Limerick dance programme presents new talent to Irish audiences

A DANCE programme in Limerick introduces audiences to new talent.

Step Up is a programme of professional development for recent dance graduates from Ireland or based in Ireland.

It introduces audiences in Ireland to a group of fresh dance talent that will enrich the country’s dance ecology for years to come.

Since it began in 2011, the project has helped over 70 talented young dance graduates to bridge the gap between dance education and professional contemporary dance practice, and to assist them in building networks that support a professional career.

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The Step Up Dance Project is a collaboration between Dance Limerick, the Irish World Academy, Dance Ireland and the Arts Council of Ireland.

Following a competitive open call last year, five young dance artists were selected to take part in this year’s edition.

Ghaliah Conroy, Fionnuala Doyle Wade, Saoirse Lambkin O’Kane, Ben Sullivan and Jessie Thompson worked at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and at Dance Limerick, developing new exciting work with choreographer Maria Nilsson Waller.

In their performance Riverine, they explored the concept and realities of rivers, drawing on the vital importance of the river Shannon for the city of Limerick.