MANY MEs – Project Arts Centre – Review

Date – 18th February
Time – 7:30pm
Space – The Space Upstairs – Duration – 40 minutes

This is a solo piece by choreographer and performer Rocio Dominguez. The stage is in darkness as the piece begins, with a sole figure dressed in white emerging from the gloom. Her motion is slow and controlled, as she starts this new production. There is a transparent screen at the front of the stage used for projections throughout the work. There is also a simple bowl of water at the front of the stage and a chair to one side. It is a monotone set, with a black stage and white garments.

Rocío Dominguez is an Argentinean dance artist based in Dublin. Rocío is a regular in the dance scene in Dublin and has worked with names such as Junk Ensemble, Tipperary Dance, Luke Murphy and Loosysmokes. This work reflects her “personal experiences of transit, loss, and rebirth. Echoes of a sister’s death, the lingering wounds of a violent love relationship”.

The Sound Design by Ingrid Bocek features a wide variety of sounds, from water lapping and flowing, to more industrial-sounding drones and even a section with full-on dance music, where the drum beat rules over all. The piece requires various sounds from calm to wild abandon, and the music reflected this.

The title of the piece MANY MEs is reflected in one segment where Rocio dances with several other versions of herself projected onto the screen, some as complete shadows. It is one of the more successful moments of the production, with frantic motion. This stands in contrast to the slower more meditative sections, with controlled studied motion and scenes where she contorts her body into different guises. At 40 minutes it is a relatively short piece but is a slow and contemplative work, rarely allowing frenetic motion or bold statements.

Concept, Direction, Text and Performance: Rocio Dominguez
Visual Design and Operation: Ross Ryder
PM, Lighting Design and Sound Operation: Gearóid O Hallmhuráin
Sound Design: Ingrid Bocek
Voices: Ariel Romano Daglio and Margaret Bridge
Dramaturgy: Javier Cuevas
Videography and Photography: Patricio Cassinoni
Graphic Design: Nuria Vega Bariani
Producer: Greta Bourke
PR: Stephanie Dickenson