Dance To Remember Dónal Dineen / Backstory

Presented by Dublin Dance Festival

Dónal Dineen presents a special edition of his renowned Backstory Dance along with the Dublin premiere of his short autobiographical documentary that unpicks the ties that bind us to the people and places we love.

Through the lens of Dónal’s relationship with his father, the film, produced by James Kelly (Feenish Productions), pays homage to the unique traditional music of Sliabh Luachra before mapping the arc of his own singular journey into sound. United by the universal sound of the accordion, we uncover how music and dance can bridge generations and connect distant cultures.

Weaving the personal with the universal, Dance To Remember is a salute to the communal act of dancing as well as a tribute to the legacy of community dance spaces, both in rural Ireland and beyond.

With live set-dancing and performances by accordion masters Seamas Hyland and Bryan O’Leary, this event is a celebration of tradition and the enduring power of dancing communities.

Ticketholders are then invited to stay for a special edition of Dónal Dineen’s Backstory Dance featuring special guest Ethiopian DJ, Hewan Mulugeta. With its motto “All the colours, every dancing mood”, Backstory has become a touchstone for discerning dancers in Dublin and beyond over the past decade.