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Irish Times
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Dublin Dance Festival 2025: At Chora, generations of choreographers, dancers and producers witness an auspicious debut
Chora Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin ★★★★☆ A notable slice of Irish dance history appears at the unveiling of Luail , the new national dance company, on Tuesday. Generations of choreographers, dancers and producers – including members of Irish National Ballet from the 1970s and 1980s, the last time Ireland had a full-time dance company – eagerly witness the opening night of Chora. Irish National Ballet's last production was Oscar, a ballet based on Oscar Wilde that it performed with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra in 1989. Picking up the baton 36 years later, Luail has partnered with the Irish Chamber Orchestra in three works, the orchestra energetically part of the movement fabric onstage rather than tucked away in the pit. [ Behind the scenes at Luail as Ireland's national dance company prepares to open Dublin Dance Festival Opens in new window ] As a full-time company Luail will be judged on its coherence, how it is more than just a collection of individuals thrown together for a production. Superficially that coherence can be measured by how razor-sharp the dancers move in unison. Liz Roche, the company's artistic director, resists the temptation of a slick, easy-to-digest premiere, instead bringing three dances that celebrate the intangible: the word 'chora', drawn from classical Greek philosophy, refers to an in-between space, not quite real, not quite abstract. In response the dancers coalesce not just in movement but with less discernible collective energy. The unison isn't just visual but visceral. READ MORE Set on risers at the back of the stage, the orchestra reach their most physical presence when performing Julia Wolfe's Dig Deep, accompanying Mufutau Yusuf's brooding Invocation. Continuing the choreographer's artistic path in exploring ritual and reconnection with the past, the black-clad dancers display physical intensity, individuals flinging arms as if casting off the past or swarming in groups loaded with uncertainty. Roche's Constellations is a quieter meditation on shared space and interaction. Dressed in teal, pale chartreuse and grey, the dancers walk on stage and pause when encountering one another, the gentle disruption either ignored or acknowledged, often with hugs or by holding hands and counterbalancing each other. These dissipate as quickly as they appear as the ever-changing energy in the space – supported by Sam Perkin's evolving score – becomes defined by the different encounters, whether one to one or collective dancing in a tight circle of light, like at a club. There's the same sense of mapped energies in I Contain Multitudes, by Guy Nader and Maria Campos, performed to the composer Simeon ten Holt's Canto Ostinato. Here the bodies are more instrumental and interactions more Newtonian. Dancers are less people, more moving beings that interact through physics rather than emotional attraction. The music is similarly impersonal, with looping five-count phrases that drive the walking concentric circles into eddies of intense movement: individuals are held by an arm and leg and spun in circles, jessant bodies flung into the air and then caught by fellow dancers. Each interaction demands precision and, most importantly trust, both evident throughout. Chora is an auspicious beginning for Luail and its dancers, Jou-Hsin Chu, Conor Thomas Doherty, Clara Kerr, Sean Lammer, Tom O'Gorman, Hamza Pirimo, Rosie Stebbing and Meghan Stevens; plus guest dancers Glòria Ros, Sarah Cerneaux and Alexander De Vries. Alongside full-throttled playing from the musicians, Katie Davenport's staging and costumes and Sinéad McKenna's lighting design are understated but perfectly apposite, reflecting the evening's aesthetic self-confidence. Chora will be performed at National Opera House , Wexford, on Friday, May 16th; Lyric Theatre , Belfast, on Sunday, May 18th; and Cork Opera House , on Wednesday, May 28th
RTÉ News
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Dublin Dance Festival celebrates 21st year
The 21st Dublin Dance Festival kicks off on Tuesday and as part of the celebrations, a new national all-island dance company will take to the stage for the first time. The 'Luail' dance company will present its debut show called 'Chora' in Dublin before hitting the road to bring the show to audiences across the country. "The countdown is on for our very first performance and we are in a whirl of rehearsals," artistic director Liz Roche said as last minute preparations took place in Dance House on Foley Street in the heart of Dublin city centre. Ms Roche went on to explain that "Luail is a national and all-island dance company that is supported by the Arts Council". "It's the first company of this nature in many, many years in Ireland, and our mission is for dance to be celebrated across the island," she said. Ms Roche explained that after many years in the build up to the launch of the company, they are very enthusiastic about the opportunity now "to increase visibility for dance for everybody". Confirmation