30 October 2025
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
An evening of live performance, film and conversation on Thursday 30 October
Uillinn: West Cork Arts Centre is delighted to launch Uillinn Dance Season 2025 on Thursday 30 October with a specially curated evening of live dance, film screenings and discussion. Supported by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, this season brings together bold new voices in contemporary dance, inviting audiences of all backgrounds to engage, discover and be inspired.
This exciting programme continues Uillinn’s commitment to growing contemporary dance in West Cork, building connections between artists, audiences and communities.
“We look forward to welcoming audiences to an inspiring season of live dance and performance,” says Justine Foster, Uillinn Dance Season organiser. “Our sincere thanks to the artists, arts workers, funders and everyone whose passion and collaboration have shaped this dynamic programme.”
The evening opens with a wine reception followed by the screening of Against the Waning Light introduced by artist Paul Murnaghan. This evocative video installation traces an ancient journey from ocean floor to forested hills, blending human and non-human worlds. Created by multidisciplinary artist Paul Murnaghan, dance artist Cindy Cummings, and visual artist/freediver Nina McGowan, the work explores belief, embodiment and transformation. We are delighted that Paul Murnaghan will be with us on the night to introduce the piece.
Audiences will then gather in the Jim O’Driscoll Gallery, specially reimagined as a dance performance space, for a prelude performance of Intrusive. This short solo work-in-progress by Hetty Gazzaniga (UL Contemporary Dance student) offers a raw and intimate exploration of intrusive thoughts through movement and sound.
The main live performance of the evening is Replicas by Tipperary Dance, featuring dancer Eleni Roberts and musician Thomas Belhom. This compelling duet embraces ambiguity and imperfection, forming part of a diptych reflecting on the pressures of modern life. The performance will be followed by a Q&A with choreographer Alex Iseli and Uillinn Programme Manager Justine Foster.
To close the evening, audiences are invited to the Courtyard Gallery to experience Variation of Stickman, a film installation by Squarehead Productions. This work presents three looping videos delicately depicting the balance of bodies and objects, created by Darragh McLoughlin and Elena Kreusch of Squarehead Productions, a Berlin-based company originally from West Cork.
This rich and diverse opening night marks the beginning of West Cork’s premier dance event of the year, offering audiences an unforgettable evening of performance, film and conversation.