Wednesday 9 December 2009

Save Radio Foyle

Derry's local radio station BBC Radio Foyle has been threatened with funding cuts and it is possible that a range of shows will be axed in the coming weeks.

Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company regularly works with the local radio station to promote company events and performances, to release press information, and to communicate directly with local people throughout the North West region.

There is an online petition at http://www.petitiononline.com/BBCFoyle/petition.html where you can register support for the campaign to save this valuable local service.

Thursday 19 November 2009





So it is Day 8 of Echo Echo's search for the blue monsters...

We now have numerous recorded sightings of the creatures around the city over the past week, including in the Waterside Library, Brunswick Superbowl, St Columbs Park and shopping in the city centre.

There have also been rumours of the pesky creatures visiting the walls, taking a trip on the toucan and enjoying a night out in Sandinos but all of these have yet to be confirmed.

Our search will go on until we capture these blue beings in time for their appearance in our family production Undercurrent on Thursday 3rd December.

As the days roll on, it is growing more urgent that we find the blue monsters so we plan to step up our search but we need the publics help! PLEASE keep your eyes open for them in and around Derry. If you spot them, please take a photo and email to us at info@echoechodance.com

Thank you for your help!
Echo Echo DTC

Thursday 12 November 2009

Tinderbox show on Saturday 21st November

Our friends at the Waterside Theatre have asked us to tell you about a fascinating new show at Waterside Theatre next week.

Tinderbox Theatre Company will bring their new work 'Sleep Eat Party' to the newly refurbished Waterside Theatre at 8pm on Saturday 21st November.

Visit the Tinderbox website for full details on the performance.

The following is an excerpt from the Tinderbox press release:

Tinderbox Theatre Company presents Sleep Eat Party, a Verbatim theatre production based on interviews with young men and women across Northern Ireland and scripted by multi award winning writer Damian Gorman.

Over the last six months Tinderbox’s Outreach team interviewed dozens of young men in Northern Ireland and were told stories that are by turns moving, funny and hard hitting. Sleep Eat Party has been created from their words and experiences and includes characters based directly on interview material. The play touches on brushes with the law, substance abuse, the shadow of suicide, the joy of fatherhood and the prospects for sharing a life and building a family in difficult economic times.

This production will focus on the challenges presented to young people as they endeavour to make sense of the world around them. This raw, humorous and sometimes shocking play gives an insight into the minds of Young Men across Northern Ireland in an energetic and innovative production with a sparkling young cast...

Waterside Theatre, Derry
Sat 21st Nov @ 8pm
Box office: 028 71314000
www.watersidetheatre.com

More sightings of the monsters!

Wednesday 11 November 2009

The search for the blue monsters begins....

DAY ONE

This is a log of blue monster sightings that Echo Echo has received in the last 24 hours:

- All three monsters were caught reading a book in an undisclosed location in Derry yesterday morning at approx 11am.

- One monster was sighted on a park bench in the Waterside Area of the city around 1pm yesterday afternoon.

One passer-by exclaimed: "I was just out walking, minding my own business when I came across this blue creature sitting alone on a bench. You could say I was shocked alright, it's not something you see everyday. I didn't approach it because I had to rush on but I managed to get a photo."

No more sightings since this report so we believe the trio may have gone underground for now...

If you see them, please email Echo Echo ASAP.


Three blue monsters spotted reading in Waterside Area of Derry
Blue monster spotted on park bench

Wednesday 4 November 2009

Echo Echo Dance Studio Panorama

Check out this panoramic photograph taken in the Echo Echo Dance Studio recently during rehearsals for 'The Shadowmen'. Switch to full screen for best results. Image by George Row..

http://www.worldwidepanorama.org/worldwidepanorama/wwp909/html/GeorgeRow.html

Weekend Workshop survey

Echo Echo's weekend workshops have been a constant presence in the programme of events for many years now. The company is keen to improve this format but we need your help!

Regardless of whether you have attended a weekend workshop or not, we would appreciate you taking 5 minutes to complete this short survey. Hopefully the results will give us the feedback we need to ensure that this event can grow with the company.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE SURVEY

Thank you!

