A space that will kick-start dance?

Floor-to-ceiling windows at DanceHouse mean passers-by can see its dancers at work. The aim is to make them part of the architecture, writes Michael Seaver

As most of us live in relative clutter we can't fail to be impressed with a spacious, clean-lined, brand new building like the new DanceHouse in Dublin's north inner city. For those who have worked in dance in the city and suffered inadequate makeshift studios, walking through the broad corridors from one white-walled studio to another is even more impressive. But David King-Smith's view? "It needs to be full of lively people and get a few dents and kicks."

King-Smith is director of the public-private partnership scheme between Dublin City Council and McCabe builders that is responsible for DanceHouse, along with 65 apartments and an arts centre - The Lab - situated next door.

The two larger studios with seven-metre high ceilings are what most impress, yet like so many new dance spaces the architects believe that the dancers, visible through floor-to-ceiling windows, are part of the architecture and are happy to concede to the inevitable few dents and kicks.

And it's paying off. Dance Base in Edinburgh got architect Malcolm Fraser shortlisted for the Sterling Prize, one of the UK's most prestigious architecture award, while the £22 million (€32 million) Laban Centre in London scooped the prize for Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron in 2003. Described by judges as "an extraordinarily fine building, one that raises the expectations of architecture", this 7,800sq m building houses one of the world's largest contemporary dance centres. It includes a 300-seat theatre, 13 studios, a library, archive and cafe. The Swiss architects also see dancers as part of the architecture, creating what Herzog calls a "cinematographic effect" when the shadows of dancers are cast on the facade.

Laban may be larger in scale, but it is similar to Dublin's DanceHouse in that it is part of a local rejuvenation project. As well as providing rehearsal and class space for students and professionals, there are outreach programmes with young people from the surrounding areas of Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark and classes for local parents and toddlers. Although DanceHouse has yet to open it has already received accusations of ignoring the local community. As reported in The Irish Times, local dance groups claimed they had been promised space and time in the new building, but that Dublin City Council have reneged on these promises.

"Those accusations were a bit premature," says Dublin City Council arts officer Jack Gilligan. "The Association of Professional Dancers in Ireland , who won the tender to manage the building, hasn't taken over the running of the building yet. In fact Dublin City Council hasn't even taken ownership of the building."

Gilligan is based at The Lab, next door to DanceHouse, and has always placed an emphasis on local interaction.

"Obviously Dublin City Council's policy lies in supporting arts development, but a crucial part of that is how we can connect with the wider community. There's no point in providing facilities if that doesn't find its way back to the community, however circuitous the route."

Paul Johnson, the newly appointed managing director of APDI, will be the one responsible for making these connections. A former dancer and choreographer, he worked most recently as artist services manager at the Arts Council, and is looking forward to addressing the whole question of how best to interact with the local community.

"There seems to be a misunderstanding about the function of Dance House," he says. "As it was being planned it was referred to as a 'dance centre' and then a 'dance space' and the local community might have been led to believe that this was a local resource along the lines of a community centre."

He is planning to meet local councillors and community groups and explain his strategy of involving local groups.

This isn't just fulfilling APDI's management tender that was won on the basis of strong local involvement, but an ethos that is at the core of Johnson's plans for the building. "For seven years I lived in Buckingham Street next door to the Fire Station Studios. I was involved a lot in what was going on there, so I'm really sensitive to the issue and know that a centre in any area can't work unless the local community is involved."

These days outreach and interaction with non-dance groups is part of many dance companies' artistic make-up, not just to tick boxes on funding applications but as part of their overall credo. No longer are companies working solely towards a theatrical presentation, but many are working on process-based work and as part of that process they are collaborating with non-dance groups.

Suitable space for dance was just one of the deficits recognised by Dublin City Council. "Other deficits include the recently opened extension on the Hugh Lane Gallery and the soon-to-be-opened artists' studios in St Anne's Park," says Gilligan, "but the need for a dance centre was very obvious. And it's not just municipal, but a national dance centre."

The impact on the professional community will be significant. But will a pristine working environment change the nature of work produced? "Yes, but in a positive way," says Johnson. "I've gone to classes in dirty cold seedy halls where you can't help feeling dirty, cold and seedy. DanceHouse will give dancers a modicum of comfort. In terms of health and safety it will be a phenomenal leap, with sprung floors, proper heat and ventilation. It will make people feel better about their profession."

The other big impact will be in terms of process. Johnson will encourage choreographers to think long-term and not to cram their work into short rehearsal periods. Ideally DanceHouse would like to offer heavily subsidised space to choreographers to engage in research, perhaps even through a mentorship programme.

The discontinuation of funding to the Institute of Choreography and Dance (ICD) obviously led to speculation that DanceHouse would take over its brief. Ironically, just weeks before the Arts Council's decision, ICD hosted a first conference of European dance houses, but the Dublin building doesn't particularly align itself to these models.

"We wanted dance in the title," says Johnson. "And the word 'house' implies home and tradition. When looking at other models, in typically Irish fashion, we looked at European models but also to the United States where they have dance centres offering a variety of classes as much as Europe. We took ideas from both models."

Unlike ICD, DanceHouse hasn't a theatre (although the big studios could be used for informal presentations), and won't be associated with one form of practice, but include tap, traditional, hip-hop and other styles of dance.

Coinciding with its move into DanceHouse, the APDI will rebrand itself as Dance Ireland, and Dublin City Council will soon advertise for a dancer-in-residence based at The Lab, but perhaps involving some interaction with DanceHouse.

The opening date remains uncertain as the council awaits signing off on the building. For now it's in pristine condition, but soon a steady stream of professional and community dancers will begin occupying the building, fulfilling King-Smith's wish for a few scratches and dents.