To Dance on the Moon
by Ellen Eggink, Holland
James McCutcheonChoreographer James McCutcheon is from Scotland. He has his own stepdance-school in Edinburgh, called Setanta. 'My wife teaches as well and she runs the school while I am touring with To Dance on the Moon.'
James recently attended the recent World Championships in Belfast to scout for talent for Troupe 2 of To Dance on the Moon. There is still a healthy and strong group of good Irish stepdancers, despite the growing number of Irish dance shows, he says. However, not every competitive dancer fits a show. 'Dancing in a show means you have to be able to react to the audience. And you have to act on stage, which means you have to overcome your own reserve. The lead dancers have to be personalities.'
The choreographer - James McCutcheon
None of the dancers in To Dance on the Moon ever performed in a professional show before. 'They are all new and fresh,' James says. 'In the show everything is live. No tapes, no pre-recorded taps. Every night is a premiere, as it should be.' The purpose of To Dance on the Moon, according to James, is to bring Irish culture closer to the people. The storyline, presented in the songs and dance, gives logic and unity to the performance.
James, by the way, is a regular visitor of the Celtic Cafe. 'I go there every day. It's an interesting website, it knows what's happening.'
"We have made it"
Bryan CarrBryan Carr is the tenor voice of Daigh, the boy who wants to be a dancer. Bryan was a member of Ceol Chiarraí, a company based in Ballybunion, Kerry.
On tour Bryan takes care of the troupe. Makes sure for instance that the dancers keep clear from junk food. Bryan's' best personal experience so far while touring with To Dance on the Moon was to sing in the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. 'A most impressive place to be for a tenor.'
Singer - Bryan Carr
Lisa AndersonLisa Anderson, is Niamh in To Dance on the Moon, the female lead in the show. Lisa is from Glasgow, Scotland. Her grandparents are Irish. Lisa has been dancing since she was four years old. She competed in the All Ireland Championships and ended up 3rd. 'Irish dance is my first love,' she says.
She sent her CV to Micheal Carr after reading his ad for an audition in Irish Dancing Magazine. 'I was one of 200 dancers that applied, or maybe there were even more,' she says. 'I was very lucky to be called to audition.' She got even luckier being presented with the female lead in To Dance on the Moon. Lisa: 'It's a dream come true. This is what I have been wanting to do all my life.'
She is never scared of dancing in front of a theatre-audience. 'Dancing in a competition is worse, being judged by a critical jury that immediately spots every mistake you make, she says, laughing. Lisa has one brother, who has no ambition to follow in his sister’s footsteps.
Lisa loves to tour and she hasn't been homesick. 'Not yet anyway,' she says. 'We're close like family.' Her parents are very proud of her and will monitor her tour through the Celtic Cafe, Lisa says. 'My Dad is there all the time.'
Leads - Lisa Anderson & Joe Taylor
Joe TaylorJoe Taylor is Daigh, the boy in To Dance on the Moon, the male lead. He is an Irish/American who got the stepdance-virus from his Irish grandmother, who was a dancer too. Joe is from Pennsylvania, USA and has been stepdancing since he was 5 years old.
Even during his teenage years Joe never thought of quitting Irish stepdance. 'It has always been fun.' Once a dancer, always a dancer? 'If the legs can handle it, yes,' Joe says. Joe skips school for a while to perform with To Dance on the Moon. 'I will definitely go back to school,' he says.
Besides dancing, Joe likes to play basketball, baseball and soccer. 'All kinds of sports, really.' Joe never expected to make to dance the lead in the show. 'Backline, that's more what I figured.'
Touring in Europe for him means stepping into a completely different world. 'I have never been here before. But to be honest, I don't see much of it. There is a different town every time I wake up.'
Being a lead dancer is tiring, Joe admits. However, ten minutes after coming of stage in Amsterdam, he wants to know if they are going to cruise the town. He wants to have a taste of the most important day of the year in Holland: the celebration of the Queen’s birthday. And Amsterdam being the capital of Holland, it is the place to be.
Joe Taylor & Musical director Eric Cunningham
Eric CunninghamEric Cunningham is composer, arranger and musical director of To Dance on the Moon. He is from Galway, Ireland and has an impressive CV for such a young man.
Eric performed all over the world, including Broadway and was a soloist with various symphony and chamber orchestras. He graduated from the University of Ireland (Cork) with an Honours Bachelors of Music degree and a First Class Honours Master of Music Degree.
Eric's first love is Irish Traditional music. He was awarded the Sean O'Riada award for his outstanding knowledge of both the academic and practical nature of Irish Traditional music.
Eric composed the music for To Dance on the Moon. 'Most of it is my own material, the rest are traditional pieces.' To find the right words for the lyrics he even went back as far as the 16th century. As a musician Eric plays the bodhran in To Dance on the Moon. 'We have the best tune players in the band', he proudly says of his fellow musicians. Eric plans to start his Doctorate in Music later this year.
Musical director - Eric Cunningham
All pics taken by Marnix Heijnemans for the Celtic Cafe with kind permission from Mary Millane, Konzertdirektion Landgraf.
For more photos from the show please visit Marnix site.
The Celtic Cafe also wishes to thank Ellen Eggink, a journalist from the Netherlands. You can mail her your comments by clicking here.
