Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company

Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company AGM will be on 2nd June 6pm at Holywell Trust. It would be helpful if anyone intending to attend could let us know by email or direct message. Thanks.

AGM Announcement
Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company's AGM will take place on Tuesday 2nd June 2026 at 6pm. Venue TBC. This is the first AGM since the company was forced to leave Echo Echo Studios. The agenda will include a report on the past year, information on the current status of the company and future plans. All interested parties are welcome. Please let us know if you wish to attend by commenting below, messaging or emailing. We will confirm venue nearer to the date.

Wonderful opportunities for summer workshops at this lovely place in southern France, including a, "Embodying Landscape" workshop led by Echo Echo artistic director, Steve Batts. Click through to find out more or message Echo Echo if you'd like to speak to Stephen Batts

✨ Stages été 2026 à Casa Barbara ✨

La Casa Barbara, ancienne église du XIXe siècle transformée en espace de création dans le parc national des Cévennes (Gard), accueille cet été une série de stages immersifs autour du corps, de la danse, de la voix et de la performance.
Des artistes et pédagogues venu·e·s d’horizons variés proposeront 10 workshops dans un cadre naturel inspirant

Programmation été 2026 : https://www.lacasabarbara.fr/ete-2026-summer-2026/

* 20–24 mai//TOUT PREND VIE (QUAND LES CONTRADICTIONS S’ACCUMULENT) — avec JULES BECKMAN
→ Stage transdisciplinaire d’improvisation et de performance se concentrant sur la connexion entre nos intuitions animales primaires et nos vies humaines contemporaines

* 11–16 juin//EMBODYING LANDSCAPE / INCARNER LE PAYSAGE — avec STEVE BATTS
→ Stage intensif où nous nous immergeons dans le paysage. Plus t**d, en studio, nous évoquons nos expériences sensorielles et émotionnelles comme source de créativité en mouvement

* 1–12 juillet//SENSATION – PERCEPTION – ACTION — avec EMILIO ARTESSERO QUESADA
→ Workshop axé sur la conscience et l'engagement de l'appareil sensori-moteur. Seulement ouvert à des personnes ayant une expérience en improvisation

* 15–19 juillet//DANSER L’ENDROIT, SE DÉDIER AUX LIEUX — avec LAURE TERRIER (Cie Jeanne Simone)
→ Nous traverserons des pratiques somatiques, nous jouerons à composer en temps réel, nous travaillerons la relation à l'espace, au temps, aux lieux. Focus sur Molières-sur-Cèze

* 28 juillet – 2 août//THÉÂTRE POÉTIQUE SENSORIEL — avec GIOVANNA PEZZULLO & PATRIZIA MENICHELLI
→ LE THÈME : LE DERNIER GESTE. Parcours de création poético-sensorielle autour de l’absence / présence, entre ce qui se perd et ce qui s’imprime, entre le dernier geste et sa mémoire

* 8–12 août//ACCORDER NOS VOIX — avec CÉCILIA SIMONET
→ Virée à travers différents « pays » : franco-occitan, Corse, Pays basque, ainsi que certaines régions d’Espagne ou d’Italie. Découverte de l’art de chanter ensemble a ca****la

* 15–21 août//BODY WEATHER — avec FRANK VAN DE VEN
→ Laboratoire de recherche et de pratique performative examinant les relations changeantes entre le corps, l’environnement et la perception

* 25–28 août//CORPS, VOIX & CULTURE KRUMP — avec CLARISSE TOGNELLA
→ L’écoute du corps, le dépassement de soi, le développement de sa gestuelle, l’exploration de différentes esthétiques du mouvement, le travail de la voix et le jeu à partir des bases KRUMP

* 1–4 septembre//SHAKING – L’ART DE SE SECOUER — avec JANE FOURNIER DUMET
→ Créer une secousse intérieure, un rebond à soi. Un rebond intime qui, avec le temps et l’expérience, devient collectif

* 14-18 SEPTEMBRE//DANSER DEHORS, RÉVÉLER L’INVISIBLE — avec JEAN-ANTOINE BIGOT & ANNE LE BATTARD (Cie Ex Nihilo)
→ Danser dehors, c’est offrir un autre regard sur le bâti, l’atmosphère d’une rue et la respiration d’un quartier, en cohabitation avec celles et ceux qui y vivent

💫 Chaque stage est une expérience artistique et humaine : exploration du mouvement, de la présence, de la voix et de la relation — accessible à différents niveaux.

