One of the best parts about being an Irish dancer is the lifelong friendships that develop into your dance family. Those of you who have competed in Ceili and Figure dancing will know that feeling of being part of a team performance. The camaraderie and togetherness within the team is extremely special as you all experience the highs and lows of that journey together. The same can be said for performance dancing, which is why in 2013 Fusion Fighters started their vision of creating a community for dancers with a passion for performance.
After becoming a well-known internet community, Fusion Fighters artistic director Chris Naish knew the next step was to bring dancers to a physical venue where they could meet and perform together. This is how in 2016 the ‘Fusion Dance Fest’ was born. Now, in 2021, six years later, it is regarded as a meeting hub for performance enthusiasts from all over the world.
Irish dancers are the pinnacle of resilience, and when the world came to a halt in 2020, they all proved it. The entire community found ways to turn a living room into a studio while teachers learned how to use Zoom to keep everyone dancing during these difficult times. The pandemic also saw the need to completely adapt how events were being held, and believe us, changing the structure to transition online was no easy feat. Especially when the highlight of the festival involves theatre and television performances at the end of the week.
The pressure was on to create an online experience that was just as rewarding as being there in-person. These unprecedented circumstances forced the team to think quickly and to be extra creative, not only with the digital performances, but also with all the behind-the-scenes action. It also presented a new unique challenge for the cast members’ families who were needed to assist with costuming and filming. Against all the odds, last year the online festival accepted 80 cast members from more than 15 countries.
It has to be said that after a truly remarkable week, no one involved could believe how rewarding the journey together was. The team is extremely proud to say that despite the challenges, Fusion Dance Fest was one of the first Irish dance events to transition online and produce a completely original, digital Irish dance show, and is now thrilled to announce that the event will take place again this summer from 2-8 August 2021.
Considering this unique position of transitioning online, Fusion Dance Fest has also decided to make an extensive documentary film, and can’t wait to release the film this summer, so keep an eye out!
At the moment, the Fusion Dance Fest team are thrilled to take on the 2021 event knowing that the online format is a success. As much as everyone would like to get back to being in-person, FDF thought one more year online would make sense as there are still restrictions in place and much uncertainty about travel. However, a new addition for this year’s instalment is to host an optional in-person performance in Ireland for those who can meet up on August 9th and 10th.
“Our mission statement has always focused on ‘inclusivity’, and so we extend our welcome to all ages, levels, and nationalities to join us for a brand new adventure this summer.”
The philosophy behind FDF performances is creativity and innovation, and this year’s selected guest choreographers will certainly bring just that to the table: James Greenan, Lianne Stubbs and Dane McKiernan. These three very talented and accomplished choreographers produce different styles that complement each other and will show the range of diversity available for Irish dancers.
This year is also a proud full-circle moment for FDF. Over the past six years, Eve Sheridan, Laoise Dunne, and World Champion Mairead Trainor have transitioned from cast members to Fusion Fighters performance crew/instructors and are now co-choreographers, which just goes to show that with hard work, others too can follow in their footsteps.
Fusion Dance Fest has more fantastic news. This year, it will be joined by the wellness experts at the ‘From Head to Toe Academy’ where Chloey Turner and her team will be providing strength and conditioning, yoga, mindset, psychology, nutrition, and more. Another special guest is make up artist Ellie-Mae Wheeler.
We know everyone is anxiously waiting for in-person opportunities again. However, hosting Fusion Dance Fest online for one more year provides dancers with the opportunity to join the event from anywhere in the world. Our mission statement has always focused on inclusivity, and so we extend our welcome to all ages, levels, and nationalities to join us for a brand new adventure this summer. Be prepared to make lots of friends and be part of a journey you will never forget.
The search for cast members is on. Go to www.fusiondancefest.com to apply (Limited Cast Positions Available).