Wednesday 2 September 2009

Autumn 2009

Echo Echo's packed new programme of dance and movement events is now online at http://www.echoechodance.com/index.php/latest_news/155.htm . There is something for all ages and all experience levels. Please get in touch if you want to know more...

Monday 16 February 2009

First time for everything...


We’re trying to get this blog up and running and get everyone contributing so to start I have cast my mind back five and a half years to October 2003...


I’m attending an Echo Echo performance of an improvised dance piece at The Playhouse Theatre and I don’t know what to expect at all. Watching a dance show was a totally new concept to me.


Instead of narrative, or a specific storyline, there was improvised live music as accompaniment and inspiration for the dancers. At times I didn’t know where to look and found it quite hard to understand what was taking place on the stage. It all seemed pretty far out.. experimental.. different.


I went with it. Partly intrigued by the movement, partly because I thought the live soundscape was excellent, but mainly because I was starting a new job with the company the next day. I needed to know what I was getting myself into!


Over the years since then I’ve been fortunate to get the opportunity to watch many dance performances and physical theatre shows in venues and at festivals throughout Ireland and Europe.


Like in other art forms such as film, music or literature, some were good, some weren’t great, but some were truly excellent.


The Convent by Jo Stromgren Kompani, Circus by Barrabas, It’s Only a Rehearsal by Zero Visibility (soundtracked by Murcof), Barcelona’s Nats Nus, the outstanding Familie Floez, and France’s Kafig to name a very few of my favourites.


While these shows may be presented as dance/physical theatre, they’re all so completely different.


Think of music as an art form. Modeselektor’s dubstep and techno is very different to The Beta Band’s folky psychedelica. They both have qualities that I like however they’re completely different styles within contemporary music. I still always want to hear new (and old) music, whether it turns out to be good or bad, because I might really like it.


I think it’s the same in contemporary dance/physical theatre as in any art form. You won’t know if something is quality without watching it first.


I believe that Echo Echo’s work is quality. It’s worth watching. The care and attention that goes into a production is to a very high level. The commitment and skill of the performers really shines through in every performance that I have seen.


Echo Echo's new production Ripple Affect is shaping up to be very high quality indeed with an exceptionally talented ensemble of dancers and musicians and I would urge anyone who reads this far to come along and see for yourself in March.


Maybe you’ve never seen a dance show before or maybe you’ve never seen an Echo Echo show before – I think that’s even more reason to try it. You might really enjoy it.






Tuesday 10 February 2009

Development phase of Ripple Affect begins


Echo Echo's new production Ripple Affect is due to tour in March so this week, we saw the arrival of the ensemble cast and the beginning of the development and rehearsal of the piece.

After months of preparation, Emily Welther (with the ever cute baby Pella), Leilani Weis (with her beautiful daughter Luna) and Maite Larraneta finally landed in Derry at the weekend and moved into their temporary home in Irlanda.

I hope to get some of the dancers to write to this blog over the coming weeks so they can tell of their experiences of Derry and of the production.

In the meantime, for me it has been a busy time in the office. Fingers crossed...after a bit of a delay we will receive the posters and fliers today! The design was done by the talented Mark Willett using illustration rather than photographs. We decided to use an illustration this time because it is becoming more and more difficult to find one image that everyone likes and that also has the ability to sum up everything the company wants to say at that moment. Mark also designed our Dance Picnic and Contact Improvisation fliers in 2008 that have become collectors items (or at least we like to think so!)

After lunch I am going to sit in on the rehearsals in the dance studio and take some photographs. I'm no professional photographer but I hope to capture a few striking images and upload them to our websites as soon as possible.

The ensemble are going to meet with Helen Quigley later today to discuss costume ideas. All of the dancers have been asked by Steve to bring in their favourite dancing clothes. This idea was partly inspired by the amazing trousers that Leilani wore when she taught her Tango workshop back in October!