of Luail's plans have been welcomed across the dance communities here. Professional dancers from Ireland said they have to travel abroad for their training and they assume that their long term careers will be spent on the road, away from home due to the shortage of work on stages here. Part of the significance of Luail is that it can now offer dancers, choreographers and the wider creative teams security and stability in a traditionally unpredictable career. "The possibility of having full-time employment here, which is something I didn't think was possible now is great." A contract to dance full-time on home stages is a welcome step forward for creative talent. For dancer and newly recruited member of the Luail company, Rosie Stebbing, this first production is significant. She says that "Luail for me and I think for loads of dancers in Ireland, it's like a really landmark thing, because we haven't had a full-time dance company in Ireland. "The possibility of having full-time employment here, which is something I didn't think was possible now is great." She adds that she had to travel to Europe to train and work and she is delighted to be able to be home and dancing full-time here now. Chora has been co-created by the acclaimed choreographers Guy Nader and Maria Campos and it will be first performed at the Bord Gáis Energy theatre on Tuesday night before heading out to stages nationwide. Mr Nader supports the roll out of a national dance company. He said: "We are workers so that stability is very important, not only economically but also it allows you to be stable emotionally and I think that is very important too." Luail is the launch event for the dance festival and the buzz across Dublin dance communities is building. The programme will host events from the 13th to the 25 May across a number of Dublin City venues and some of the highlights include Oona Doherty's return with 'Specky Clark', at The Abbey. This acclaimed show blends fiction and biography, where a young boy dances as if in a Francis Bacon painting. Somnole at the Project with Boris Charmatz is described as a dreamlike yet powerfully physical solo and Mosh from Rachel Ní Bhraonáin will be staged in the Space upstairs at the Project too and this show features loud music and smoke machines so be prepared. Back at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre meanwhile, there will be welcome return for Matthew Bourne's ground-breaking all-male version of Swan Lake. For artistic director Jazmin Elodi, the festival is the culmination of a year's work, as she travels internationally inviting the best of dance to Dublin. "People should come to this year's festival because we are celebrating 21 editions this year of the festival," she said. "We are full of amazing artists and performances coming from Nigeria, France, they're coming from the UK, and of course we have our Irish creative talent too at the heart of all this." The 21st Dublin Dance festival runs from Tuesday until 25 May.
RTÉ News
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Luail steps up - Ireland's national dance theatre takes flight
Liz Roche, Artistic Director of Luail, Ireland's all-island dance company, talks about the beginnings of the company, as it prepares to make its highly anticipated debut this May with Chora, a triple bill of new dance works. Luail takes its name from an ancient Irish word that evokes movement, energy, and impulse. Soft in sound—pronounced 'loo-il'—it also carries a deeper resonance, describing an internal, almost anatomical motion, much like the movement of the nervous system. We embrace these layered meanings, drawing from our rich culture to shape our vision: for dance to be known and celebrated across the island of Ireland and to strengthen our dance ecosystem. In 2024, the Arts Council Insights survey revealed that just 2% of the population attend dance performances. While dance participation is high in private or commercial settings, a lack of investment in dance education - unlike other art forms such as music and drama - has created social and spatial barriers. Without early exposure to dance, it's difficult to cultivate a life-long appreciation for the art form. Listen: RTÉ Arena celebrate the launch of Luail Additionally, those aspiring to have a career in dance have often faced a lack of clear pathways to support their journey. This gap in support was highlighted as a critical need by the Arts Council's Dance Policy—Advancing Dance 2022-2025, which called for the establishment of a national, all-island dance company to create stable careers for dance artists, present ambitious work, revive key repertoire, and strengthen connections across the dance community. Liz Roche Company and foundational partners at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick and Maiden Voyage Dance in Belfast, were awarded the opportunity and honour to create Luail — Ireland's National Dance Company. Together, we have been shaping this new national, all-island dance company, developing a programme of ambitious dance works and special projects that build on the incredible work already being done in the sector. Our artistic programme is forging strong connections between traditions, artists and communities, through the creation of