Deep End Dance
It is the light that attracts us in the mellifluous film Deep End Dance, captured in the camera eye of director Conor Horgan. The incongruous becomes surprisingly normal as a suited but goggled dance-maker/swimmer/dancer David Bolger dives into the pool. The dappled turquoise and pale green surface riven only by the gravitational pull of his dance, he turns and nonchalantly rests his elbow on his chin as he floats. When he is joined by his mother, Madge Bolger, their ensuing duet of somersaults and pirouettes, plunging and soaring by turn, create a joyful mood. It’s a reflection on beauty too, the difference of their bodies leveled by this aquamarine universe. Michael Fleming’s playful score for clarinet and piano at times invokes a merry-go-round, perfect for these magical, life-affirming six minutes.
A fully dressed man is pushed into a swimming pool by his mother. He brushes himself off and starts dancing underwater, always aware that she’s watching. After a while she joins him, and they play out the story of their relationship through the underwater dance.
One of four dance films chosen for production for the Arts Council / RTÉ DANCE ON THE BOX 2010 scheme, DEEP END DANCE premiered on RTÉ 2 in May 2010.
Wildfire Films also produced a short documentary to accompany Deep End Dance. This film gives us the inside track on the challenges and creative solutions in making a dance film underwater. Watch the short documentary here.
Gallery
Screening History
screening
Dance Delights
RICHMOND BARRACKS, Inchicore, Dublin 8
7 November 2023
screening
Archive at Lunchtime: Shall We Dance?
Irish Film Institute, Temple Bar, Dublin
1 - 30 June 2023
screening
Moving Sensor – Dance on Film
UILLÍNN: WEST CORK ARTS CENTRE, SKIBBEREEN, Cork
22 September 2019
INTERNATIONAL screening
CINÉ BORÉAL, COURTS MÉTRAGES À LA PISCINE
Piscine de la Butte-aux-Cailles, place Paul Verlaine, Paris, France
3 February 2018
INTERNATIONAL screening
23rd QUINZENA DE DANÇA DE ALMADA
Rua Manuel de Sousa Coutinho, Almada, Portugal
10 October 2015
screening
SHORTSPACE
Filmbase, Temple Bar, Dublin
12 September 2013
INTERNATIONAL screening
ASSOCIATION CLAVIM
Issy-les-Moulineaux, Paris, France
16 February 2013
screening
MADE IN DUBLIN: DANCE FILMS
Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin
30 January 2013
INTERNATIONAL screening
LE JOUR LE PLUS COURT
Marseille, France
1 December 2012
INTERNATIONAL screening
Ô ! LES GRANDES LESSIVES DU XXI° CYCLE
Paris, France
30 November 2012
Screening
MOTIONCAPTURE
Cork Film Festival, Cork
15 November 2012
International Screening
THE IRISH FESTIVAL OF OULU
Oulu, Finland
28 September - 6 October 2012
DANCE FOR FILM SERIES
BOLD TENDENCIES
Peckham Multi-Storey Car Park, London, UK
6 September 2012
Screening
KILKENNY ARTS FESTIVAL
The Watergate Theatre, KILKENNY
11 - 12 August 2012
OutDOOR Screening
FILMS THAT MOVE
World Financial Centre's Winter Garden Big TV, NY, USA
1 - 31 July 2012
Deep End Dance was screened outdoors in New York City for the full month of July at 4pm Wednesday & Friday afternoons downtown at the World Financial Centre’s Winter Garden Big TV.
International Screening
LAGO FILM FEST
Revine Lago, Italy
20 - 28 July 2012
Screening
WorldStage Series
THE GUTHRIE THEATRE, MINNEAPOLIS, USA
11 - 22 July 2012
Cinedans Tour
FESTIVAL LA PIATTAFORMA
Torino, Italy
10 July 2012
Screening
BRIGHTON FESTIVAL
Pavilion Theatre, Brighton, UK
16 - 18 May 2012
Screening
DANCE ON FILM
Irish Film Institute, Temple Bar, Dublin
13 May 2012
Screening
BCN SPORTS FILM FESTIVAL
Barcelona, Spain
11 May 2012
Cinedans Tour
WHYNOT #3 DANCE
Warmoesstraat 139, Amsterdam, Netherlands
23 - 25 March 2012
screening
FESTIVAL CINÉ’ MOMES
Cinema Max Linder, Paris, France
18 March 2012
International Screening
CHICAGO IRISH FILM FESTIVAL
The Beverly Arts Centre, Chicago, Illinois, USA
2 - 7 March 2012
International Screening
SOTTODICIOTTO FILM FESTIVAL
Cinema Massimo, Turin, Italy
15 December 2011
Winner AUDIENCE AWARD
CAPITAL IRISH FILM FESTIVAL
Goethe Institut, 7th Street NW, Washington DC, USA
7 December 2011
International Screening
FESTIVAL TOUS COURTS
Aix-en-Provence, France
28 November - 2 December 2011
International Screening
INTERFILM 27TH INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Berlin, Germany
30 November 2011
Screening
DINGLE FILM FESTIVAL
Franciscan Friary, Merchants’ Quay, Dublin 8
30 November 2011
Screening
INTERNATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION FESTIVAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
CINEMAGIC, Botanic Avenue, Belfast
30 November 2011
International Screening
16TH OURENSE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Ourense, Spain
1 - 31 October 2011
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
IDILL 2011