Leilani's 4 week Tango course begins tonight at 7.30pm which everyone is looking forward to. If you haven't booked a place, you might still get one but the classes are sure to be packed...

Monday 26 January 2009

Authentic TANGO course with Leilani Weis


Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company is offering an exciting and rare opportunity to participate in a one-off course in Authentic Tango with guest teacher Leilani Weis from Chile.

Leilani was born in Chile but now lives in Italy. She teaches, experiments and performs Contact Improvisation and Tango internationally.

The professional dancer will be in Derry for two months while she rehearses with the company for new production,
Ripple Affect, due to tour in March.

Leilani brings a special fire and sensuality to her dancing and applies the open and free improvisatory attitude of Contact Improvisation to her Tango dancing and Tango teaching.


As Development Officer with Echo Echo, I am excited to have Leilani as part of our new production Ripple Affect which will premiere in The Waterside Theatre on 16th March. But also, we couldn't miss this opportunity to have her teach while she is here.


The classes will be an introduction to authentic Tango. The emphasis will be on understanding the “feel” of the dance rather than trying to learn lots of complicated steps.


During a short visit in October last year, Leilani taught a 2-hour workshop in the Echo Echo Dance Studio. The class was fully booked within a day and she received some flattering comments such as:
“we shall all have to go and lie down in front of the airplane to stop her leaving Northern Ireland”
“More Leilani Weis style tango please!”


This short four-week course is open to everyone but will be especially interesting for people with some movement experience in Salsa, Modern dance, Contact Improvisation or Ballroom dance.


An Introduction to Authentic Tango will start on Wednesday 11th February and run for 4 weeks in Echo Echo’s dance studio at the Waterside Theatre from 7.30pm to 9pm. The full course costs £20.


The course is sure to be popular so people are encouraged to book as early as possible. To book a place, contact Echo Echo on 028 7134 2266, email info@echoechodance.com, or visit www.echoechodance.com.

Thursday 15 January 2009

Dance Picnic


The next Dance Picnic is on Saturday 7th March 2009.

After its success in October&November last year, we have decided to keep going with another Dance Picnic in our dance studio at the end of this month. It is a unique and exciting event that attracts families, friends, regular dancers and complete beginners.


I went along to the first ever Dance Picnic in October 2008 and loved it! I bought far too much food (perhaps a trait that I have inherited from my mother!) but with the help of Zoe and Yehudith, Steve and I set up a lovely atmosphere for the event. There were blankets on the floor with cushions, a table full of food and drinks and some music to welcome people.


It was Steve Batts (Co-Artistic Director of Echo Echo) who came up with the idea of Dance Picnic. With many workshops often aimed at certain sections of society, whether it is children, adult, elderly or disability, Steve thought it would be wonderful to remove the barriers between these groups and have everyone participate together in an informal and enjoyable environment.


For me, I loved dancing with people my age, with children and with older people. It felt so natural and we had a lot of fun together. The kids enjoyed seeing us adults on the floor and being silly and as an adult, it was great to get back down on the floor and roll around. Other than in my yoga classes, I hadn't done really done that in years!


The January Dance Picnic is from 1.30pm to 4.30pm in the Echo Echo Dance Studio at the Waterside Theatre on Saturday 31st and costs £3 per person - with group and family discounts available. Participants are encouraged to bring along food to share with others, be it sandwiches, salads or cakes.


Fingers crossed we get another great turn out. It will be the perfect antidote to the January blues.


If you would like to attend the Dance Picnic, contact Echo Echo on 028 7134 2266, email info@echoechodance.com or visit www.echoechodance.com for more information.


Dance Picnic is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Derry City Council.


Tuesday 13 January 2009

Hello and welcome

Welcome to Echo Echo's blog!

The Echo Echo team will be contributing to this as regularly as possible over the coming weeks and months so please be patient with us while we figure out how best to use it!

The intention is that this will complement the company website and e-newsletter, and our Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Bebo pages, and keep us in better touch with you.

We welcome your feedback and comments as the blog progresses..

Ailbe Beirne
Company Manager

: )