Miss Mary is a hauntingly beautiful intergenerational outdoor dance experience that reimagines the spirit of Ireland’s travelling dance masters. Moving through space, story and memory, she arrives not just to perform — but to connect. To ask:
Where did you come from?
How do you move?
Will you dance with me?
Blending Irish step dance with a contemporary voice, Miss Mary is a powerful, poetic gathering of ancestry, nostalgia and community. It is a celebration of togetherness and the power and ease of connecting with strangers through gentle movement. Most of all, it is fun!
Local artist Kristyn Fontanella brings Miss Mary to Galway for the first time after an extensive European tour. Bring your family, friends, grandparents and neighbours.
Come watch. Come listen. You might even find yourself dancing!
Please note: this is an outdoor performance - please dress for the weather.
As a dance artist/choreographer Kristyn Fontanella focuses her knowledge of traditional Irish step dancing and presents it in a contemporary context. Having toured for many years with Riverdance, Lord of the Dance and as lead soloist in Gaelforce Dance, her current mission is to show another side of the complex world of Irish Step dancing to future generations.
Kristyn creates, directs and produces her own work which has successfully toured across Ireland as well as showing in DRFI in NYC, Dublin Dance Festival (IE), Echo Echo Dance Platform (NI), Fira Tárrega (ES), Marseille New Danse Festival (FR), Tanzmesse (DE) and Fira Tárrega (ES). In 2024 Kristyn was the Fira Tárrega artist in residence through the International Residency Initiative Scheme with Earagail Arts Festival (IE), Cairde Festival (IE), ISACS and Fira Tárrega (ES). Through this residency she produced her outdoor solo work, Miss Mary, tracing her dance lineage and sharing the dance to the people she meets along her way.
Kristyn resides in Co. Galway where she continues her creative process exploring the two worlds of Traditional and Contemporary dance. In 2023 she was appointed Executive Director of Galway Dance (part time role), a resource organization supporting dance artists in the West/Northwest of Ireland.
www.kristynfontanella.com
Supported by
Venues
Saturday 10th October
12.00 & 15.00 - Cross St./Quay St., Galway City Centre
View on Google Maps here.
Sunday 11th October
12.00 & 15.00 - Salthill Prom (Opposite Galway Atlantaquaria / Ground & Co.)
View on Google Maps here.
Further date to be announced!