Ireland’s acclaimed practitioner of Irish step dance, Colin Dunne, presents his first full-length solo production, Out of Time, in the intimate space of the NAC Studio from October 27 to 29, 2011. This exclusive Canadian engagement is an extraordinary moving memoir integrating contemporary movement, text, film, and sound design with Irish dance to create a provocative dialogue between Dunne’s past and present.

Best known for his Principal role and choreography with Ireland’s internationally celebrated Riverdance, Dunne has since forged a new creative path following his time as artist-in-residence at the University of Limerick where he completed an MA in contemporary dance in 2002.

Intimate and playful, Out of Time is both an unsentimental homage to Irish step dance, and a bold investigation of Dunne’s personal and artistic relationship with a tradition that has shaped his life. Collaborating with sound engineer Fionán de Barra, Dunne’s percussive footwork is digitally processed live then looped, remixed, and layered to create a hypnotic sound score. He is also joined on stage by projected archival images of dancers from the 1930s onwards – including himself as a 10-year old boy.

Dunne has an intimate and intense history with Irish dance. At the age of nine, Dunne won his first World Championship title and was the first dancer to win the World, All England, and All Ireland titles in the same year. At the age of 19, he was the youngest person ever to receive an Irish Post Award in recognition of his achievements in Irish dance. When he retired from competition at the age of 22, he had won a total of nine World, eleven Great Britain, nine All Ireland, and eight All England Championship titles. Influenced from an early age by tap dancing legend Gregory Hynes, Dunne’s complex approach to rhythm within the structures of traditional Irish music are visible today in his performances coupled with his distinctive musical approach.

Out of Time showcases a richness in material – image and sound are carefully, and cleverly, harmonized with surefooted virtuoso dancing. Dunne is a beautifully articulate mover whose personal story is sure to hold audiences captive.

“Out of Time will delight and provoke in equal measure.”
Irish Independent 

Out of Time
Creation and choreography             Colin Dunne
Direction                                       Sinéad Rushe
Sound design                                Fionán de Barra
Film design and editing                  Sean Westgate
Lighting design                              Colin Grenfell
Costume                                     Joan O’Clery 
New Music                                      Ian McDonnell
Recorded Music           Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
Box construction               Colin Barclay & Mike Burke
Producer                                          Maura O’Keeffe
Production Manager                          Rob Furey
Relights, LX & Video Operator             Tom Rohan
Sound Engineer                                 Niall Varley

Colin Dunne’s North American Tour is sponsored by Culture Ireland's Imagine Ireland initiative.

Duration: 65 minutes

Colin Dunne – PUBLIC CLASS
The class is for non Irish dancers – tappers, jazz, ballet, modern – and will focus on giving an insight into Irish dance. Work is done in bare feet, and covers broad areas of the dance form such as rhythm and phrasing.

Saturday, October 29, 2011
12:30 to 2:00 p.m.    

You must REGISTER in advance, as space is limited, at soutter@magma.ca or 613-947-7000 ext. 588 –Renata Soutter, Dance Outreach Coordinator

Colin Dunne’s Out of Time performs in the Studio from Thursday to Saturday, October 27 to 29, 2011 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29.06, and $16.03 for students (upon presentation of a valid student ID card).

Groups of 10 or more save 15% to 20% off regular ticket prices; to reserve your seats, call 613-947-7000, ext. 634 or e-mail grp@nac-cna.ca.

Tickets are available for purchase:

• In person at the NAC Box Office
• At all Ticketmaster outlets
• By telephone from Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS) new!
• Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
• A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster

This production is eligible for the Trinity Live Rush program. Full-time students aged 13-29 with a valid Live Rush membership may buy up to two tickets per performance at the discounted price of only $12 per ticket. Live Rush tickets are available from 10 a.m. on the day before the performance until 6 p.m. on the day of the performance. This includes all available seats, including the best seats in the house. Check out liverush.ca for information on the Trinity Live Rush program.

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For more information, please call:
Eleri Evans
Marketing and Communications Officer, Dance
National Arts Centre
613-947-7000 ext. 379; e-mail: eleri.evans@nac-cna.ca
or visit the NAC website at www.nac-cna.ca