Danceperados of Ireland
The enthusiasm for Irish step dance is inscribed in the name of this new Irish dance show. Translating freely from English, it means "the dance-crazed." Yes, the Irish simply cannot stop dancing, singing, and playing. It's in their blood.
Every country has its very special way of celebrating Christmas. Ireland is no exception. The Danceperados of Ireland bring us closer to the Christmas customs of the Green Island with their "Spirit of Irish Christmas" tour. They take us into this special time, which produces some very peculiar blooms like the "Wren Boys." Young lads wear wild straw hats, dress in rag costumes, and cause mischief in the neighborhood. Equally unique are the Christmas swim in the icy sea and Women's Christmas, which dates back to pre-Christian times with a matriarchal society. This takes place on Epiphany, and then the men take over the household duties and pamper the ladies of the house.
The artists repeatedly bring the audience to hearty laughter, as some customs seem quirky and therefore funny to us. All of this is in fine balance with spiritual moments of introspection. The Danceperados take us back to a time before the commercialization of Christmas and the globally present Santa Claus in the Anglo-Saxon and our world. One will wait in vain for the great Christmas hits of the globalized world. Instead, old Gaelic hymns and Christmas songs in English, referred to as "Carols," resound.
Since many Irish people have had to and still have to earn their living abroad, Christmas is always the time of year when all Irish living abroad strive to come home. Throughout the year, they have not seen their friends and family and are overjoyed to celebrate together. The pubs are packed, and whiskey and beer flow freely. Jigs & Reels are played along with it. Where these are played, there is also wild dancing… By now, it becomes clear: An Irish step dance show and the motto "Irish Christmas" – they fit together wonderfully! A finely tuned multimedia presentation with wintry landscapes and Christmas motifs gives the audience the feeling of being right in the middle – thus in Ireland.
What distinguishes the Danceperados from an ordinary dance show is the quality of the dancers, musicians, and singers. They indulge in the luxury of taking a sextet on tour with them. The musicians are the crème de la crème of Irish Folk. Even Grammy-nominated artists belong to the band.
The choreography is the responsibility of two-time "World Champion" Michael Donnellan. His work is unique and exceeds what has been seen so far. He puts the stories and actions into motion. The dancers are literally addicted to dancing anew every evening. From a large pool of applicants, Michael has selected the best. The class of the dancers can be seen in that they collectively hold several dozen World Dancing Champion or All Ireland titles.
However, working without playback is the most important unique feature. Deceiving the audience in this way, as is so often the case with other productions, cannot be reconciled with the ethos of the dance-crazed. The dancers and musicians love the artistic challenge of stepping and playing without a safety net. Only then can one react spontaneously and also improvise. Instead of dazzling the audience with show effects, the Danceperados convince with an overflowing liveliness and authenticity. Everything is live! Now the world champions can finally show what they can do!
The Danceperados have positioned themselves at the forefront of a movement that seeks to free Irish step dance from the clutches of large producers and make it a bit more human, free, and closer to its origins. The media and fans are electrified by the power and competence of this new and honest concept. With "standing ovations," they celebrate an ensemble that has succeeded in reconciling show and culture.
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
