Sir, - Michael Seaver's article "No dancing" (The Irish Times, August 5th), sadly depicts dance in Ireland in a bit of a dust-bowl, with a dearth of dance performances and very few visiting international dance companies - the few oases being the dance development work in Firkin Crane, Cork and the choreographer-in-residence currently at the Project Arts Centre, Dublin.
But kicking the dust about has perhaps blinded Mr Seaver's vision. Dance development work - including performances outside the metropolitan centre - are not merely mirages. I can think of Limerick and Longford as two such areas. Also, the range of work in Firkin Crane alone extends well beyond the cursory description afforded it in this particular article.
As a dance development agency, Firkin Crane has a local, national and international remit. This is reflected in an extensive programme which embraces a range of dance training programmes attracting participants and interest nationwide; visits and residencies from internationally acclaimed dance companies and artists alongside the indigenous work; and research projects for Irish and Irish-based dance makers, choreographers and dancers. Firkin Crane has progressed from Irish National Ballet founder Joan Denise Morarity's vision of it as a home for a ballet company. Since then - and Seaver's heady dance days of 1995 - the work has continued. Firkin Crane has presented a reconstruction of Royston Maldoom's Celebration, commissioned for the Irish National Ballet Company, and there are many other examples where Firkin Crane's programme of work is consolidating, supporting and stimulating dance provision in Ireland. - Yours, etc., Mary Brady, Artistic Director, Firkin Crane,
Shandon, Cork.