Dublin Dance Festival 2024 started last week, on May 14th, and continues until next Saturday, May 25th, showcasing a wide range of exciting work. Irish Times photographer Dara Mac Dónaill got unique access as some of the productions made their preparations and went live.
13 Tongues by Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, Taiwan
First up was Asia’s leading contemporary dance company, the world-renowned Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, who appeared at the Bord Gáis Theatre last Tuesday and Wednesday night. The evocative musical score interwove Taiwanese folk songs, Taoist chant, and electronica, mixing the ancient and the contemporary. With light projections of brilliant colours, shapes, and images, the dancers created an immersive and exhilarating representation of the bustling street life of Bangka, Taipei’s oldest district.
DanceScapes Labs, Foley Street, Dublin 2 and Project Arts Centre
Over four days last week, hip hop artists from Ireland and France came together to develop their individual and collective work. Hosted by inspiring artists from the French Collectif FAIR-E, the workshops were led by local hip hop artists, including Jessie Thompson, Jessie O’Reilly and Tobi Balogun.
Bench #3. CoisCéim Dance Theatre in partnership with Waterways Ireland
A collaborative project between CoisCéim Dance Theatre in partnership with Waterways Ireland, Bench features Sibéal Davitt as the commissioned artist and choreographer. Free outdoor performances of the work take place at lunchtime next Friday, May 24th, and Saturday 25th. It is an invitation to take a breath and discover dance.
Ireland weather: What to expect next week as snow forecast and Met Éireann says country is in for ‘quite a shock’
Joy is a word Conor McGregor returns to again and again. Nikita Hand paints a much darker picture
Blindboy: ‘I left my first day of school feeling great shame. The pain of that still rises up in me’
Liverpool must think Mamardashvili is something very special if they believe he’s better than Kelleher
Book Online
Tickets available online at dublindancefestival.ie
DDF Box Office
Book in person or over the phone at the Festival Box Office. Festival House, 12 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2