Trinity Academy takes Irish dancing a step further

The company incorporates elements of traditional footwork with aspects of modern dance.

By ROBERT C. FULLER
Register Staff Writer
02/06/2001

The success of "Riverdance" has aroused great interest in Celtic dancing in general. So it was no great surprise that a near-capacity crowd filled Hoyt Sherman Theater Sunday afternoon to see a high-quality performance of step dancing by the Trinity Academy Irish Dancers.

These Chicago- and Milwaukee-based dancers, aged 12 to 18, presented a sparkling and joyous performance, full of energy, style and faultless execution. The concert was sponsored by Hoyt Sherman Place and the Celtic Music Association, which regularly brings internationally known Celtic entertainers to Des Moines.

The Trinity Academy of Irish Dance, founded 20 years ago by choreographer Mark Howard, is known for its creation and development of progressive Irish dancing. By taking step dancing out of the restricted world of dance competitions and establishing a more dramatic and expressive form of choreography suitable for stage presentation, the academy incorporates elements of traditional rapid and intricate footwork with aspects of modern dance, creating a form of vast variety and emotive power.

Sunday's performance included several vibrant dances of traditional nature, containing thunderous, complex rhythms created by the dancers" feet. Interspersed among these were more modern works, including "The Mist," an evocative piece that conjured images of ocean sprays and undulating waves. "Us Doing Them Doing Us" was a humorous work featuring a bare-chested 12-year-old lad doing a macho, peacock-strutting parody of Michael Flatley of "Riverdance" and "Lord of the Dance" fame. The youth's fantastic and energetic talent enhanced the hilarity of this piece.

The dancers were accompanied by guitarist, singer and humorous master of ceremonies Jim DeWan; fiddler and music director Sean Cleland; percussionist Ned Folkerth, who performed a memorable solo featuring the Irish flat drum, or bodhran; and Sean Ryan on flute, tin whistle and uilleann (elbow) pipes. His solo on the latter instrument, a bizarre-looking thing whose chanters are activated by a bellows controlled by the pumping action of the arm, was full of carefully chosen microtonal inflections, creating a haunting and powerful beauty unique to this instrument.

For those inspired by this wonderful performance, the Des Moines Ceili Dancers sponsor a class in Irish social dancing, which demands much less energy than step dancing, through the Des Moines Public Schools" adult education program.

Clark’s paraphrase……

 On Sunday, February fourth a Chicago and Milwaukee based group of dancers performed to a near-capacity crowd at Hoyt Sherman Theater. This group of 20 plus dancers, aged 12 to 18 gave us a brilliant performance full of energy and faultless execution.

 The Trinity Academy of Irish Dance has taken traditional Irish step dancing and removed it’s restrictions creating a more progressive and expressive form of dancing. The show had many elements including traditional step dancing  and modern dance that created a vast variety of feeling and emotion.

 During the first half of the show there was a humorous piece, “Us Doing Them Doing Us”, a funny parody of Michael Flatley of “Riverdance” that included a bare chested 12-year-old lad strutting on stage showing off to the rest of the dancers and audience.

 In the second half of the show a modern work called “the Mist” broke away from tradition. The piece was impressionistic and was more of a ballet style of dance.

 The band that accompanied the dancers included singer, guitarist Jim DeWan, fiddler and music director Sean Cleland, percussionist Ned Folkerth and Sean Ryan on flute, tin whistle and uilleann pipes.

 The end