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Ballet Ireland returns to The O’Reilly Theatre with the final programme in the BOLD MOVES series featuring choreography by Johan Inger (Walking Mad), Ohad Naharin (Minus 16), and Filipe Portugal (Stepping Over). As part of BOLD MOVES, Ballet Ireland has programmed the work of leading choreographers including Irish female choreographers…
Ballet Ireland returns to The O’Reilly Theatre with the final programme in the BOLD MOVES series featuring choreography by Johan Inger (Walking Mad), Ohad Naharin (Minus 16), and Filipe Portugal (Stepping Over).
As part of BOLD MOVES, Ballet Ireland has programmed the work of leading choreographers including Irish female choreographers Zoe Ashe-Browne, Marguerite Donlon, and international choreographers Aszure Barton, Christopher Bruce, Ohad Naharin, Filipe Portugal and most recently Johan Inger. First programmed in 2019, the Bold Moves season has taken Irish audiences on a journey of experiencing renowned contemporary dance work as an alternative to the more classical repertoire the company performs each autumn.
Originally created for the Nederlands Dans Theater, Johan Inger’s Walking Mad achieves perfect balance between choreography and theatrical effects. Set to the well-known music of Ravel’s Bolero and Arvo Pärt’s Für Alina, this intense (and sometimes comical) romp through scenes created by nine dancers and an ever-changing wall is an experience you will never forget.
Ohad Naharin’s Minus 16 returns for the last time. Featuring an eclectic score ranging from Dean Martin to mambo, techno to traditional Israeli music, Minus 16 uses improvisation and Naharin’s acclaimed ‘Gaga’ method, a unique movement language that breaks down old habits, pushing the dancers to challenge themselves in new ways. The popular piece is renowned for its elements of unpredictability that makes each performance exciting for the audience and the dancers.
Created for Charlotte Ballet (USA) Portugal’s Stepping Over is set to parts of Philip Glass’ “Tirol” Piano Concerto. Women fall or swoon into guys’ arms; couples move through positions that are sensuous and bodies almost melt into place. The piece wowed audiences when it made its Irish premiere in 2022.
This production features 16 international dancers including Irish born dancers Niamh O’Flannagain (Co Dublin) and Ruaidhri Maguire (Co Derry) who has recently joined the company dancing previously with Milwaukee Ballet and Ballet Victoria, and Baltic Opera Ballet. In 2023, Ruaidhrí founded and is the Artistic Director of Six Dance Collective, to promote ballet as an adventurous art form in NI, producing original ballet White Doves which premiered at The MAC, Belfast in Aug 2023.
Speaking on Ballet Ireland’s ‘Bold Moves’, Anne Maher, Artistic Director / CEO of Ballet Ireland said:
‘The Bold Moves season was first presented in 2019. This began our journey of presenting the work of internationally renowned choreographers to Irish audiences, broadening the scope for ballet in Ireland. Ballet is more than tutus and tiaras and this programme is a pure example of this. Presenting this work is also important for our dancers; it affords them to work within the movement language of these choreographers expanding their own artistic and technical skills. This is also an important programme for young dancers and choreographers to see this work, experience and even learn from it as part of their own development. We’ve been honoured to present this programme over the last several years.’
Ballet Ireland is Ireland’s only professional ballet company, bringing contemporary ballet and new narrative-led ballets to Irish audiences each Spring and Autumn. The company was founded in 1998, and has been funded by the Arts Council of Ireland since 1999. To date, Ballet Ireland has mounted over 30 seasons of work, and their activities – which also include summer intensives, schools programmes and professional workshops – enrich the landscape of dance in Ireland.
