Birthday Bloco Carnival

Birthday Bloco

FREE EVENT

The Global Bloco in the park is the build up to a spectacular carnival procession, which will parade through Dún Laoghaire.

Dress-up, come down and get grooving – we’re relying on you to help us celebrate our 10th Anniversary in true audience participation… Rio-style!

LUXe
LUXe is a professional processional spectacle company who’s passion is bringing its unique decorative style of sensory multi layered spectacle to communities throughout Ireland and the rest of the world.  They create beautifully detailed and decorative illuminated costume, mechanical and inflatable sculptures and work with a variety of performers, dancers and musicians to create unique street spectacles. At the festival’s Birthday Bloco Carnival, don’t miss the magnificent Towers of Babel moving through Dun Laoghaire with their perfromers.

Najib Soudani Group
Gnawas use hypnotic music, dance and ritual trance to heal. Hailing from Essaouira, the Moroccan centre of this classical Sufism fused with pre-Islamic African traditions; Najib Soudani continues this 400-year-old tradition of music-making.

La Banda del Surdo
Percussionists, dancers, stilt walkers and street artists, Spain’s La Banda del Surdo are an ensemble of musical acrobats whose powerful rhythms have been know to stop a festival in its tracks. Having collaborated with world renowned Cirque du Soleil and Comedians, amongst many other theatre companies, La Banda del Surdo remains one of Europe’s most popular street percussion ensembles.

Bollywood
Watch in amazement as vibrant Bollywood dancers choreographed by Yasmina Bouhebbal make their way with beautiful classic Indian steps through the streets of Dun Laoghaire.

Irish Sikh Council
Bhangra, the most virile of Indian folk dances, is a harvest dance abundantly reflecting the vigour, vitality and exuberance of the people of Punjab in Northern India and Pakistan. Giddha is a popular folk dance of women in Punjab region of India and Pakistan. The dance is often considered derived from the ancient dance known as the ring dance and is just as energetic as Bhangra and at the same time it manages to creatively display feminine grace, elegance and elasticity. Traditional Gidda and Bhangra dancers will be celebrating the festival’s 10th anniversary in our Birthday Bloco Carnival. Presented by the Irish Sikh Council.

Dublin Youth Dance
Dublin Youth Dance Company Ireland’s premiere contemporary youth-dance group strives for excellence and high standards. The main aim of the DYDC is to offer talented young dancers an opportunity to participate in the creation, production and performance of contemporary dance works at the highest-level of expertise.

The parade Choreographer – Muirne Bloomer
Muirne has worked with CoisCéim in many capacities since 1995. She has won several awards for Best Pageant for her work with St Patrick’s Festival Parade and has just received a Dance Ireland Bursary Award for her collaborative research with Emma O’Kane entitled Manufacturing the Truth. Currently, she is Artistic Director of the City Fusion project for St Patrick’s Festival 2010.

Best viewing points are Marine Road and Georges Street. Please note that the roads will remain open until the Carnival begins. Ensure to remain on the footpaths and be aware of all moving vehicles; please do not attempt to cross the road during the Carnival, as this will disrupt the show.

Birthday Bloco Carnival is produced by the dlr Festival of World Cultures in association with St. Patrick’s Festival Company.

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