Rhythm of the Dance, review: White Rock Theatre, Hastings, July 7

The dancers and musicians of the National Dance Company of Ireland have been on the road for a long time now but the freshness and vitality of their performance is as uplifting as ever.

By BriaN Hick

Published 11th Jul 2019, 15:24 BST

On this evening there were five musicians – bodhrán, violin, accordion, whistle and guitar – playing live on stage in addition to the fourteen dancers.

Two of the company also sing and we were delighted to be encouraged to join in familiar songs including Wild Mountain Thyme and Molly Malone.

However there is more to the evening than an engaging collection of dances for the underpinning narrative follows the history of the Celtic peoples from Ireland to the world-wide diaspora but always retaining a love of their heritage.

The large and enthusiastic audience appreciated the exceptional professionalism of the presentation, none less than the lighting and projections which constantly support the immediacy of the choreography.

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