Benjamin Perchet announced as the new Director of Dublin Dance Festival

(Dublin, Thursday April 2, 2015) Benjamin Perchet has been appointed as Director of the Dublin Dance Festival. Mr Perchet will step into the role currently occupied by Julia Carruthers who has served as Director since 2012 and will shortly present her fourth Festival running from 19-30 May 2015.

Mr Perchet is currently Deputy Programme Manager and Artistic Advisor for two major French institutions in Lyon: Maison de la Danse (since 2004) and Biennale de la Danse (since 2008).

“I’m honoured and thrilled to embody the future of the Dublin Dance Festival over the next four years” said Benjamin Perchet today. “I’m looking forward to building on the legacy of my predecessors and sharing my passion for the boldness and diversity of international dance with Irish audiences. “

In his roles in Lyon at Maison de la Danse and Biennale de la Danse he has embraced dance in all its forms, being loyal to the most important choreographers of the 20th century and highlighting young creators, while developing the international profile of these two institutions.

He has also been an Aerowaves Partner for France since 2012, a member of the specialist regional cultural affairs committee for dance at the French Ministry of Culture since 2011 and a board member of European Dancehouse Network (EDN) since 2009.

Mr Perchet will be the fourth Director of Dublin Dance Festival, following in the footsteps of Catherine Nunes (2002, 2004, 2006 - when DDF was a biennial event) Laurie Uprichard (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), and Julia Carruthers (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015).

Chairperson of the board, Ms. Helen Meany said, "The Board of Dublin Dance Festival are delighted to appoint Benjamin Perchet to the role of Director of the Festival. We are enormously impressed by Benjamin’s experience as a programmer and producer at Maison de la Danse and Biennale de la Danse in France, and his knowledge of contemporary dance internationally. We look forward to working with Benjamin in the coming years to build on the success of the Festival.

“We think that in Benjamin we have found a worthy successor to our current Director, Julia Carruthers, who has succeeded in raising the profile of the Festival and increasing our audience numbers substantially over the past four years. She is leaving DDF in terrific shape, poised for the next phase. We are confident that the organisation will continue to develop in ambitious and creative ways, and to break new ground in bringing first-class dance to Irish audiences.”

“Lucky Dublin Dance Festival to get one of mainland Europe’s experienced Dance programmers to be its new Director,” said current Festival Director Julia Carruthers. “Benjamin Perchet is regarded with great respect and affection by international colleagues. Coming from Maison de la Danse in Lyon, one of France’s key focal points for Dance, he will bring with him lots of great ideas, new influences and a fabulous address book.”

FURTHER MEDIA INFORMATION

Christine Monk | +353 87 675 5329 | monk.christine@gmail.com

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