View from the Green Room: Soul Dance showcases young talent
Jack Cunningham's Soul Dance Arts held their Summer Showcase at Garter Lane on August 22. Pictured is Jack, who was named 'Best Choreographer' at the AIMS awards this year.
School’s out for summer… or in… maybe… if you’re part of a summer school for drama or musical theatre or a band member.
In the last few weeks, we’ve had the Irish Youth Wind Ensemble and the Irish Youth Chamber Ensemble, along with Waterford Youth Arts.
Tonight it’s the turn of the Jack Cunningham School Soul Dance Arts to showcase that huge bank of talent that’s training with the choreographer named “Best Choreographer” by the Association of Irish Musical Societies this year.
Tonight’s programme hits the stage running and never stops for interruptions.
An opening “Surf Crazy” is perfect for this cast and show. The Teen Beach Movie number is performed by the Senior Musical Theatre group and promises “Blue skies, sunshine and sweet harmonies… from now on, just good vibrations”.
When the Tot Musical Theatre follow on with Wagon Wheel, the house sing and sway along, and fills with love and affection for the line-dancing all-attitude starlets with fingers in hips and complete with Nathan Carter neckerchiefs.
Jack understands variety and slows the show down for the classy duet “City of Stars” sung by Niall Broderick and Aoife James, before Chloe Byrne gives us her unique take on love and loss in “Ireland”.
The Seniors are back with “From Now On” from The Greatest Showman, and the Junior Group take on the Swifties in the audience with “Shake it Off”.
There’s exciting tap-dancing from the Seniors with “Tap Your Troubles Away/ Anything Goes”, while the Inter and Junior groups perform that ever-popular family favourite “My Favourite Things” with several young voices performing the melody line.
Tia Power Rockett gets the mood and narrative of a daughter leaving home to marry and live in that frozen wasteland of Siberia in “Far from the home I love” from Fiddler.
Next up is "You Will Be Found", the Act 1 finale of the 2015 musical “Dear Evan Hansen”, which premiered on Broadway in 2016.
There’s a happy-clappy “Footloose” from the Inter Musical Theatre Group that’s full of energy and big hand gestures, and the reappearance of the line-dancing, fist-pumpin’ Tots with their take on “Achey, Breaky Heart”, followed by the Junior Tap’s “Little Bitty Pretty One” delights all the parents and grandparents in the audience.
“Roaring On” from “The Great Gatsby” is the dance highlight of the night. The choreography is moody and bluesy and the two dozen dancers fill the stage with invention and imagination. It’s a trademark Jack Cunningham routine that never stands still with dance movement that constantly changes and is always interesting.
Mia Dunphy and Emma Nathan are excellent in their duet “Who will love me as I am” and the family-friendly evening rounds off with a spirited version of “A Million Dreams” that probably sums up the hopes of these young performers.
