This March, NY International Dance Festival will present Soirée Celtique, an event featuring performers from across the world in celebration of Celtic folklore, music, song and dance. The performance will take place on March 15, at The Center at West Park in NYC.
The show includes 48 musicians from Bagad Sonerien Bro Dreger based in Bretagne, France, as well as Irish step dance and song accompanied by live music. In addition, the performance will also feature an Irish “Reeling” and “Selkies” ballet, a nod to Scotland with the pas de deux from La Sylphide, a Celtic Viennese waltz, and special guest artists from Brooklyn Irish Dance and Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.
Brigid Le Minez, artistic director and founder of NY International Dance Festival, says, “My Irish heritage and my keen interest in Breton culture, which in a way led me to my husband, made it a natural choice to create an evening celebrating the synergy between my own traditions and the many cultures in my creative circle.”
NY International Dance Festival launched with its inaugural performance event in 2024. Le Minez notes that she had wanted to start her own arts festival after being so inspired by fellow freelance dancers, as well as singer and musician friends, who had so much talent but not many platforms for showcasing their work and creativity.
“One friend in particular had always wanted to create her own Irish step dance-inspired ‘Reeling’ ballet,” Le Minez shares. “She added the fuel and encouragement I needed to turn my dream into reality. Many artists were still feeling the impact of the pandemic on the arts, even in a big city like NY.”
On the “Reeling” ballet to be presented at Soirée Celtique, choreographer Elisabeth Archer says, “It’s been such a joy to unite two dance forms I’ve dearly loved and studied since childhood. Through the process, I’ve explored using ballet vocabulary and contemporary floor work layered on top of the traditional Irish ceili framework. I’ve been experimenting with merging Irish dance form and contemporary ballet for a few years now, and I’m so grateful for Brigid’s trust in my vision.”
Soirée Celtique will take place in the Sanctuary Space of The Center at West Park, where audience members will also be taking in the high vaulted ceilings, majestic Romanesque revival architecture and Tiffany stained glass windows of this unique performance setting.
“While the performance highlights art forms from Celtic nations, the artists themselves reflect a variety of cultural contexts,” Le Minez explains. “I most look forward to the intermingling of cultures, the fusion of what is traditional with what is novel and the sharing of our collaborative joy with the audience.”
Orlando Pagan, artistic director of Syzokryli Ukrainian Dance Ensemble, says the company is “thrilled to bring the vibrant spirit of Ukrainian dance to the international celebration of Soirée Celtique. Audiences can expect to be captivated by Syzokryli’s dynamic performances, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine through powerful movements, intricate footwork and dazzling costumes. We are honored to share our passion for dance with the world and celebrate the beautiful diversity of cultures through this shared love of music and movement.”
“It finally took being in my 40s to have the confidence to launch my own company,” Le Minez says. “I have an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion, and I intend for my platform to be an avenue by which artists can experiment with their own unique, artistic visions.”
Soirée Celtique will be presented on March 15, at 7pm, at The Center at West Park in Manhattan. For more information on NY International Dance Festival, visit nyintdancefestival.com. For tickets, click here.
By Laura Di Orio of Dance Informa.
Share this:
