Dublin Dance Festival opened at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre on Wednesday to a standing ovation for the English National Ballet’s evocative and devastatingly beautiful performance of Akram Khan’s Giselle.
Having received rave reviews internationally, English National Ballet arrived in Dublin this week for the first time in more than 55 years to treat audiences to this reimagining of a beloved classic. The exquisite choreography by Khan which draws on contemporary dance and the ancient Indian dance form, Kathak, is complemented by an original score by Vincenzo Lamagna (performed live by the RTE Concert Orchestra) and inspired set design by Academy Award-winner Tim Yip.
Festival-goers had this to say:
Performances of Akram Khan’s Giselle run until Sunday 6 May at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre.
In addition to this knock-out production, Dublin Dance Festival brings a host of exciting, intriguing and provocative dance works by local artists to venues around the city until 20 May.
Junk Ensemble are known for their imaginative and brave dance-theatre work, with recent productions including 2017’s celebrated Soldier Still. At DDF2018 they will premiere their immersive new work Dolores, inspired by Vladimir Nabokov’s poetic and disturbing novel Lolita, offering a powerful, uncompromising new take on the story.
Featuring a cast of acclaimed Irish and international performers including actor Mikel Murfi and performance artist Amanda Coogan, Dolores gives voice to three distinct aspects of the character: the neglected and traumatised child, the candy-fed girl filled with American hopes and dreams, and the enraged woman full of fire and revenge.
DDF2018 is delighted to present an extended version of Liz Roche Company’s powerful Wrongheaded, which emerged amidst the call to repeal the 8th Amendment and premiered at the 2016 Dublin Fringe Festival.
In this acclaimed work, dance performances are propelled by the fiercely spoken words of Galway poet Elaine Feeney, interwoven with the exquisite work of filmmaker Mary Wycherley, composer Ray Harman and lighting designer Stephen Dodd, ultimately offering a refuge from the debate and a space to consider the issues from a new perspective.
First Looks offers Irish and international dance presenters, as well as audience members, a chance to view new works-in-development by Ireland-based artists.
An initiative of Dublin Dance Festival and Culture Ireland, this year’s programme is a mixed bill of three studio-sharings including Archipelagic Thinking by Ruairí Donovan, Merlin from Iseli-Chiodi Dance Company and Fragments by Jessie Keenan.
To find out more and to see the full Festival line-up, visit www.dublindancefestival.ie
