Dancehall by Emma Martin, with music by Andrew Hamilton.
Performed by Crash Ensemble.
A decade after its original creation, Emma Martin and Andrew Hamilton’s celebratory Dancehall returns – bolder and more alive than ever, reimagined for Luail’s company of dancers.
Drawn from the shadows of Ireland’s Public Dance Halls Act, this exhilarating work revels in the powerful simplicity and raw humanity of the dancehall, a space where freedom, resistance and individuality unapologetically meet in messy, sweaty, chaotic joy.
Dancehall is an unrestrained tribute to what it means to be alive—together, egos smashed up, in the moment.
This recent piece on RTE’s Brainstorm gives some background on the Public Dance Hall Act.
“Dancehall begins with the music, and the music at the beginning is skeletal: a chord on an electronic keyboard, held until it pulses with unexpected undertones; a heartbeat from the drum; flashes of cello so brief you wonder if you’ve imagined them. A dancer whose ultra-slow-motion movements recall the controlled fluidity of tai chi . . .
“There follows an hour of meditative intensity. Eruptions of energy create brief scenarios that flare, then dissolve. A drunken circle joins hands to sway at a wedding party. A group of soldiers proceeds at a brisk, perfectly co-ordinated trot. Bodies shape up to each other in every conceivable way: to love, to fight, to dominate, to celebrate.” – Irish Times review
SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lighting, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.
AGE GUIDANCE: Under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult
*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.
