Noctú Clip 1
The Irish word Noċtú means ‘to bare or reveal all’. The production allows the audience to get under the skin of those who inhabit this Irish dance world, allowing them a glimpse of what it is that matters to them.
With 3 central characters, each disenfranchised in their own way, the show seeks to address the marginalised who are forced to occupy uncomfortable spaces where they are expected to conform.
In Noċtú we pushed the boundaries, both of the Irish dance aesthetic – exploring new expressive possibilities – and also context – how the Irish dancing was situated in the show narrative. The dancers used their bodies differently, danced to a variety of musical styles, and performed characters – speaking as well as moving.
It was a large-scale production with 16 on stage in The Irish Repertory Theatre in New York.
Noctú Clip 2
The making of the show was supported by RTÉ. The Irish national public service broadcaster produced a 6-part documentary series called Dance Off, documenting the making of Noċtú.
The show had its first performance in Belfast in August 2010. In April 2011, the show toured Ireland, and in September of that year, Noċtú completed a 5-week residency in the Irish Repertory Theatre in New York, supported by Culture Ireland’s Imagine Ireland initiative.
“With his new show Noċtú, Irish dance director and choreographer Breandán de Gallaí has created arguably the most challenging Irish dance work ever seen on a New York stage”
Cahir O’Doherty | Irish Voice, New York
“A superb blending of dance and human emotions, Noċtú is one of the best shows of the 2011-2012 season and one that should definitely be seen by all – and as many times as possible.”
Judd Hollander | Stagebuzz, New York
“I rarely use the overused word but here it is, “mesmerizing” … I was taken along as the dancers turned the world of Irish dance upside down.”
Patricia Harty | IrishCentral.com, NY
