Francis Footwork 180 VR

A magical, marvellous take on dancing to your own tune

SEE, TOUCH, FEEL, DANCE in this 180° virtual reality presentation of FRANCIS FOOTWORK which was filmed live at The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre.

David Bolger’s vibrant production has been loved by audiences and critics alike since it premiered in 2019. It is a magical, empowering tale that celebrates individuality and encourages everyone to dance their own dance. Now we’re transforming the experience to bring it up close and unique to you, wherever you might live – where everyone’s seat is front row centre!  

A typical presentation includes CREATIVE DANCE TALES – where younger audiences will take part in a workshop programme that bookends the VR screening for primary school-aged children to engage, explore, and create dance through kinaesthetic and collaborative learning.  


CROATIA TOUR / BACKPACK OF CULTURE PROJECT BY HKD

Jopis Kozarac Elementary School

Lipovljani, Croatia

15 October 2024

CROATIA TOUR / BACKPACK OF CULTURE PROJECT BY HKD

Vladimir Nazor Elementary School, Čepin, Ante starčević Elementary School, Viljevo & Jagodnjak Elementary School, Jagodnjak

Čepin, Viljevo & Jagodnjak, Croatia

8 - 10 October 2024

CROATIA TOUR / BACKPACK OF CULTURE PROJECT BY HKD

Veliko Trgovišće Elementary & Antun Mihanović Elementary School

Petrovsko, Croatia

1 - 2 October 2024


If it all sounds a little magical and wondrous, that’s because it is. As well as being one of the most exquisitely choreographed and beautifully produced pieces of dance theatre to be had anywhere…Joyous, uplifting, and miraculously magical, “Francis Footwork” might well have you feeling a little bit starstruck.

Joyful, clever, entertaining, intricate, technically superb and with a heart of goodness, Francis Footwork is a pure and simple delight.


Presented at

Zeitgeist Irland 24

STAATSTHEATER DARMSTADT

Darmstadt, Germany

1 - 8 June 2024

Port of Dance Festival

The Children's House

RIjeka, Croatia

18 May 2024

Five Lamps Arts Festival 2024

O’Connell’s CBS, St Vincent’s Girls NS, Scoil Chaoimhín, Gardiner Street NS & St Laurence O’Toole NS

Dublin

15 - 19 April 2024

St Patrick's Festival Quarter

Collins Barracks

Dublin

16 March 2024

Croatia Tour / Backpack Of Culture Project by HKD

Maritime and History Museum of Croatian Littoral

Rijeka, Croatia

14 October 2023

Croatia Tour / Backpack Of Culture Project by HKD

Musical Elementary School Kontesa Dora, Našice & Vijenac Elementary School, Osijek

Osijek, Croatia

27 - 28 September 2023

Croatia Tour / Backpack Of Culture Project by HKD

Klinča Sela Elementary School & Legrad Elementary School

Legrad, Croatia

19 - 20 September 2023

Made in Darndale

Darndale Sports Hall & The Big Top

Darndale Green

25 - 28 May 2023

Croatia Tour / Backpack Of Culture Project by HKD

Braća Bobetko Elementary School, Sisak & Komarevo Elementary School

Sisak, Croatia

23 - 24 May 2023

Port of Dance Festival

The Children's House

Rijeka, Croatia

13 - 14 May 2023

Féile na Bealtaine

Ventry Community Hall & Bunscoil an Chlochair

Kerry

27 - 30 April 2023

Test screening / Croatia

The Children's House

Rijeka, Croatia

27 March 2023

Schools VR/Creative Dance Tales

St Columbanas NS, Loughlinstown

Dublin

21 March 2023

What Next Festival

St Joseph’s Ballybrown, Athlacca National School, Knocklong National School & Belltable

Limerick

7 - 10 February 2023

Mermaid Arts Centre

Scoil Naomh Iosef

Baltinglass

18 - 25 October 2022

Culture Night 2022

CoisCéim Studio, Fairview Strand

Dublin 3

23 September 2022

Gap Arts Festival

Ballythomas National School

Wexford

30 July 2022

AVAILABLE FOR TOURING

RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 7+

To book please contact Bridget at bridget@coisceim.com

 

WHAT AUDIENCES SAID…

“It felt so real – you see things you don’t get to see in a theatre close up, it’s like your own personal show.”

