Trinity Irish Dance Company (TIDC) today announced it will bring its internationally-celebrated legacy and awe-inspiring precision to the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St. for a one-night engagement at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, 2022. Hailed as “impossibly complex” by the New York Times and “sophisticated and commanding” by the Los Angeles Times, the company of elite performing artists comes home to Milwaukee fresh from a week-long run at New York City’s esteemed Joyce Theater.
Marcus Performing Arts Center’s presentation of Trinity Irish Dance Company will feature seven Milwaukee premieres, including:
- An Sorcas (Gaelic for “The Circus”), choreographed by Howard and Hoy, examines the battle between substance and spectacle. In a progression from idolatry to empathy, with original lyrics, music, and layers of symbolism, An Sorcas points a mirror to the over-saturation of glitzy, formulaic productions in their medium.
- American Traffic, choreographed by NYC-based tap dancer and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient Michelle Dorrance and tap dancer and choreographer Melinda Sullivan, is a hybrid of Irish step and American tap that plays at the intersection of rhythmic sensibilities and rebellious histories. Celebrating the nuanced differences between the two forms, it presents a new percussive language.
- Sparks, choreographed by Howard and Artistic Associate and dancer Ali Doughty, brings together the technical prowess and virtuosic skill of Doughty, who won a solo world championship title during her competitive career, and New York-born, All-Ireland champion fiddle player Jake James.
Other Milwaukee premieres include Soles, a tribal and timeless rhythmic study; Push, an explosion of virtuosic footwork where “women make the form their own” (The Boston Globe); Communion, a synthesis of forms rooted in the profound power of connection, and A New Dawn, folk dance for the future at breakneck speed.
Featuring a live band fronted by Killarney-born, New York-based singer/songwriter Brendan O’Shea, the program will be rounded out by classic pieces from Howard. Black Rose and Johnny, one of Howard’s signature works from 1991, was created for and premiered on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and ultimately altered the landscape of Irish dance.
The birthplace of progressive Irish dance, TIDC celebrates founding artistic director Mark Howard’s unique vision to fuse vibrant Irish traditions with ever-evolving American innovation. As noted by the Chicago Tribune, “Progressive Irish dance is an innovative movement genre that ushered in a new era for Irish step dance, one which led directly to commercialized stadium tours like ‘Riverdance.’”
Through a blend of percussive power and aerial grace that consistently presents males and females on equal footing, TIDC sends a clear message of female empowerment. “The women of TIDC don’t only get to make noise,” says Associate Artistic Director Chelsea Hoy. “We’re expected to make noise.”
The strength of TIDC’s movement to save the integrity of Irish dance brings dancers and musicians together from around the world. Rather than seeking sameness, TIDC celebrates unique and diverse individuals who bring the repertory to life in dynamic ways. “Everything about our company members is extraordinary,” Howard says. “The scope of their work, their virtuosity, and the ease with which they command a stage. Their honesty and commitment allows them to reach out, grab the hearts of audiences, and take them anywhere they want to go.”
Tickets for the Saturday, 7:30 p.m. March 26 performance are $25-$61 and available now at the MPAC Box Office, MarcusCenter.org or 414.273.7206
About Trinity Irish Dance Company
The Chicago/Milwaukee-based Trinity Irish Dance Company is the high watermark of the art form; a uniquely Irish-American dance legacy that is rooted in tradition, yet forward-looking and ever-evolving. The result is a fresh, engaging, and integrity-filled vision that goes beyond the source without losing touch with its essence. Founded in 1990, by Founding Artistic Director and Emmy award winning choreographer, Mark Howard, TIDC is the birthplace of progressive Irish dance, an innovative movement genre which opened new avenues of artistic freedom that led directly to commercial productions such as Riverdance. TIDC has significantly changed the direction and scope of Irish dance, re-introducing the art form as the phenomenon it is today. With a unique blend of uncompromising power and grace, TIDC sends a consistent message of female empowerment with a repertory that has elevated the art form for nearly three decades. For more information, visit TrinityIrishDanceCompany.com.
About Marcus Performing Arts Center
Established in 1969, the Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is the premier performing arts community gathering space in Southeastern Wisconsin, bringing high-quality arts and cultural programming to the region. As a mission-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization, MPAC strives to act as a bridge between cultures and an energizing force for collaboration and advocacy in the community. The touring Broadway series, sponsored by Johnson Financial Group, is recognized as bringing the best of Broadway entertainment to Milwaukee since 1996, and provides opportunities to educate, entertain, and engage audiences. As a presenter, MPAC offers its own diverse arts and cultural programming and outreach, such as MC Presents, Live At Peck, KidZ Days, ArtsConnect, and additional performances from internationally-renowned performing artists. The Marcus Center is also home to a variety of resident arts partners, including First Stage, Milwaukee Ballet, Florentine Opera Company, Black Arts MKE, Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, and more. MPAC is proud to be a dedicated War Memorial facility, honoring those who bravely served our country. For more information, visit www.MarcusCenter.org .