WELCOME NOTES

FOCAL ÓN GCATHAOIRLEACH, DERMOT MCLAUGHLIN

Tá súil agam go mbainfidh sibh spreagadh agus sult as DDF i mbliana mar tá clár saibhir agus scéalta iontacha againn le cur os bhur gcomhair trí mheán na damhsa. Mar chúlra, tá clár na Féile i mbliana ag díriú aird ar an leanúnachas agus ar na híomhánna agus ar cibé tuiscintí a ghabhann le haois agus le corp. Cén tuiscint atá againn (nó nach bhfuil againn go fóill) ar aois agus fuinneamh, cad iad na bacanna a chuirimid orainn féin agus muid ag smaointiú air seo? Ag DDF 2010 chífidh tú ealaíontóirí ag roinnt a gcuid tuiscintí agus léargasanna linn i saothar atá lán den áilleacht, fuinneamh agus suaimhneas a ghabhann le damhsa den scoth. Bígí linn agus má tá dúil agat cuidiú linn, thig leat bheith i do bhall don Friends Scheme - sladmhargadh in aghaidh chruatán na laethanta gruama seo!

Dermot McLaughlin
Cathaoirleach

A MESSAGE FROM FESTIVAL DIRECTOR, LAURIE UPRICHARD

Welcome to the 2010 Dublin Dance Festival! Young People, Old Voices. This poetic title of Raimund Hoghe’s work, conjured so many ideas, raised so many questions and ultimately inspired much of the programme for DDF 2010. Who and what defines age? How much is numerical, how much attitudinal? How is age reflected in dance, onstage and in the studio? With the recent deaths of Merce Cunningham and Pina Bausch, we are in the midst of a generational shift in the contemporary dance landscape. DDF 2010 will consider this shift within its programme. A related strand will take into account the inclusivity of dance – body types and abilities as well as chronological age. You won’t see these questions raised by all the artists, nor by all the artists in the same way, but we hope that these questions and these choreographers inspire your thinking as well!

There is a real panoply of work within the 2010 Festival – beautiful and bold, wondrous and wild, smart and funny. Over the course of Dublin Dance Festival’s 6th edition, you can see 24 artists/companies from 9 countries over 15 days in 8 Dublin city venues. All are Irish premieres. We are eager to share their work with you and encourage you to meet them both on and offstage – at master classes, discussions, panels, workshops, receptions and at the Festival Club at The Octagon Bar.

Please join us for Bumper 2 Bumper, the opening night headphone disco at Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, to dance the night away as a warm-up for the ensuing two weeks…and don’t miss the grand finale of Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca at Vicar Street. Become a Festival Friend and reap the benefits, whatever the level. Again, in 2010, we hope you’ll have fun, take a chance and be curious!

Laurie Uprichard
Director