short films of movement and dance – winner, Special Jury Prize
30 October 2011
Screening
DINGLE FILM FESTIVAL
Franciscan Friary, Merchants’ Quay, Dublin 8
26 October 2011
International Screening
PHILADELPHIA DANCE PROJECTS: MOTION PICTURES DANCE ON FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL
The Performance Garage, Brandywine St, Philadelphia, USA
6 October 2011
Screening
SHORTDANCEFILMS
DanceHouse, Foley Street, Dublin 1
24 September 2011
Screening
CULTURE NIGHT
Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow
23 September 2011
International screening
SILHOUETTE FILM FESTIVAL
Aubervilliers, paris, France
27 August - 4 September 2011
Screening
EAT MY SHORTS at Castlepalooza
Tullamore, Co. Offaly
30 July 2011
Screening
SUMMERDANCE
Palamós Girona, Spain
27 July 2011
International screening
BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM SCREENING SERIES
Henry Miller Library, Big Sur, California, USA
21 July 2011
Childrens Competition
MONTONE UMBRIA FILM FESTIVAL
ALTERNATIVE VOICES IN EUROPEAN CINEMA, Umbria, Italy
5 - 10 July 2011
International screening
Clermont Ferrand Short Films
SOCRATES SCULPTURE PARK, Long Island City, NY, USA
6 July 2011
9TH IN THE PALACE
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Balchik, Bulgaria
1 - 30 June 2011
Short Films Screenings
Filmbase 25th Anniversary
Filmbase, Temple Bar, Dublin
24 - 25 June 2011
WINNER
CORONA FASTNET SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Your Leisure, Main Street, Schull, Cork
27 May 2011
ACCESS>CINEMA
IFI BEALTAINE FILM TOUR
Charleville Mall Library, Dublin 1
25 May 2011
ACCESS>CINEMA
IFI BEALTAINE FILM TOUR
Cabra Library, Navan Rd.,, Dublin 7
18 May 2011
ACCESS>CINEMA
IFI BEALTAINE FILM TOUR
Linnehall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co.Mayo
16 May 2011
Screening
Double-bill
with Swimming with my Mother, Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire
14 May 2011
ACCESS>CINEMA
IFI BEALTAINE FILM TOUR
First Friday Film Club Rathmines, Dublin
13 May 2011
ACCESS>CINEMA
IFI BEALTAINE FILM TOUR
Irish Film Institute, Temple Bar, Dublin
13 May 2011
Screening
Double-bill
with Swimming with my Mother, Backstage Theatre, Longford
12 May 2011
ACCESS>CINEMA
IFI BEALTAINE FILM TOUR
Droichead Arts Centre, Drogheda
10 May 2011
Screening
Double-bill
with Swimming with my Mother, Roscommon Arts Centre, Roscommon
10 May 2011
Screening
ANY DANCE, ANY SCREEN
Victoria, Australia
8 May 2011
ACCESS>CINEMA
IFI BEALTAINE FILM TOUR
Cloughjordan Cine Club, Co.Tipperary, Co.Tipperary
7 May 2011
Screening
Double-bill
with Swimming with my Mother, Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise
6 May 2011
ACCESS>CINEMA
IFI BEALTAINE FILM TOUR
Central Library, Ilac Centre, Henry St., Dublin
4 May 2011
Screening
Double-bill
with Swimming with my Mother, Draíocht, Dublin 15
4 May 2011
Screening
NOISEMOVES YOUTH DANCE FESTIVAL
RUA RED Arts Centre, Tallaght, Dublin
16 April 2011
Screening
THE CELTIC MEDIA FESTIVAL
Western Isles, Scotland
13 - 15 April 2011
Screening
SHEBEEN FLICK: LOVED AND UNSEEN IRISH FILMS
Shebeen Chic, Georges Street, Dublin 2
5 April 2011
WINNER
IRISH FILM FESTIVAL
Stuart Screen Playhouse, Boston, USA
24 March 2011
Screening
DINGLE FILM FESTIVAL
Phoenix Cinema, Dingle, Kerry
18 March 2011
Screening
GO SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
NIJMEGEN, The Netherlands
16 March 2011
Screening
33RD INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
CLERMONT-FERRAND, FRANCE
1 - 28 February 2011
Screening
DUBLIN DANCE FESTIVAL
Light House Cinema, Smithfield, DUBLIN
30 January 2011
Screening
Wild Strawberries Film Club
IRISH FILM INSTITUTE, Temple Bar, DUBLIN
26 - 28 January 2011
Screening
DANCE CAMERA FESTIVAL
ISTANBUL, Turkey
1 - 30 November 2010
CANADIAN PREMIERE
ROMP! FESTIVAL
Independent Dance, Victoria, Canada
3 October 2010
USA PREMIERE
IRISH FILM FESTIVAL
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA
24 September 2010
Screening
KINSALE ARTS WEEK
Municipal Hall, Kinsale, Cork
13 July 2010
Screening
GALWAY FILM FLEADH
Town Hall, Galway
9 July 2010
Screening
DUBLIN DANCE FESTIVAL
Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin
21 - 22 May 2010
Premiere
RTE
Screening
1 May 2010
AWARDS
Winner: Best Short Film: Irish Film Festival, Boston 2011
Special Jury Prize: IDILL, 2011
Winner: Best Short Film, Celtic Media Festival, 2011
Winner: Best Short Film, FastNet Film Festival, 2011
Audience Award: Best Short, Capital Irish Film Festival 2011
Nomination: Best Short Film, Irish Film & Television Awards 2011
Short List: Prix Italia, 2011
Credits
Performers Madge Bolger and David Bolger
Director of Photography Richard Kendrick
Composer Michael Fleming
Editor Roisín O’Donnell
Writer & Choreographer David Bolger
Producer Martha O’Neill, Wildfire Films
Director Conor Horgan
