Sokalo Remix Project returns to Portlaoise’s Dunamaise Arts Centre

After a sold out national tour of Ireland in 2015, The Sokalo Remix Project returns and will make it’s Laois debut on the 14th March at the Dunamaise Arts Centre.

The Sokalo Remix Project is a transatlantic artistic collaboration between Montreal-based dance company [ZØGMA] and four professional artists from the Irish traditional performing arts, Leitrim sean nós dancer Edwina Guckian and Mayo’s Liam Scanlon, dancer and concertina player Caitlín Nic Gabhann from Meath and Achill’s virtuoso harper Laoise Kelly. 

Sokalo Remix Project returns to Portlaoise’s Dunamaise Arts Centre

The project began in 2015 when [ZØGMA] visited Ireland to work on a show then called Sokalo Atlantic Rhythms. This collaboration resulted in an enthralling, highly energetic production, at the crossroads of modernity and tradition. The show toured Ireland and Canada visiting five provinces there. Now the artistic team that brought that production to life are back again with a remixed version that once again fuses Quebecois and Irish traditional music and dance cultures.

Each time they meet, the artists involved in the project produce a magical spectacle that highlights the proximity of Irish and Quebecois traditional cultures, while offering a new aesthetics and a new vision of folklore, merging both traditional and contemporary life.

Laoise Kelly is regarded throughout the world as the most significant Irish harper of her generation, Edwina Guckian and Liam Scanlon are renowned across Ireland for their innovative take on Sean Nós dancing while Riverdance star Caitlin Nic Gabhann is not just gifted with her feet but is also 3 times All Ireland concertina champion.

The performance will take place on Tuesday, March 14th at 8.00 pm. Tickets are available on +353 57 866 3355

or online at www.dunamaise.ie

SOKALO REMIX – Irish Artists 

Caitlín Nic Gabhann –  Dancer / Musician 

Three time All-Ireland champion on concertina, Caitlín is a regular performer at festivals and in concert halls from North America all the way to Asia. She is also an accomplished dancer and has toured the world with Riverdance as a troupe dancer.   She is involved as musician and dancer with bands NicGaviskey  (USA/IRL), Birkin Tree (ITALY), The Irish Concertina Ensemble and original theatre production Mag Mell and she regulary performs as part of the duo Caitlin and Ciaran.   She is from County Meath.

Sokalo Remix Project returns to Portlaoise’s Dunamaise Arts Centre

‘Of all the many fine Irish traditional albums released in 2012, hers is the best. Caitlín gets my vote as the top Irish traditional album of 2012‘Earle Hitchner – Music Writer, The Wall Street Journal

Laoise Kelly  – Harpist  

   “Laoise Kelly is a young harpist with the disposition of an iconoclast and the talent and technique of a virtuoso.”  Irish Times

“An exuberant and innovative talent which catches the spirit of the modern Irish music movement in a way that few harpers have done to date.”  Irish Music Magazine

Laoise Kelly from Westport, Co. Mayo is regarded as “the most significant harper of her generation”.

  Throughout her solo career she has recorded on over 60 albums with many of Ireland’s foremost artists including The Chieftains, Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon, Dónal Lunny, Tommy Makem, Matt Molloy, Mary Black, Maighread & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Eimear Quinn as well as Kate Bush and American country/bluegrass icon Tim O’Brien.    She has represented Ireland with the Irish Embassy in Nigeria, Ghana, Russia, Argentina, and was honored to be the only Irish Harper to represent Ireland at the World Harp Festival in Paraguay.   Laoise is from Westport, Co. Mayo.

Liam Scanlon  – dancer

Dance Ireland Associate Artist 2016-2017, Liam Scanlon is the first traditional dancer to be awarded this title.  A recent graduate of the MA in Traditional Dance Performance at University of Limerick, Liam was also awarded Corn TG4 at Oireachtas na Gaeilge (2008) and winner of senior Sean Nós dancing at the World Fleadh (2009).  He has performed alongside an eclectic range of traditional music artists, including Altan, Goitse, De Dannan, Kíla, We Banjo 3.    Liam is from Glenhest in Co. Mayo.

Sokalo Remix Project returns to Portlaoise’s Dunamaise Arts Centre

Edwina Guckian – dancer

Edwina from Co. Leitrim, has worked as choreographer on director Ken Loach’s film, Jimmy’s Hall, nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. She also worked as a guest presenter on RTE’s The Beo Show that involved teaching children music and dance in a fun and unique way She has shared the stage with some of Ireland’s most influential acts such as De Danann, Dervish, Mairtín O Connor, Frankie Gavin, Kíla, Martin Hayes, Séamus Begley, We Banjo 3 and John Carty to name a few and has also worked with Frankie Gavin & De Danann in ‘ Women of Ireland’.  In 2015/2016 Edwina performed and toured with The Leitrim Equation,  with singer Eleanor Shanley, poet/playwright Vincent Woods and musicians Donal Lunny, Padraig McGovern, Dave Sheridan and John McCartin. She runs Sean Nós ar an tSionann Dance Club for children with over 500 members in the west of Ireland.