Downtime with Michael Keegan-Dolan

08/30/20 • 61 min

DOWNTIME - interviews with dance artists & arts leaders, talking about dance & the arts

Michael Keegan-Dolan founded Teaċ Daṁsa in 2016 as a means to forge stronger connections with the native traditions, language and music of Ireland, as exemplified by the company’s first two productions, Swan Lake / Loch na hEala (2016) and MÁM (2019). Previously Michael was AD of Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre creating three Olivier Award-nominated productions: Giselle, The Bull, and The Rite of Spring. Giselle won an Irish Times Theatre Award and The Bull won a UK National Dance Award.
In this really entertaining conversation, Lou spoke to Michael about his resistance to many of the expectations and models of the entertainment industry, and how his belief that ‘what will be will be’ has led him not only to live the life he wants to live and make the work he wants to make in the way he wants to make it – but also to cope with this period of uncertainty with a philosophical shrug, a laugh and a willingness to accept whatever life throws at him.

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Downtime with Pontus Lidberg - Danish Dance Theatre

Lou's guest on Downtime today is Swedish choreographer, film maker and dancer Pontus Lidberg. Pontus became Artistic Director of Danish Dance Theatre in 2018 . He has also been commissioned by Paris Opera Ballet, New York City Ballet, Martha Graham Dance Company, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Acosta Danza, Balletboyz and Beijing Dance Theatre.
Lou joined Pontus virtually (sadly!) in his wooden hut on a lake in Sweden on July 31st 2020. They talked about his work as a film-maker and a choreographer, and the opportunities inherent in each form, and Lou made him answer some pretty niche questions about the term ‘abstract narrative’(!) They also discussed his role as Artistic Director of Danish Dance Theatre and his hopes for the 'relevance' of dance in the future.

Next Episode

Carlos Acosta

Born in Havana in 1973, Carlos Acosta trained at the National Ballet School of Havana in Cuba. After winning a succession of awards, including the Prix de Lausanne in 1990, he went on to dance professionally with the world’s most prestigious ballet companies, including The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Houston Ballet and Cuban National Ballet company. Carlos retired from classical ballet in 2016, after 28 years, having performed almost every classical role from Spartacus to Romeo.

He is the Artistic Director of his own company in Cuba- Acosta Danza, he runs the Carlos Acosta International Dance Foundation, has written a novel and an autobiography, of which the movie Yuli was made.

He received a CBE in 2014, the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award from the Royal Academy of Dance in 2018, and in 2019 the Critics’ Circle Annual Award for Outstanding Services to the Arts.

in January 2020 Carlos Acosta became Director of Birmingham Royal Ballet, and in February 2021 – he spoke to me.

DOWNTIME - interviews with dance artists & arts leaders, talking about dance & the arts - Downtime with Michael Keegan-Dolan

Transcript

Transcript
Lou Cope talks to Michael Keegan-Dolan
21 July 2020
Lou: Hello, Michael Keegan-Dolan! Thank you very much for joining me. How are you doing?
Michael: I'm doing very well. Thank you. And thank you for having me on here.
Lou: It’s a great pleasure. I am presuming that you are up some lovely hill in Ireland. Is that correct?
Michael: That is correct. I am up a lovely hill... yeah, I don't kn