Balor: The Creative Process: At the Crossroads? Dance and Irish Culture

This paper discusses the choreographic development of Balor, a theatrical dance production conceived as a natural evolution of Irish dance beyond the variety show format popularised in the mid-1990s. Framed as a move toward a contemporary Irish dance ballet, the work signals a significant shift in the expectations placed on Irish dance performers. To meet the demands of this emerging form, dancers must cultivate a broader skill set, engaging with multiple movement disciplines and embracing identities as versatile dancers and actors. Balor challenges traditional Irish dance conventions by pushing the limits of movement vocabulary and performance style, departing from the formal constraints of competition-based dancing. The paper also reflects on the collaborative process between choreographer and composer—in this instance, Joe Csibi—highlighting the creative potential of expanding beyond the traditional Irish music canon in contemporary Irish dance practice.