Our 2017 Highlight Shows are live! 3 stunning shows at the Abbey Theatre next May

PRESS RELEASE. 29th November 2016

DUBLIN DANCE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES THREE SHOWS IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE ABBEY THEATRE NEXT MAY

Sunny, a joyful collision of dance and live music;
Deep Dish, a stunning spectacle of Baroque opulence;
Displacement, a Syrian reflection on life in exile.

Dublin Dance Festival today announced three stunning works from international choreographers which will be presented in association with the Abbey Theatre as highlights of the Festival’s 2017 programme. These Irish premieres are a dynamic mix of incredible dance, visual theatre, live music, video interactions and personal testimony and will be on the stages of the Abbey Theatre during next year's Festival, which will run 18-28 May.

“Sunny is a blast of pleasures" and "offers some of the most beautiful sequences of the season… a choreographic miracle" wrote Les Echos, while Le Figaro declared, "Emanuel Gat delivers a masterpiece… overflowing with youth and cheerfulness.” Dublin Dance Festival is delighted to present Bessie-Award winning French company Emanuel Gat Dance in this collaboration between choreographer Emanuel Gat and DJ, singer and performer Awir Leon, a shooting star of the electronic music scene. In this playful and sensual show that merges a live concert with vibrant dance, ten dancers respond to each other and to the soundtrack, which unfolds from Marvin Gaye’s song 'Sunny' and is performed live on stage by Leon. Gat is one of the world's most sought-after choreographers, regularly creating choreographies for other leading international dance companies including The Paris Opera Ballet and L.A. Dance Project. Sunny is presented with the support of Fondation BNP Paribas and the Embassy of France in Ireland.

Deep Dish by acclaimed Austrian dance company Liquid Loft is a stunning spectacle of Baroque opulence, described by Der Standard as "a perfectly staged mixture of dance and live-film." A dinner party becomes an adventurous ride, a chance to witness earthly delights and their inevitable collapse. We spectate on a society driven by longing and curiosity, flamboyantly but also callously celebrating its own transience. This celebrated work is a collaboration between multi award-winning Austrian choreographer Chris Haring and French fine artist Michel Blazy. Projecting live footage from a handheld camera, and accompanied by an evocative soundscape, four performers lead the audience through parallel worlds of organic objects. Blown up on a big screen, fruit and vegetables become landscapes of epic proportions, the body is transformed, and nothing is as it appears. These performances are supported by the Austrian Embassy Dublin and INTPA – International Net for Dance and Performance Austria.

Displacement by Syrian choreographer and dancer Mithkal Alzghair is a highly topical choreography for three performers about the Syrian body in the context of war, revolution and migration. This poignant piece is also Alzghair’s investigation into the folklore of his homeland and how it has been shaped by its political reality, in which he explores how the country’s culture reflects its military and dictatorial heritage. Drawing from traditional Syrian folk dances, he highlights the paradox of a deeply rooted culture, forced to re-locate. Alzghair trained in Damascus and Montpellier, having fled to France to avoid military service. In Displacement, he offers a striking reflection on the experience of fleeing and the uncertainty of life in exile. Supported by Fondation d’entreprise Hermès, Aerowaves and Creative Europe.

Dublin Dance Festival Director Benjamin Perchet says, “In 2017, Dublin Dance Festival’s voice will continue to carry loud and clear the human qualities and attributes of a leading international organisation. The 2017 programme plays with new work and repertory; memory and transmission; the boundaries between people and art-forms. The artists invite the audience to engage with their work and all the beauty, meaning, mockery, poetry and ‘nowness’ they offer. The Abbey Theatre amplifies the importance of dance, dedicating one week to three very important shows.”

Directors of the Abbey Theatre Graham McLaren and Neil Murray say, "We’re keen to continue the Abbey Theatre’s strong relationships with arts festivals in Ireland and we both love dance. We are excited to welcome Dublin Dance Festival back to the Abbey and Peacock stages this year with incredible performance pieces from Chris Haring and Liquid Loft and Emmanuel Gat and Awir Leon."

Emanuel Gat / Awir Leon (France) SUNNY
Dates: Mon 22 & Tues 23 May 2017
Venue: Abbey Theatre, on the Abbey stage
Time: 7.30pm
Running Time: 65 minutes (no interval)
Tickets: €22-38 full price / €20-34 conc.

Chris Haring / Liquid Loft (Austria) DEEP DISH
Dates: Fri 26 & Sat 27 May 2017
Venue: Abbey Theatre, on the Abbey stage
Time: 7.30pm
Running Time: 65 minutes (no interval)
Tickets: €22-38 full price / €20-34 conc.

Mithkal Alzghair (Syria / France) DISPLACEMENT
Dates: Fri 26 & Sat 27 May 2017
Venue: Abbey Theatre, on the Peacock stage
Time: Fri 26, 6pm; Sat 27, 2pm & 6pm
Running Time: 55 minutes (no interval)
Tickets: €20 full price / €17 conc.

For further information about the Dublin Dance Festival: Web: www.dublindancefestival.ie Tel: +353 1 679 86 58
Facebook: DublinDanceFestival Twitter: @DublinDanceFest

Dublin Dance Festival is the leading dance event in Ireland, taking place each year in May. The 2017 Dublin Dance Festival will run from 18–28 May. Full festival programme will be announced in March 2017.
Booking via Dublin Dance Festival: www.dublindancefestival.ie

Dublin Dance Festival is funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Dublin City Council.

For further media information please contact: Stephanie Dickenson | stephaniedickenson12@gmail.com | + 353 (0) 87 993 7650

Images can be downloaded here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qlh7usfipmjtvkn/AAAwFTvxd46YPwvwSEmUWupMa?dl=0

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