Body Duet is an intense, fiercely-passionate spectacle of dance theatre, featuring two of the top dancers in the world pushing the boundaries of sensual performance art.
The piece’s artistic director is John Scott, an Irishman who trained at Dublin City Ballet working with Anna Sokolow.
“This is the best dancing you will see in Ireland this year,” says Mr Scott.
“It’s a brand new piece, it’s very exciting and it comes from an other duet I made ‘Actions’, which was very well received.”
Body Duet features two highly-acclaimed dance artists on stage, talking, shouting, whispering – and of course, dancing, with much of the performance set to an electronic soundtrack by Blackfish, an American group.
Michelle Boulé, who director John Scott describes as ‘currently the hottest thing out there’, was recently awarded the much-coveted 'Bessie' prize for outstanding female dancer in New York.
Philip Connaughton is regarded by many in the business as the best male dancer in Ireland at present. He trained in London, and has danced all over the world with a vast array of different styles in his repertoire.
“It began in October, but we started rehearsals really in January. And we started with nothing, we had to create it from scratch. It’s not like theatre where you go in with a script – we didn’t even have a skeleton. But within the first two hours, we were at a stage that it usually takes two weeks to get to. Michelle and Philip are so good,” says Mr Scott.
“Both dancers are so good theatrically as well; they talk, they dance – there’s about seven sections of intense dance. It’s so full of energy and tension – it’s passionate, it’s sensual and it’s sexy.”
There will also be a post-show discussion with the company on Sunday, August 14.
Mr Scott is the director of the Irish Modern Dance Theatre, a progressive group that has pushed the boundaries of modern dance and new forms of expression, both here in Ireland and worldwide.
For twenty years, the IMDT has been dedicated to working with international choreographers to create and commission innovative dance, raising the bar for performance art. Mr Scott is a return visitor to the Kilkenny Arts Festival, having worked on another dance segment in 2007 entitled ‘This Dancing Life’.
The piece, Body Duet, has a broad appeal however, and anyone can enjoy the show, regardless of their previous experience and understanding of dance theatre.
“I think anyone can show up to this – just watching Philip and Michelle together, it’s very visceral and people have a very strong reaction to it,” says Mr Scott.
“It’s a different art form, but people respond to it, it’s not ballet – it’s wild and it’s fun.”
Body Duet is on in the Watergate Theatre on Saturday, August 13 at 5pm, and Sunday, August 15 at 2pm and 5pm. Tickets are €15, or €12 for concession, and are available from the Kilkenny Arts Festival box office on High Street.
