Staring into the night sky, we wondered: what is sisterhood, and what forces can hold sisters together or break them apart? This new dance work by Justine Doswell is inspired by global myths related to the open star cluster Messier 45, also known as the Pleiades or the Seven Sisters. One of the nearest clusters to our planet, these famous stars have figured in many of the world’s oldest stories, appearing across continents and cultures for nearly a hundred thousand years. This piece responds by creating its own asterism: a collective of international dance artists, representing diverse countries and many distinct cultural traditions, to explore sisterhood together.

The performers will bring their personal histories and experiences of sisterhood — from its sense of vulnerability, persecution, grief and loss, to its potential for light, transformation, escape, and solidarity — and connect these to archetypal, mythical and modern femininities. The work’s research ranges from petroglyphs to cyberspace, seeking connections between ancient mythologies, classical literatures, and contemporary experiences.

Friday 17 & Saturday 18 November, 7:30pm at Dance Cork Firkin Crane, Shandon, Cork city.

Creation & Choreography: Justine Doswell in collaboration with the dancers
Dancers: Nana-Yaa Appiah, Salma Ataya, Justine Cooper, Yumi Lee, Carmen Palacios Sáenz, Hannah Rogerson, Vasiliki Stasinaki
Assistant Choreographer: Emily Kilkenny Roddy
Music: Martin Gretschmann (aka Acid Pauli)
Lighting: Sarah Jane Shiels
Set Design: Sabine Dargent
Costume Design: Justine Doswell in consultation with Sabine Dargent
Dramaturgy: Nicholas Johnson
Production Manager / Chief LX: Gearoid Ó Hallmhuráin
Stage Manager: Molly Foley

Dancers 2022 research and development:
Millie Daniel-Dempsey, Isabella Oberlander, Tamzin Jade O’Garro, Hannah Rogerson, Zee Zunnur.

Funded by the Arts Council, supported by Dance Cork Firkin Crane, Dance Ireland and Irish Modern Dance Theatre, Fringe LAB and The Complex.