Dancers from Northern Ireland’s leading dance company, Echo Echo Dance Theatre, started rehearsals this week for its next professional production, The Feel of Play, which will be performed at locations around Derry-Londonderry from 17th to 21st April, inspired by the 2012 Olympics.
The rehearsals will last for four weeks before the dancers take it out of the studio and perform it in locations both indoor and outdoor.
Echo Echo is planning to perform the piece to live music by local musicians at sites such as Guildhall Square, on the Walls, Templemore Sports Complex, St Columbs Park and Steelstown Primary School as well as a special performance at Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart.
The Feel of Play looks at dance and sport in the run up to London 2012, iis an energetic performance that explores the rules and patterns of team sport exercises and training drills. Watchers will feel the energy, focus and excitement of a game but there is no goal to aim for- it is what the dancers do within the created structures and frame that matters.
Echo Echo Company Manager, Ailbe Beirne said:
“It’s great for Echo Echo to perform in different outdoor locations around the city as this opens up potential for new audiences who haven’t seen the company before. We’ve been planning this with new people and organisations in the city that we wouldn’t usually engage with, so the Legacy Trust UK programme has been a fantastic opportunity in that way.
“The performance is high quality improvisation work with live music score and quite fast-paced, so it should be fun to watch. Also the artist team are all locally based professional dancers and musicians so I hope the public come and support us!”
The Feel of Play is the final part of Echo Echo’s Into Contact project, funded by Legacy Trust UK’s Connections programme, which is managed by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. Legacy Trust UK is creating a lasting impact from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by funding ideas and local talent to inspire creativity across the UK.
Echo Echo is based in Derry-Londonderry and is known for it’s innovative projects and unique performance style. In 2010 and 2011, the company created and performed The Chess Piece which was awarded a prestigous Inspire Mark from London 2012.
For full details of The Feel of Play and Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company’s other projects, visit www.echoechodance.com.