bold, high-quality, collaborative works across various disciplines, scales, languages and performance spaces. Our work brings people together locally and internationally, driven by a fearless, inventive spirit, deep artist connection, and shared joy. The work celebrates the idea of shared spaces, both physical and emotional, and explores what they mean in our lives today. With our foundational partners we are establishing clear career pathways for dancers, and now for the first time, dancers on the island can follow a path from undergraduate to postgraduate studies in contemporary dance at the Irish World Academy, UL, into a professional national company through two MA dance placements with the Luail ensemble. After just over a year of building our new Luail team, company of dancers, and programme that has engaged with over 120 artists across disciplines through research & development and commissioning dance artists to create within and for their communities—we are now preparing to premiere our first major production for the stage. To be doing this at Bord Gais Energy Theatre as the opening performance of Dublin Dance Festival feels extra special. Chora, created in collaboration with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, is an ambitious debut featuring three new dance works: I Contain Multitudes by Maria Campos and Guy Nader, Constellations by myself, Liz Roche, and Invocation by Luail's Choreographer in Residence, Mufutau Yusuf. Chora takes inspiration from the ancient Greek word that describes a place for being that is a shared space - both real and imagined. This ground-breaking new work will see Luail's ensemble of extraordinary dancers join forces with the Irish Chamber Orchestra in a vibrant exchange of dance and live, contemporary orchestral works. The work celebrates the idea of shared spaces, both physical and emotional, and explores what they mean in our lives today. This theme runs through all of our productions in unique ways this year, and we are excited to see the many threads come together over time. Chora – along with the rest of our productions this year – is a work in dialogue with contemporary Ireland—work that celebrates our diverse culture, transcends language, and engages with complex societal themes. We hope that audiences see our inaugural production as more than just a showcase of movement – we see it as a conversation in motion, driving us toward a brighter, more connected future for dance. Together, we'll revel, rebel, and reimagine. Together, we'll move.
Irish Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Behind the scenes at Luail as Ireland's national dance company prepares to open Dublin Dance Festival
When Luail 's artistic director, Liz Roche , spoke to The Irish Times last August she was in the midst of what she jokingly referred to as kicking the company into existence. The choreographer, already with a successful company of her own, had won the tender to create an all-island dance company with an Arts Council guarantee of €5 million in funding over three years. Top of her to-do list were finding a studio and offices and auditioning dancers to form the full-time core of the company. At that time any appearance onstage seemed a long way away. [ Luail director Liz Roche: 'A regular income and stability are important. We have to work towards that for all dancers' Opens in new window ] Now preparations are gathering pace for Luail's hard launch, a triple bill of dances called Chora, at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, that will open this year's Dublin Dance Festival . It features three new works: by Roche, by Luail's choreographer-in-residence, Mufutau Yusuf , and by the Barcelona-based choreographers Maria Campos and Guy Nader . But there's still some kicking to do. The company remains without a home, so rehearsals for May's performances are taking place at DanceHouse, Dance Ireland 's base in Dublin city centre, which offers six studios to a mix of companies and individuals. READ MORE The day The Irish Times visits, production meetings and other preparations are popping up in the building's other rooms and corridors. Amid all of this action, Roche suggests talking in the relative quietness of the kitchen. 'The space issue is breaking our hearts,' she says, cup of tea in hand. 'It's really hard to find somewhere central in Dublin.' One particularly promising possibility recently fell through. 'Everything was looking good, and then just something completely left of centre came in. Suddenly all of those months spent on it are gone. I feel that we can't fully take flight without our own space and without some level of permanence.' Luail artistic director Liz Roche. Photograph: Ailbhe O'Donnell At least stability is offered with the eight full-time dancers who were appointed late last year. 'The audition process itself was unusual, because we are a new company,' she says. 