Oona Doherty's 'Hard to Be Soft: A Belfast Prayer' Premieres at Dance Umbrella 2019
On October 11, 2019, Oona Doherty showcased her choreography titled 'Hard to Be Soft: A Belfast Prayer' (2017) at the Southbank Centre in London, part of the Dance Umbrella festival running from October 8 to 27. The work delves into the lives of Belfast's working-class communities, structured in four distinct episodes. In the initial and final segments, Doherty performs solo, accompanied by a score from David Holmes that fuses Renaissance choral elements, electronica, and street sounds from Belfast. The second episode features ten young female hip-hop dancers, while the third includes two topless men in a stark setting. This piece, evolved from 'Hope Hunt & The Ascension into Lazarus' (2016), serves as a 'dance prayer' for Doherty's hometown.
Key facts
- Oona Doherty performed 'Hard to Be Soft: A Belfast Prayer' at Southbank Centre on October 11, 2019
- The work consists of four episodes exploring Belfast's working-class communities
- David Holmes created the score using Renaissance choral music, electronica, and Belfast street recordings
- Ten young female hip-hop dancers perform in the second episode called 'Sugar Army'
- Two topless overweight white men appear in the third episode 'Meat Kaleidoscope'
- Ciaran Bagnall designed the minimalist set with vertical slats resembling church or prison architecture
- The piece developed from Doherty's earlier solo 'Hope Hunt & The Ascension into Lazarus' (2016)
- Dance Umbrella festival ran from October 8 to 27, 2019 across London venues
Entities
Artists
- Oona Doherty
- Guilherme Miotto
- Emma Martin
- Enda Walsh
- David Holmes
- Ciaran Bagnall
- Gregorio Allegri
Institutions
- Dance Umbrella
- Southbank Centre
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Belfast
- Northern Ireland