DU Dance wow the cultural & corporate world at the Allianz Arts & Business NI Awards

12th February 2014

DU Dance, NI Opera and Square Pit brought their own unique style of creative collaboration together for the final act at this prestigious awards ceremony at the Ulster Hall on 6th February 2014.

Images courtesy of Arts & Business NI /Joe Fox

Using the illustrious 1862 Ulster Hall as a back cloth – which itself has seen classical and contemporary, piano recitals and punk performances – guests were treated to a multi-component dance performance fusing contemporary dance and opera with urban street forms – Breaking, Free Runners, BMXers, and a Rap Choir. This bold, exhilarating fusion of classical and urban, the cultural and corporate impacted on the audience as performers leapt from balcony to stage, high speed bikers teared down the aisles whilst contemporary dancers and breakers blended a narrative through a variety of movements and styles on stage. An urban-influenced score, mixing a rap choir with opera and the sweeping tones of the Ulster Hall Mulholland grand organ provided the energy and tempo that underpinned this exhilarating performance.

All the more powerful that this performance merged professional performers alongside young people from DU Dance, New Lodge Arts and Square Pit – some of whom had never performed before in a venue – and so the standing ovation was a fitting tribute.

See the Belfast Telegraph online Awards Supplement for full coverage of the event.