by Rose Rushe
A NEW work inspired by a 13th century tapestry is created in Limerick by international class dancers based here for the production. ‘Chaplet of Roses’ will stage for one night only, Thursday December 18, 8pm. It’s the last in an opening year of original works and festivals by Dance Limerick, working out of the former St John’s Church in John’s Square.
The principals for Chaplet, so called after the famous Netherlands’ tapestry ‘Honour Making a Chaplet of Roses’, are Angie Smalis – also director of Limerick Youth Theatre – and Colin Gee.
Gee has a favourable history of working with Smalis and Daghdha Dance although he is New York based. His CV has tripped through the wires of Cirque du Soleil, the Jacque Lecoq School in Paris and more, be it for film, performance or opera work.
He fills in the loom as to Thursday 18’s premier for Arts page.
“‘Chaplet of Roses’ concept is really both of ours, taking from the four characters in the tapestry and named in the scrolls”.
He describes two as being older, representing restraint, formality, a sense of responsibility and “two are younger, a little more prone to personal will, more narcissistic”. Gee believes the ancient work to be woven from other tapestries, making together an instructive panel that depicts courtly love and the foil of desire to constraint.
Hence he and Angie Smalis fashion a dance work that is allegorical of social responsibility, not so much the courtship aspect. Theatricality is emphasised in the 40 minutes that play to a simple tale “between the backstory of characters in the tapestry and the social and emotional dynamics of the situation”. It’s a single moment staged “but where all the dynamics are shifting”.
There is a second element to the sole performance in John’s Square and that is the making of four two-minute videos that will loop online, each connected to one of the character portraits.
See dancelimerick.ie for booking and these screening details; tickets on the door also for the evening show.