'We were selecting dancers without having an existing repertoire, which is a bit backwards. It wasn't about matching people to roles but more about matching energy and openness.' The core company of dancers appointed are a mix of Irish and international dancers: Jou-Hsin Chu, Conor Thomas Doherty, Clara Kerr, Sean Lammer, Tom O'Gorman, Hamza Pirimo, Rosie Stebbing and Meghan Stevens. Glòria Ros, Luail's rehearsal director, will also dance in productions, and guests will be invited to supplement the core company. Luail: Sean Lammer, Rosie Stebbing and Hamza Pirimo rehearse Chora, the triple bill with which the company will open Dublin Dance Festival 2025. Photograph: Maurice Gunning After the official business and contract signing, the first few weeks included the dancers getting to know each other, involving discussions about the company's identity and repertoire. 'We've been honest with them that the aesthetic and direction of the company is still emerging,' Roche says. 'We've talked a lot about communication and the kind of environment we want to create. What was really encouraging was their awareness of how they might help to build the identity of the new company. There's a real sense of shared responsibility. Everyone's invested in what Luail can become over the next five or 10 years.' Luail: Liz Roche, rehearsal director Glòria Ros and Katherine Hunka during preparations for Chora. Photograph: Maurice Gunning Rehearsals have been full-on since January. In addition to the three dances in Chora, work has already begun on Sarah Golding's Reverb, with music by Lisa Canny, which will tour in September and October. And the choreographer Fearghus Ó Conchúir came in for research and development time with the company. 'The dancers are constantly shifting focus and vocabularies, which really requires agility,' Roche says. 'There's a strong sense of adaptability within this group, which is something we were either very good at spotting in the auditions or just incredibly lucky to find.' Chora will show off this versatility with its trio of works highlighting different styles. 'I really liked the idea of a triple bill,' Roche says. 'I didn't want to be front and centre but, rather, present three diverse voices.' Alongside Roche's Constellations, Chora includes Yusuf's Invocation and Nader and Campos's I Contain Multitudes. Luail choreographer Mufutau Yusuf. Photograph: Alisson Rocha Roche chose to call the performance Chora because the word, which originates in Greek philosophy, refers to a concept of space as an undefined realm that exists between being and nonbeing. It is often understood as an intermediary space, neither entirely material nor fully abstract. According to Roche, Chora explores how these in-between spaces, both physical and conceptual, shift and evolve to reflect the themes of memory and connection. 'Guy and Maria's piece explores fractals and shared spaces,' she says. 'As each dancer traces their own path they interact and diverge with others, creating a kind of community. Guy and Maria's work is highly physical, and I felt it would bring the movement into an exciting place. It is strong, logical, not overly narrative, but rich in content.' Her own work, Constellations, was inspired by working as movement director on the Gate Theatre production of Nick Payne's Constellations , a play that explores a couple's relationship through the lens of parallel universes and string theory. 'Now I'm really interested in exploring these ideas purely physically,' she says. 'I wanted to look at this simple grouping of people and how what they do creates a whole different connection together. Also I wanted to look at one moment from lots of different perspectives and explore different endings and different results.' Leaving the quiet kitchen, we move to the studio, where Roche works with the dancers on fine-tuning some transitions in Constellations. Luail: Jyoti Soni, Clara Kerr, Glòria Ros Abellana, Hamza Pirimo, Sean Lammer, Rosie Stebbing and Jou-Hsin Chu rehearse Chora. Photograph: Maurice Gunning The rehearsal also includes perfecting timings between the dancers and Sam Perkin 's composition Nimbus. Minute-long sections of movement have to correlate with broad sweeps of music. During the run-throughs, Roche is happy to stand aside and let the dancers find their own internal rhythm rather than imposing strict counts on each movement. Later, in rehearsals for Invocation, Yusuf can't stop himself perfecting little details. Notebook in hand, he jumps into the group, slightly changing the position of an arm or the tilt of a head. The notebook is essential, as he likes to separate work in the studio from time spent reflecting on his choreography. Mufutau Yusuf with dancers Tom O'Gorman, Clara Kerr and Sean Lammer during rehearsals. Photograph: Maurice Gunning 'I don't like working nonstop for six or eight weeks,' Yusuf says, thankful for Luail's multiproject timetable. 'I need breaks to step away and bring fresh energy back into the work. I'm a big believer in external stimuli, letting something outside come in and shift things.' He isn't overly prescriptive, however. 'Once you're in the studio you have to negotiate between what's in your head and what actually happens. Sometimes your plan has to change because something new takes shape in the space.' Chora will feature the Irish Chamber Orchestra playing live on stage. Mufutau chose Julia Wolfe 's Dig Deep as his score . 'It's quite a complex piece, rhythmically,' he says. Luail: Sean Lamer, Meghan Stevens and Jou-Hsin Chu. Photograph: Maurice Gunning Consultations with the composer Tom Lane revealed a score that shifts time signatures constantly and would be difficult to match with movement. 