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DDF News — 3 Jun 2022

Festival Blog – And That’s a Wrap!

Festival Blog – And That’s a Wrap!

The dance floors have been rolled up, costumes washed and safely packed away, and our incredible artists have taken to the skies, seas, rails (and in some cases just Dublin Bus) home or onwards to their next performances. After the excitement of the festival and the busy work of the past few months, the DDF team is basking in the post-Festival glow, tying up loose ends, and setting their sights towards the 2023 Edition.

But before we leave the 2022 Festival behind, we wanted to take some time to reflect on the joy and excitement of the last few weeks. With 12 shows, 7 in-development works, 4 pro-intensives, 1 symposium, 1 roundtable discussion, and 2 artist development programmes, it has been a whirlwind of dance and connection.

Though they have been busily working away to make the Festival happen, the Dublin Dance Festival Team also had time to enjoy the Festival and make some memories to take away into the coming year. Read on to hear some of their Festival highlights!

Jazmin Chiodi, Artistic Director

“The Opening night was a very important moment for me as this is my first edition and it was significant to appear publicly as the new Dublin Dance Festival Artistic Director.

Another favourite memory is the first standing ovation after Lia Rodrigues's performance which showed me just how ready people are to receive dance and how open they are to new experiences.

And finally, the moment I knew it was going to be sunny and warm to host our outdoor programme was a great relief, and seeing all of us and our audiences meeting outdoors, enjoying the warmth and the shows - it was very special.”

Ruth Riordan, Communications and Digital Lead

“After months of prepping, planning (and a fair bit of stressing), seeing the buzz in Project Arts Centre on opening night to see Siguifin made my heart smile. Topped only by the roaring standing ovation the performers received, and the excited post-show chats in the bar - everyone was relishing the moment and the energy was fantastic!

And at the other end of the Festival, another of my favourite moments was on closing - sharing dinner, drinks, chat and some rather raucous laughter with the team and festival artists to wrap up the 2022 Edition. It was a moment to appreciate the incredible people (from across the world!) who make DDF possible. Looking around the table at the end of the evening, there were 13 people around the table representing 11 different countries - such an exciting and diverse crowd and I couldn't hope to work with better people!”

Carina McGrail, Executive Director

“It's impossible to choose one memory. After this Festival I’m left with a sense that it was really vital for audiences and artists, the dance community and the wider arts sector to be in the same space and to witness the physicality and humanity of the programme. We were craving that shared, collective experience. I have so many great memories of the work, the generous audiences and a team who, against all odds, produced an amazing Festival.”

Catherine Lazăr, Communications and Development Executive

“My favourite memory would be watching the dancers in Catherine Young's A Call To You rally around each other to bring their performance to audiences despite last-minute illness in the cast.”

Stephanie Dickenson, Public Relations

“My highlights include (but are not limited to!) getting back into DanceHouse alive with artists working on productions for the Festival, feeling the almost overwhelming experience of a festival back to full, buzzing, ‘normal,’ and going to see Street Pantone with my young nephew and niece, and having my nephew remark approvingly on Gilles activities: 'This is like something I would do.'”

Grace Kelly, Logistics Manager

“My favourite moment of DDF2022 was the morning after our opening show, Siguifin. As each member of the team arrived to the office, the sense of achievement, relief and community was overwhelming. It was a quiet moment of acknowledging the success of opening night and a build-up of excitement of the weeks to come.”

And what an exciting few weeks were to come. Whether you took to the dance floor at The Shake, enjoyed some family fun at Club Origami, joined the conversation at our Modes of Capture Symposium, or settled into a seat at the Abbey to be enchanted by Encantado, there are a host of happy memories to be taken away from this year’s Festival, and to tempt you back next year!


Written by Saoirse Anton, DDF Blog Curator


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