Danceperados of Ireland

Originating in Ireland around dancer and choreographer Michael Donnellan, Danceperados of Ireland brings dancers, musicians and singers together on stage in a form that intersects stepdance, traditional Irish music and storytelling. The repertoire draws on jigs, reels, hornpipes and ballads, performed live, while the choreography remains rooted in Irish stage dance rather than a simple gala format. Active since the mid-2010s, Danceperados of Ireland has developed several themed productions inspired by Irish popular culture — around whiskey, Christmas traditions and the maritime world — and regularly tours theatres and festivals across Europe. This collective dimension, in which narrative plays an important role alongside performance, positions Danceperados of Ireland at the crossroads of folk concert and choreographic show, within a rhythmic aesthetic focused on the connection between live music, dance and cultural transmission.