'That's what makes it so thrilling – but also a challenge choreographically. At first I thought I might match the movement exactly to the music , but then I let that go. I didn't want the music to boss the movement. It's more interesting when the relationship between sound and movement emerges organically. Otherwise it can feel too literal.' Roche says this was the perfect moment to collaborate with the orchestra. 'We recently had a first rehearsal together, in Limerick, and it was amazing. Despite all the logistical challenges, it felt right. The energy between the dancers and musicians was so strong.' Dancers rehearse with the Irish Chamber Orchestra for Chora. Photograph: Maurice Gunning Mufutau agrees. 'Seeing the musicians perform live added to the choreography,' he says. 'Julia Wolfe even includes physical notes for the musicians, words like 'dig deep' written right on the score. That physicality performed by the musicians is inspiring.' Members of the Irish Chamber Orchestra during rehearsals. Photograph: Maurice Gunning As well as Reverb, Luail's plans for the year include Emma Martin 's 2015 work Dance Hall, performed with the Crash Ensemble . 'We're planning several years out – even to 2028, which looks busy,' Roche says. 'We want to sustain a rhythm with a large-scale production per year, a revival or reimagining of a work, and something for younger or community audiences. 'Next year we're planning two new creations, a revival and an international work. We also want to explore coproductions across genres and borders.' Luail has yet to receive the full allocation promised by the Arts Council's announcement of €5 million over the three years from 2023 to 2025. When the council issued a call for proposals for a new company, in May 2023, it claimed it would decide on the winning tender by October that year, by which time the new company could draw down €500,000 to establish itself. This turned out to be unrealistic deadline: it was not until May 2024 that Roche was formally announced as the successful applicant. The delay meant that both Liz Roche Company and Luail received funding in 2024, creating confusion. 'Liz Roche Dance Company was awarded €295,000 funding for activity in 2024 and drew down part of this in relation to existing programme commitments and work that was already in train,' the Arts Council explains. 'Liz Roche Dance Company paused their activity in June, and two of their coproductions, Sentient and Impasse, transferred to Luail.' Still, Luail is out of pocket. Only €4.2 million of the promised €5 million has been made available up to 2025. Roche won't talk about the funding, but she acknowledges the importance of financial certainty for the company's success and survival. 'If we can keep the momentum going through these first five years, get a building, secure the dancers' development and keep the work visible, then I think we can shift the dance landscape for the better.' Chora is at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, on Tuesday, May 13th, as part of Dublin Dance Festival . It is then at the National Opera House , Wexford, on May 16th; Lyric Theatre , Belfast, on May 18th; and Cork Opera House on May 28th Dublin Dance Festival 2025: Six other shows to look out for This year's festival includes two productions at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre: Luail's Chora and Matthew Bourne 's Swan Lake: Next Generation . Thirty years after the ballet's premiere, the bare-chested and feather-legged male swans of Bourne's take on Tchaikovsky might not be as shocking as they were in the 1990s. But the English choreographer has constantly reshaped the production as casts have changed and world events evolved. A new work by Oona Doherty is always eagerly anticipated. Specky Clark tells the story of her great-great-grandfather who emigrated to Belfast from Glasgow. One of three productions at the Abbey, it is partially set in an abattoir. Doherty draws visual inspiration from the film versions of The Butcher Boy and Animal Farm. More text-based and character driven than previous works, it premiered last year at Aix-en-Provence; its 10 coproducers are evidence of Doherty's ever-growing reputation in continental Europe. Although offered the expanse of the Abbey stage, the festival's artist-in-residence, Luke Murphy , will continue the almost claustrophobic aesthetic of The Archivist and Volcano with Scorched Earth , this time via an interrogation room. In a story inspired by John B Keane's The Field, a cast of five flesh out the cat-and-mouse game between detective and suspect. In contrast, expect a visceral Technicolor experience with Re:Incarnation , by the Nigerian choreographer Qudus Onikeku, with live music by Olatunde Obajeun. Over at Project Arts Centre , Mosh makes a return from its successful Dublin Fringe Festival debut , in 2023. Written and directed by Rachel Ní Bhraonáin , with choreography by Robyn Byrne , it captures the raw energy and madness of the mosh pit through hyperphysicality. In contrast, Boris Charmatz 's beautiful solo Somnole focuses on the moments between sleep and wakefulness, when the mind wanders and the body submits to unconsciousness.
