When the theatre lights dim, Dublin Dance Festival is only just getting started. This year, the festival stretches beyond the stage and deep into the night with a trio of club experiences that reimagine what dance, music and shared space can feel like after hours. From high-energy takeovers in a historic city landmark to a pioneering neuro-friendly club night, DDF’s late-night programme invites audiences to move, connect and experience dance culture in bold new ways.
DDF Lates Takes Over Bewley’s
For the first time, the festival partners with Bewley’s Grafton Street, transforming its iconic building into a vibrant, shape-shifting dance floor across two Saturday nights. This collaboration brings a fresh perspective to one of Dublin’s most recognisable spaces, where club culture and live performance collide.
Opening the series on May 9, Dublin Modular presents TRACES – a site-responsive takeover rooted in queer club culture. Known for their boundary-pushing, cross-disciplinary work, the collective blends live electronics, DJ sets, and contemporary and traditional dance to create a fluid, immersive environment. Expect the unexpected: genre-blurring sounds, spontaneous dance cameos, and a space that evolves as the night unfolds.
Then, on May 16, FREQUENCY closes the festival in style. Helmed by rising star DJ Onai, fresh from her epic gig opening for NE-YO and AKON at 3Arena, this night is all about connection, release and rhythm. With a reputation for seamlessly weaving hip hop, afro, amapiano and surprise selections, Onai leads a stacked line-up including Dansie, Malo and Alice, alongside B-Boys and dancers spanning voguing, freestyle and hip hop. It’s a full-spectrum club experience – high energy, community driven and built to keep the floor moving.
Wired: Clubbing on Your Own Terms
Just when you think it’s over, DDF introduces something entirely different. Wired, launching on May 21 at Project Arts Centre, is a neuro-friendly club night designed for anyone who’s ever wanted to go out dancing but found traditional club environments overwhelming.
Part of a new partnership and accessibility-focused initiative between DDF & Project Arts Centre with support from the ESB Energy for Generations Fund, Wired reimagines the club experience from the ground up. The entire venue becomes a series of thoughtfully designed spaces, each offering a different sensory atmosphere – from calm, ambient zones with soft lighting and chill sounds, to higher-energy areas where you can stim, move and lose yourself in the music.
With DJ sets from neurodivergent artists, facilitated dance experiences, and a strong emphasis on comfort and choice, Wired is as much about inclusion as it is about enjoyment. Whether you’re there to dance hard or just sit back and soak in some Enya-esque calm, it’s a space where everyone can participate on their own terms.
Find out more about the full festival programme at dublindancefestival.ie.
Lead Image: DDF Lates at Bewley’s: FREQUENCY with Onai and Guests © Jose Kirby Galang
