DDF News — 3 May 2022
Festival Blog – Your Festival Sat-Nav
April showers are out of the way, and May flowers are bursting into bloom. That can only mean one thing, Festival month is finally here, and with it our Festival Blog!
Over the coming month we will be bringing you insights into all aspects of the festival, with a selection of artist interviews, articles and reviews.
With just a few short weeks until Dublin’s stages are awash with a stunning programme of boundary-breaking, energetic, and thought-provoking dance, let’s delve into a selection of what’s on offer. Approaching any festival programme can be thrilling and daunting in equal measure. Looking at the schedule you can find yourself overwhelmed with choice and wondering if there are enough hours in the day and coins in your purse to see and do everything! If you are currently facing this dilemma, or have stumbled upon this page and are wondering, what on earth is Dublin Dance Festival, read on to find out my picks from the 2022 Edition.
For the Dublin Dance Festival first-timer…
If you are new to dance and don’t know where to start, why not check out Junk Ensemble’s exciting new work Dances Like a Bomb? Dance-theatre company, Junk Ensemble are firm Festival favourites and their productions, which often draw on multiple artforms, have garnered widespread praise across Ireland and internationally. Starring acclaimed artists Mikel Murfi and Finola Cronin, Dances Like a Bomb fuses dance, text, imagery and music to celebrate the strength and beauty of mature bodies and challenging the cult of youth. This is one you won’t want to miss.
For the Festival old-hand who wants to experience something new…
There’s always something new to discover in a Festival programme, and Dublin Dance Festival’s 2022 Edition is no exception. If you are looking to experience fresh new talent, then look no further than DanceScapes, a trio of works by young female artists, commissioned by Dublin Dance Festival and co-curated by Tobi Omoteso of Top 8. These three works by Onai Tafuma, Jessie Thompson and Jessie O’Reilly are set to bring a new voice to Ireland’s vibrant street dance culture. And if you want to find something new from international stages, then book yourself a ticket to see Rocío Molina’s Fallen From Heaven (Caída Del Cielo) at the Abbey Theatre. Breaking the boundaries of traditional flamenco, Molina brings together original compositions, flamenco and rock in the soundtrack to this explosive theatrical exploration of femininity and womanhood.
For the audience member who wants to get involved…
If you find yourself sitting in the audience wishing you could dive right into the midst of the action on stage, then The Shake is the show for you! Laura Murphy’s immersive, participatory performance will invite you on to the dance floor to connect with your “inner dancing diva, your shaking goddess, your caveman club.” Put on your dancing shoes and celebrate moving together.
For the audience member who wants to make a difference…
We are living in ever-changing, often overwhelming, times. Many of the works in this year’s Festival programme speak to this, as the artists process some of the huge questions we are facing. In A Call to You, Catherine Young calls on us to come together as a community and explore our collective strength and fragility as we face the urgency of the incomprehensible times we are living through. Also examining urgent issues is Encantado, Lia Rodriguez’s captivating work for 11 performers, which explores the wonder of the natural world through the culture of the Guarani People, and the environmental crisis that threatens it. This production is sure to be a Festival highlight, so don’t miss out!
For the family Festival-goers…
The Dublin Dance Festival 2022 Edition has something for audiences of all ages. If you want a fun family treat, check out Club Origami. Coming to the stage of The Ark all the way from Japan, Takeshi Matsumoto’s interactive show for 2-5 year olds is a creative and imaginative work that brings its audience along on an exploration of new ways of thinking, moving and playing. Expect lots of paper, and lots of fun!
Whatever your preferences, there’s something at Dublin Dance Festival for everyone. Peruse the programme, pick your shows, and come along for an exciting adventure as we dance across the city this May.
Written by Saoirse Anton, DDF Blog Curator