TRINITY IRISH DANCE COMPANY Kicks Off Dance St. Louis' 58th Season

Dance St. Louis, one of the oldest and one of only four nonprofit dance presenters in the country, kicks off its 58th season by presenting the critically acclaimed international touring Trinity Irish Dance Company on Saturday, November 11 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

From sold-out tours in Europe, Asia and North America to commanding the stages at Washington D.C.'s The Kennedy Center and New York's The Joyce Theater to performing for dignitaries and Irish and American presidents, Trinity Irish Dance Company has significantly changed the direction and scope of Irish dance, re-introducing the art form as the phenomenon it is today.

This uniquely Irish American company, founded in 1990 by creative force and renowned, pioneering choreographer Mark Howard, is the birthplace of progressive Irish dance.

Through a blend of percussive power and aerial grace, the company's repertory has elevated the art form for nearly three decades, stretching "the limits of what Irish dance can do aesthetically and rhythmically" (Chicago Tribune), and using Irish dance as an instrument and a metaphor to redefine the medium with passion, flair and precision.

A primarily female company, with 18 female dancers and 3 male dancers, Trinity Irish Dance Company also sends a consistent message of female empowerment, celebrating the strength of women through casting, choreography, and intentional costuming.

The Boston Globe says Trinity Irish Dance Company is "where women make the form their own," and Chelsea Hoy, the company's associate artistic director, noted in a 2019 interview with Rebellious Magazine, "Our diverse body of work breaks down stereotypical gender roles and our females lay down aggressive virtuosic rhythms, a style that is typically reserved for males. Our women are on the frontline of bringing the thunder."

At Dance St. Louis' November 11th presentation at the Touhill, Trinity Irish Dance Company features a variety of 10 choreographic works, ranging from those displaying virtuosic footwork to a hybrid of Irish step and American tap, choreographed by tap extraordinaries Michelle Dorrance and Melinda Sullivan of Dorrance Dance, to original, classic pieces by founding artistic director Mark Howard that reflect his unique fusion of vibrant Irish traditions with ever-evolving American innovation.

The evening's presentation includes live music - solo and accompaniment - by a four-member band led by Killarney, Ireland-born, New York-based singer/songwriter Brendan O'Shea. For more information on the evening's program, please visit https://www.dancestlouis.org/trinity-irish-dance-company.

Single tickets are $45, $59 and $69 and are on sale through MetroTix at 314.534.1111 and https://www.metrotix.com/events/detail/dsl-trinity.

Dance St. Louis is grateful for sponsor support to continue its mission of bringing world-class dance to St. Louis. Major sponsors of the 2023/24 season include PNC Arts Alive, Whitaker Foundation, Ameren, Regional Arts Commission, Missouri Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, The Shubert Foundation, McCarthy, Employees Community Fund of Boeing and Cardinals Care. Bayer Fund is the education outreach title sponsor.

To post a comment, you must register and login.