Chicago-based Irish dance company to make history at Jacob's Pillow this summer

Trinity Irish Dance Company (TIDC) will make history for the global Irish community this July when it takes the stage at Jacob's Pillow, America’s longest-running international dance festival, located in Becket, Massachusetts.

TIDC's six performances from July 10 - 13 will mark the first time Jacob’s Pillow, a National Historic Landmark and recipient of the National Medal of Arts, has presented a full program of Irish dance on the Ted Shawn Theatre stage.

"Trinity Irish Dance Company embodies the spirit of tradition and innovation that we look for,"  Pamela Tatge, Jacob’s Pillow’s Executive and Artistic Director, said.

“The company's commitment to blending the bold energy of Irish dance with contemporary sensibilities is unmatched.

"Their performances will mark the first time Jacob’s Pillow has presented a full program of Irish dance on the Ted Shawn Theatre stage.

"We can’t wait to celebrate their 35th Anniversary with their Jacob’s Pillow debut.”

TIDC's performances at Jacob's Pillow comes after the Irish dance company kicks off its 35th anniversary season at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art on May 16-18.

Chelsea Hoy, TIDC Associate Artistic Director, said: “The Pillow is considered by many to be the highest honor in the performing arts dance world.

"This milestone is a direct testament to an artist who has spent a lifetime never straying from his original vision to present Irish Dance as serious art.

"Mark’s consistency at choosing substance over spectacle and the confidence to know where the art form should go next is exactly why his unparalleled body of work is being celebrated at The Pillow.

"I am especially grateful for Trinity’s legacy to be honored in this way amidst our 35th Anniversary Season.”

Chelsea Hoy. (Lois Greenfield)

Mark Howard, the Founding Artistic Director at TIDC, added: "I’m ecstatic for 35 years worth of artists, board members, and staff that have lent their collective talents to the wave of positive energy that has always pushed Trinity’s work to increasingly higher ground.

“The protection of the ancestors will be with us at the Pillow, along with the hopes of Yates and O’Casey and the dreams of the Sineads and Shanes.” 

Mark Howard. (Todd Rosenberg)

Trinity Irish Dance Company's repertoire / program for Jacob's Pillow

TIDC’s mixed program at Jacob’s Pillow will showcase the range of its genre-defying repertoire, celebrating its vision of pushing the boundaries of a cultural form while maintaining a strong reverence for its ancestors.

The most highly anticipated new work being presented will be two companion pieces: "The Sash," which will have its world premiere at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art May 16-18, and "Taking the Mick," which celebrated its premiere last spring at TIDC’s annual Chicago Auditorium Theatre performances.

Two years in the making, these companion works are narrative-driven, fantastical landscapes inspired by the Irish on both sides of the pond.

"Taking the Mick," choreographed by Howard and Hoy, is set against a vaudevillian era narrative that dances amongst the madness between Irish immigrant insecurities, social mobility, one-upmanship, and assimilation into America. 

"Taking the Mick" - Anna Gorman, Lydia Fredrick, Abigail Graham-Luke. (Michelle Reid)

"The Sash," choreographed by Howard, Hoy, and guest contemporary choreographer Stephanie Martinez, brings to life Northern Irish composer Kevin Sharkey’s dream inspired by his childhood during The Troubles.

Fusing Irish precision, traditions, and history with contemporary flair, "The Sash" presents an unprecedented movement vocabulary that brings the virtuosity and versatility of TIDC’s artists to a new level. 

Set to a rousing score by Sharkey, the world premiere also features dialogue from the hit television series "Derry Girls" as well as spoken text provided by acclaimed Irish actress Eva Birthistle of the famed television series "Bad Sisters."

"The Sash" - Micah Roby and Shannon Kearney. (Todd Rosenberg)

“These companion works and their range represent a sort of ‘Sergeant Pepper’ moment for us,” says Howard.

“Ours is a company that continuously and seamlessly re-grows to meet its expanding potential.

"Our artists’ movement vocabulary and prowess are developing at breakneck speed, and as choreographers, we love nothing more than to create new landscapes and open up new portals for our company members to soar through.” 

Among the additional works presented will be "Howard’s Soles," a tribal and timeless rhythmic study; "Howard’s Push," an explosion of hard-driving percussive power that demonstrates the company’s consistent message of female empowerment; and Michelle Dorrance and Melinda Sullivan's "American Traffic," a hybrid of Irish step and American tap that plays at the intersection of rhythmic sensibilities and rebellious histories. The program will feature original music performed live by TIDC’s band, fronted by Killarney-raised, New York City-based Brenoshea.

You can learn more about Trinity Irish Dance Company, including how to get tickets to its performances at Jacob's Pillow this July, on its website.