Originate 2025

Supported by Culture Ireland and Dance Ireland, DDF is delighted to once again host international programmers at the Festival in May, offering key opportunities to witness new and award-winning works, and network with local artists.

Included in this year's programme:

Chora by Lual – Ireland's National Dance Company with Irish Chamber Orchestra
Tues 13 May
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre

Ireland’s all-island dance company opens DDF’s 21st Edition with its inaugural performance. Titled Chora, an ancient Greek term referring to space as both a physical place and an abstract idea, this triple bill of new works sees Luail’s dancers join forces with Irish Chamber Orchestra in a vibrant exchange of music and dance that draws on themes of home, memory, and landscape.

Specky Clark by Oona Doherty
Wed 14 – Sat 17 May
Abbey Theatre

Specky Clark blends myth and biography to tell a story of a young boy. With dance, text and haunting music by Lankum, a powerful narrative unfolds through a series of theatrical images, on a Halloween night.

When the Moon Spun Round by Fidget Feet & Ceol Connected
Thurs 22 – Sat 24 May
Samuel Beckett Theatre

Prepare to be mesmerised by daring aerial dance and enchanting traditional music. When the Moon Spun Round invites children and families on an imaginative journey where aerialists glide and twirl like ocean waves, a fiddler soars high, and where the mysteries that lie behind the moon are revealed. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind show!

Scorched Earth by Luke Murphy's Attic Projects
Fri 23 & Sat 24
Abbey Theatre

Part crime-drama, part psychological thriller, Scorched Earth blends dance and theatre to unearth a haunting tale of ambition, power, legacy and the cost of success, inspired by John B. Keane’s The Field.

Dance to Remember by Dónal Dineen
Fri 23 May
The Sugar Club

In this short autobiographical documentary, Dónal Dineen explores his relationship with his father, as well as the power of music and dance. With live performances, followed by a DJ set, this is a celebration of music, dance and community.

MOSH by Rachel Ní Bhraonáin
Fri 23 & Sat 24 May
Project Arts Centre

Is it aggression? Is it dance? Dive into the unfiltered chaos of the mosh pit in this award-winning show with raucous dance and live music, uncovering the ritual, the community and the meaning behind the misunderstood subculture.