The American Company Of Irish Dance Announces AISLING

The American Company of Irish Dance will present a brand-new entertainment experience with the world premiere of its new show Aisling (ash-ling). This is Irish dance as never before seen as it will be presented in a theatrical format with all new music, choreography, and costuming and many new cast members from North America and Europe. Aisling opens at various venues in Wisconsin beginning on June 9 and closes in Chicago on June 17.

Aisling, the Irish word for "dream" or "vision," tells a story through all-new Irish dance choreography and electrifying, newly composed Irish music, threaded together with the poetry of W.B. Yeats. The term Aisling also refers to a genre of late 17th-century Irish poetry in which a woman appears in the form of a dream or a vision to deliver a warning: Will Aisling's warning be heard? All of these Celtic folklore influences, plus characters inspired by Irish mythology, make for a thrilling entertainment experience - Irish dance as you've never seen it before. To catch a completely original blend of traditional and modern Irish dance, shows will be available at the following locations and dates in Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois:

• The Weill Center in Sheboygan on Thursday, June 9

• The Sharon Lynne Wilson Center near Milwaukee on Friday, June 10, and Saturday, June 11 (three performances)

• The Middleton Performing Arts Center on Sunday, June 12

• The Raue Center in Crystal Lake, IL on Thursday, June 16

• Chicago's Harris Theater on Friday, June 18

Led by artistic directors Shane McAvinchey and Paula Goulding, who worked together for several years with Riverdance, AMCO has created a completely original production, featuring a world-class cast from Ireland, the U.K., Germany, Canada, Mexico, and across the U.S., including Milwaukee.

The original music was created by Glasgow native Benedict Morris (BBC Radio Scotland's Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2019), Belfast's Cormac Crummey (whose album Isolation Vol. 1 reached #1 on the iTunes world music charts) & London-based composer and producer Pierre O'Reilly (The Worshipful Company of Musicians' Silver Medal).

"Our goal is to use the knowledge, experience, and skills we have obtained throughout our careers, passing it on to the next generation of performers. It has been more than 20 years since professional Irish dance shows first gained worldwide attention. Since then the level of expectation has changed and evolved. As such we will continue our endeavor to bring this art form to the next level," says McAvinchey.

The American Company of Irish Dance is an independent, not-for-profit professional dance company with a mission to increase awareness and appreciation of traditional and progressive Irish dance, continue to elevate Irish dance as an art form, and educate the public about the cultural value of Irish dance. The driving force behind the American Company of Irish Dance is to create singular, incredible artistic productions and to develop the young women and men who will bring that experience to eager audiences around the nation. AMCO and Aisling have been made possible in part by Greater Milwaukee Foundation's Bill Borchert Larson Fund and through charitable donations and proceeds from their upcoming shows.

As leaders, teachers, and innovators, McAvinchey and Goulding nurture a caring community of AMCO's professional Irish dancers who bring entertainment, enjoyment, and the art form to audiences worldwide.

"To work with a company whose mission is primarily to nurture talent within our beloved and beautiful art form is not just a joy to be a part of but a privilege," says Goulding

McAvinchey adds, "Never more than now has a company like this, with a mission that is essentially one of care, been needed."

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