ireland, and Chair of the Irish Muslim Peace and Integration Council)
Additional Consultancy Imam Anwar Shah
Mentorship: Ella Clarke and John Scott
Preliminary research and development: Salma Ataya, Ella Clarke, Justine Cooper, Millie Daniel Dempsey, Emily Kilkenny Roddy and Katalin Trencsényi
Film and photography: Luca Truffarelli
Exquisitely filmed in the magnificent surroundings of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin by Luca Truffarelli, dyad was presented digitally as part of Dublin Dance Festival’s Summer 2021 Edition. The work will premiere live in the atmospheric setting of Dance Limerick's Space (St John's Church) on Thursday January 20th 2022 - https://dancelimerick.ie/
Watch the trailer:
Video edited by Luca Truffarelli
"Expertly marshalling an intersection of influences, Doswell’s choreography skilfully orchestrates the disparate voices... in a variety of kinetic tableaux that transcend the everyday" Eamon Carr