Opening of Teaċ Daṁsa

Údarás na Gaeltachta is pleased to announce the opening of Teaċ Daṁsa in Corca Dhuibhne on Saturday, September 7 at An Ghlaise Bheag, Co. Kerry. Teaċ Daṁsa is a dance and theatre company founded in 2016 when Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre moved from the midlands to the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht on Ireland’s southwest coast.

Teaċ Daṁsa aims to create dance and theatre works rooted in a strong sense of place, fostering a deeper and more vibrant connection with Irish traditions, language, and music. The company provides a space for artists to work together and create works that transform both the artist and the audience.

Although based in Ireland, the company draws on an international set of performers, artists, and collaborators. They have created works that have traveled and made an impact internationally.

Michael Keegan-Dolan founded Teaċ Daṁsa in 2016. Their first production, *Swan Lake / Loch na hEala*, continued the tradition of groundbreaking productions for which the company is renowned. It won the 2017 Irish Times Theatre Award for Best New Production and the UK National Dance Critics’ Circle Award for Best Production in 2018. MÁM, created in 2019, was the first show entirely conceived, rehearsed, and produced in the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht. It was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Production in 2020 and for two UK National Dance Critics’ Circle Awards in 2022.

Teaċ Daṁsa’s move to An Ghlaise Bheag has been completed in collaboration with Údarás na Gaeltachta. This move reflects the company’s commitment to community, place, and the Irish language through dance, music, song, and storytelling. This new location provides opportunities for Teaċ Daṁsa to continue developing their artistic works in the heart of the Gaeltacht.

The opening of Teaċ Daṁsa demonstrates Údarás na Gaeltachta’s commitment to developing the arts in the Gaeltacht and the importance of investing in cultural projects that contribute to the cultural and economic richness of Gaeltacht areas.

Speaking at the opening, Rachel Holstead, Ealaín na Gaeltachta said: “The opening of Teaċ Daṁsa is a significant step forward in the development of the arts in the Gaeltacht. It demonstrates the importance of investing in innovative cultural projects that nurture our language and heritage, and provide employment opportunities for local people. The creative sector plays a central role in the economic and cultural development of our Gaeltacht communities, and Teaċ Daṁsa is contributing greatly to this vision.”