Floating on a Dead Sea
National Tour 2024 Oct 12-Nov 2
Premiere: Dublin Dance Festival 2022 Winter Edition, at Backstage Theatre, November 27 and 28
Running time Approx. 60 minutes (no interval)
In 2017, Catherine Young took her dance company to Palestine to perform the critically acclaimed work Welcoming the Stranger. Compelled by the experience, Catherine returned in 2019 with filmmaker Luca Truffarelli. Floating on a Dead Sea is inspired by these experiences; the feeling of being lifted and held by the generosity and kindness of a people, in a place where nothing is normal. A place where everyday life, dreams and aspirations are stifled, basic rights denied, and lives lived unfulfilled. Floating on a Dead Sea is Young’s immersive and visceral reflection on life in the West Bank Palestine prior to the 2023/24 war, interweaving dance, film, live music & text.
With a cast of international dancers and stunning visuals by filmmaker Luca Truffarelli, this moving performance places us in the footsteps of ordinary Palestinians. We feel their enduring sense of injustice, urgency and need for action. Floating on a Dead Sea is a chance to look and listen more deeply, especially to those whose voices are often unheard.
Originally commissioned by Dublin Dance Festival and premiered at DDF’s Winter Edition in 2021
RTE Lyric FM: Finally Floating on a Dead Sea | Culture File
RTE Culture: Choreographer Catherine Young responds to life in Palestine
The Irish Times: Beckett-inspired dance piece to headline pop-up winter festival
Back to all Productions.
Director & Choreographer: Catherine Young
in collaboration with:
Dramaturg
Hanna Slattne
Filmmaker
Luca Truffarelli
Dancers
(live) Salma Ataya, Vanessa Guevara, Amir Sabra
(film) Yousef Areh Sbeih, Abdallah Damra, AbdalwahabHmidan, Ahmed Kullab, Ameed Sayeh & Mohammed Smahneh
Musicians
Martin Schärer (music director/percussion), Jade O’Connor (vocals/spoken word), Jon Sanders (mandolo) & Colm Ó’Snodaigh (whistle/vocals)
Sound & Sound design
Alan Kelly
Text & Sound Design
Fiona Sheil
Lx Design
Sarah Jane Sheil
Chief Lx
June Gonzalez Iriarte
Set Design
Luca Truffarelli with Catherine Young
Costumes
Catherine Young
Production Manager
Mikee Lonergan
QLab Programmer
Michael Stapleton
Irish Language poetry & coach
Mícheál Ó Dubhghaill
Photography
Luca Truffarelli & Alaa Aliabdallah
Line producer
Kristyn Fontanella
Marketing
Conall Ó Riain, DDF & Backstage Theatre
Co-producer
Catherine Young
Commissioned by
Dublin Dance Festival. Co-presented by Dublin Dance Festival and the Abbey Theatre in association with Backstage Theatre.
Funded by The Arts Council of Ireland | An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Backstage Theatre, Kerry County Council | Comhairle Contae Chiarraí, SiamsaTíre, and supported by Shawbrook Dance, Dance Limerick, A.M. Qattan Foundation & University of Limerick.
Shukran (thank you) to everyone who contributed to the making of this work, to our funders and supporters who enabled this creation come into being, to all of our wonderful collaborators for their invaluable contributions and talents and to all we met along the road in Palestine, who shared their stories, dancing, music, food and time with us:
Ahmad Ackar, Alaa Aliabdallah, Rand Ajarma, Salah Ajarma (RIP), Salim Al Kelani, Fatin Al Tamimi, Ala’ Abu Ayyash, Jires Babish, Noora Baker, Rima Baranasi, Jonathan Conlon, Mona Considine (Backstage), Philip Dawson &A nicaLouw (Shawbrook), Khaled Elayyan, Ayed Abu Eqtaish, Brian Fleming, Laila Hasan, Atta Jaber & family, Hani Abu Haikel & family, Kate Kennelly (Kerry County Council), Ahmed Lulu, Jonathan Kelliher & Róisín McGarr (SiamsaTíre), Lisa McLoughlin & Vicky O’Brien (Arts Council), Mohammed Omar, Saleem Othman, Gerry O’Sullivan, Jenny Roche & Sandra Joyce (UL), Raed Said, Faris Soufan,Jenny Traynor (Dance Limerick), Lauren Waller, Askadar Centre for Culture & Arts (Nablus), Defence for Children International, El Fara’a Youth Centre, El Funoun Popular Dance Troupe,The Lajee Centre (Aida Camp, Bethlehem), Sareyyet Ramallah Dance Troupe, AM Qattan Foundation and the YMCA Hebron.
Special thanks to Carina McGrail, Benjamin Perchet, Jazmin Chiodi & all at DDF for weathering the Covid cancellations and supporting this work until it got to the stage. And to the Palestinian dancers whom we couldn’t bring over to perform with us tonight.
Dublin Dance Festival: We are very grateful for the support of the Abbey Theatre and Backstage Theatre in bringing Floating on a Dead Sea to Backstage Theatre. DDF would also like to thank our funders, sponsors, partners, DDF Friends and Volunteers.