“The dancing was brilliant!”

“It was so cool!”

“I didn’t know what to expect, I want to see more shows like that.”

“It really felt like they were right in the room with me – it made me want to dance!”

 

WHAT TO EXPECT

When FRANCIS FOOTWORK was filmed, the two eyes of the 180º stereoscopic camera were sitting in the middle of the front row of the theatre – so when you watch through the VR headset, you will feel like you are in the front row too, watching the performance in 3D! You can move your head and choose where you look, just like you would in a theatre. You will be seated in a circle, about a metre from the person next to you. You will receive a sanitised Pico 4k VR headset and CoisCéim’s team will help you so that it fits comfortably.  

The VR presentation is about 35 minutes long. It is followed by a short snack break when chairs are cleared away to make space for CREATIVE DANCE TALES – a physical creative dance workshop with Olwyn Lyons! At this point, parents and carers will leave the space during the 40 – 45 minute dance workshop.

ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS: Younger audiences aged 7-10 are invited to take part in CREATIVE DANCE TALES. This is a 2-part programme for children who want to dance and are interested in performance. Over the course of 2 sessions – with a workshop before the VR presentation, and one immediately after – children will learn about the key themes and main characters in FRANCIS FOOTWORK. They will be guided through a series of lively exercises and movement tasks to devise and dance their own unique story. Find out more here.

WHAT TO WEAR: If you are taking part in the workshops, please wear trainers and loose, comfortable clothes that you can move in.

WHAT TO BRING: Workshop participants – please bring a bottle of water and a healthy snack for the short break after the VR presentation.


Credits

CAST CRISTIAN ENMANUEL DIROCIE, STEPHANIE DUFRESNE, IVONNE KALTER, JONATHAN MITCHELL

WRITER, DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER DAVID BOLGER
MUSIC & SOUND DENIS CLOHESSY
SCENIC, LIGHTING & PROJECTION DESIGN
 CHRISTOPHER ASH
COSTUME 
MAREE KEARNS
HAIR & MAKEUP
 VAL SHERLOCK

virtual reality
DIRECTION Enya Belak
FILMING AND POST-PRODUCTION Igor Crnković
PRODUCER FOR AEROWAVES Anna Arthur
AEROWAVES COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Clàudia Brufau
AEROWAVES DIRECTOR John Ashford
creative dance tales workshop leaders Olwyn lyons, mia dichiaro, Emily Kilkenny Roddy
touring VR technicians Igor Crnković, sheila Murphy, John norton, Laura Rainsford, Alexandra Rosenberger, michael stapleton, John Wildgoose

PRODUCTION MANAGER EAMON FOX
STAGE MANAGER STEPHANIE RYAN
CHIEF LX EOIN WINNING
SOUND ENGINEER and recordist MICHAEL STAPLETON
AV ENGINEER LAURA RAINSFORD

PROPS DYLAN FARRELL
COSTUME SUPERVISOR NICOLA BURKE
COSTUME DESIGN ASSISTANT PAI TREERATT 
PROP MAKER CRAIG STARKIE 
PHOTOGRAPHER HUGO GLENDINNING, ROS KAVANAGH 
GRAPHIC DESIGN ALPHABET SOUP 

PRODUCERS Sarah Latty and Bridget Webster

Produced by CoisCéim Dance Theatre
A Springback Production
Filmed live in Virtual Reality in May 2022 at The Ark Children’s Cultural Centre, Dublin 2, Ireland

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ARTISTS AND CREATORS OF FRANCIS FOOTWORK CLICK HERE

About the Creative Dance Tales Workshop Leaders

Broadreach

Creative Dance Tales

A Workshop Series for Children Aged 6 – 10 First delivered as part of CoisCéim’s production of The Wolf and Peter, CREATIVE DANCE TALES is a workshop programme for primary school-aged children …


ORIGINAL STAGE PRODUCTION