Breandán de Gallaí’s Rite Of Spring performed outside Cavan Cathedral last August.
BY SEÁN P. FEENY
A SHOW devised by a renowned Donegal choreographer for the opening of the 2012 Fleadh Ceoil has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.
Breandán de Gallaí’s Eriu Dance Company has been nominated for the Best Large Sponsorship award at the 2013 Allianz Business to Arts Awards for the Rite Of Spring.
The ground-breaking show based on Stravinsky’s famous classical piece was commissioned by Cavan County Council and performed in front of nearly 15,000 people at the opening of last year’s fleadh.
The Allianz awards seek to recognise the importance of arts and business organisations working together on projects which not only impact and benefit Irish society as a whole but reach beyond our shores.
Gaoth Dobhair native Breandán, one of the original stars of Riverdance, took the classical piece, which celebrates its centenary this year, and created a unique Irish dance interpretation.
“This is a very difficult classical piece which was performed on two pianos, while he had 12 dancers and Donegal’s aerial dance artists Fidget Feet performing to thousands.
“Rhonda Tidy, Visual Arts Co-Ordinator with Cavan County Council wanted to tap into the fringe element of the fleadh by commissioning a show like ours which definitely challenged a lot of boundaries.
“It wasn’t a commercial piece, but rather one that set out to challenge our notions of the world around.”
As it was such an intricate piece to devise and rehearse, Breandán said the cast would love to perform it again, given the opportunity.
“2013 is The Rite Of Spring’s centenary anniversary, so I haven’t given up hope yet, that we can get to perform it in such a special year for Stravinsky’s piece.
“We had a fantastic first show, but it’s terribly frustrating to know how much the piece could blossom if we had another chance to perform it a few more times,” said Breandán.