Dance Limerick proudly presents the seventh edition of What Next Dance Festival. It takes place in their space from the 8th to the 10th of February. This year’s festival gathers performers from across Ireland and internationally to create three days of discovery and celebration.
What Next Festival Programme
This year’s programme sheds light on questions of identity, community, memory and being together. It is an opportunity to gather and experience the humour, pleasure, curiosities and joy of dance.
Performances
Some of the highlights of this year’s programme include three mixed bill nights of dance. The first night features three performances: Tasting Space by the Parsley Collective; The Picture Palace by Jessie Keenan (with Róisín Harten on film) and Believe by Structure-couple. In Believe, French duo Structure-couple, formed by artists Lotus Eddé Khouri and Christophe Macé, engage in a “choreographic miniature” based on the principle of an original movement that is progressively deformed in response to the distortions of a popular music track.
The second night has two performances: Can I have your best move? by Siobhán Ní Dhuinnín (with visuals by Billy Kemp) and Roshni by Sonia Sabri, Sarvar Sabri, Sam Slater and Emily Dore.
The festival closing night is a quadruple bill featuring Irish and international artists. It features Within this Party by Amir Sabra; Sunken Works by Ghaliah Conroy and CJ P.Roxas; TEST 1 by Rosie Stebbing and Jessie Thompson and Nabinam by Belgian choreographer Jean-Baptiste Baele. Nabinam is an autobiographical account about Baele’s adoption story that is sure to be one of the highlights of the festival.
Workshops
The festival also features workshops by Jean-Baptiste Baele and Sonia Sabri as well as a roundtable discussion on Dance and Cultural Identity featuring festival and visiting artists. The closing night event at What Next this year is the very special Céilí Afro Dabke Ukraine. This vibrant, upbeat world music Céilí dance conceived by Catherine Young & The Welcoming Project, will feature dance styles from around the world including Palestinian Dabke dance, African dance and Ukrainian folk dance, finishing off the evening with some of the traditional Irish Céilí dances.
Find Out More about What Next
Dive in Discover Dance this February in Limerick.
Visit the festival website here
Browse the full programme here
Check out our guide to all the festivals and large events in Limerick this year