At the beginning of the piece, Silvia emerges from behind a curtain at the back of the stage. It is far from the dramatic entrance one might expect from a performer. Dressed entirely in white and carrying a single sheet of paper, she walks calmly to the front of the stage and offers the audience a faint, noncommittal smile. After briefly squinting at the text, she hands the page to an audience member, asking them to read it instead. The text contains a short description of the piece, along with acknowledgements of those who funded it. Silvia appears mildly exasperated by its length, remarking that it will be shortened for the following evening’s performance. Once the announcements are complete, she begins the performance in earnest.

The piece is a solo work by performer and choreographer Silvia Gribaudi, whose practice is known for its “artistic research on choreography, dance and humour.” Silvia is noticeably older than the performers typically seen at the Dance Festival, where most dancers are in their twenties or early thirties. Now over fifty, she remains remarkably agile and physically capable, yet her body reflects the natural changes that come with age. Rather than the lean, sculpted physique so often associated with dance, we see the curves and contours of a mature body. The work centres on ageing and the transformations the body undergoes over time.
The dance sequences are interspersed throughout the performance and are often followed by Silvia’s exaggerated panting as she struggles to catch her breath. At one point, she presses a microphone against her chest so the audience can hear the rapid beating of her heart. We also hear her knee “sing,” producing an audible click each time she bends it. One imagines many dancers carry similar injuries; it seems to come with the territory.

These moments of dance are punctuated by conversation, humour, and a considerable amount of audience participation. Audience members are invited onto the stage or encouraged to engage directly with Silvia by answering questions and offering observations. She is warm and personable, often using her imperfect English to comic effect. Although she may be accustomed to audiences more animated than a Tuesday-evening crowd in Dublin, she gradually succeeds in drawing people out, and by the end of the performance, the level of audience engagement is striking.

The production offered a refreshing contrast to the more intense and serious works often presented as part of the Dublin Dance Festival. Silvia comes across as generous, self-aware, and deeply humble throughout the evening. In an era dominated by curated perfection and social media image-making, there is something genuinely valuable in seeing a performer beyond the first flush of youth demonstrate that dance is not the exclusive preserve of flawless bodies.