📍 Lieu : La Casa Barbara, 30410 Molières sur Cèze. www.lacasabarbara.fr
📩 Infos & inscriptions : [email protected]

Au plaisir de vous y retrouver

I wish I had space for this library. If you do contact Jenni Doherty at Little Acorns Bookstore (Derry).

Ayesha Mailey Zoë Ramsey Antonina Sheina Nadine Hegarty

DU Dance (NI) invites applicants to become our next Artistic Director.

The Artistic Director will be responsible for setting the artistic vision and strategic direction for the company and ensuring the successful delivery of DU Dance (NI)’s work.

Ultimately reporting to the board, this is a leadership role requiring artistic excellence, advocacy, a strong personal drive, inspiring and inclusive team leadership and the ability to work and communicate well with our artists, communities, participants and stakeholders.

This is a significant moment in the company’s journey, as we look ahead to a new chapter of leadership following the stepping down of our founding Artistic Director, Mags Byrne.

Full details on the role and the application process can be found in the Application Pack at: https://linktr.ee/dudanceni or visit www.dudanceni.com

Closing date for applications is 11am on Monday 10th November 2025

Public Statement

It has been a while since our last update and we have been putting this off as long as possible in case there would be any late developments.

It is with great regret and very heavy hearts that Echo Echo Studios will be closing on Tuesday 30th September.

This is a catastrophic loss for the arts in the northwest which will impact widely throughout the island and across Europe.

We know that most of you will be as devastated as we are.

Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company will lose its wonderful purpose-refurbished home building, our three full-time staff will lose their jobs, and the company’s ensemble artists and associate artists will lose a principal source of earnings and the space where much of their work took place.

The city will lose beautiful spaces for a multitude of artistic activities from rehearsals, performances, concerts, exhibitions and classes for all ages and abilities. Many people have told us and written that they have had some of the most impactful moments of their lives taking part in projects, watching performances or making work in this place.

Since we last updated you about the company’s funding appeal being rejected in July, we have been working diligently behind the scenes to find a way to save the company and building. Echo Echo has submitted a detailed complaint about the circumstances around the company’s sudden funding cut to the NI Public Services Ombudsman. This complaint has been accepted into the system however the process can take another 6 months or more to be completed.

The company has met with politicians, civil servants and regularly with local council officers to find a way to Save Echo Echo Studios but ultimately it has not been possible. This is despite unanimous cross-party political support from MPs, MLAs and Councillors, including some who really engaged with us in depth throughout the summer. We thank them all for their time and attention.

We want to thank all of our audiences, friends and colleagues, from near and far, for the incredible support that you have given to us in recent months – especially people who donated so generously to the crowdfunder and who wrote letters of support. We have been genuinely humbled by the stories of the impact of Echo Echo’s work on so many.

The crowdfunder donations totalled £18,576 and meant that the company could keep going long enough to submit the formal complaint, pay all its debts, and ensure that we have done everything possible to save the building, and finally to exit in an orderly manner.

We would like to thank our landlords at Waterloo House for their support and understanding, and we offer special thanks to our colleagues at In Your Space Circus and Studio2 who have been wonderful.

We also offer our sincere thanks to all of the company’s funders and supporters over the years.

And finally, thank you to all of the dedicated Echo Echo team — directors, staff, ensemble artists, associate artists, and others — who have continued to work under the most difficult circumstances.

Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company will continue to exist in a much smaller form and we look forward to dancing with you again sometime soon.

Join us today for our last Dance Picnic at 3pm at Plumbridge Parish Hall! 🤸‍♂️☕️✨️

⏰ Event Update – New Start Time!
Our Echo Echo Dance Picnic in Plumbridge Parish Hall will now begin at 3pm (not 2pm as previously advertised) on Saturday 27th September.

The same joyful, inclusive dance and movement session – just one hour later!
✨ A relaxed and playful afternoon for all ages and abilities
✨ Movement games, dance and music
✨ Bring your own picnic or snacks to share

We’re looking forward to welcoming you all at the new time of 3pm – let’s dance, play, and eat together!

📍 Plumbridge Parish Hall
📅 Saturday 27th September | 3.00–4.30pm

Free event | Funded by the National Lottery through Arts Council NI’s Rural Arts Engagement Programme.