Villanova’s Center for Irish Studies Hosts Liz Roche Company’s “Yes and Yes” September 13

Photo credit: José Miguel Jiménez

Villanova, PA—Villanova University’s Center for Irish Studies and the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts will host a special dance performance, “Yes and Yes,” by the Liz Roche Company on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, at 8 p.m. at the Mullen Center, located on Villanova’s campus. 

To mark 100 years since the first publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses, one of the most important works of modern literature, Solas Nua, a US-based Irish contemporary arts organization, commissioned leading Irish choreographer Liz Roche and her company to create “Yes and Yes,” which will have its world premiere in Washington, D.C., in September 2022 in partnership with Cork Opera House. The production is kindly supported by Culture Ireland and the Arts Council/ An Chomhairle Ealaíon.  

“Yes and Yes” follows the 18 episodes of Joyce’s Ulysses, exploring them through dance, film, sound and design. The piece maps the movement of the narrative through the streets of Dublin in 1904 and explores those same spaces and encounters today with contemporary dancers revealing new and surprising connections.

“Yes and Yes” is the first professional dance performance to be held in the John and Joan Center for the Performing Arts, a hub for performances, creativity, engagement and exploration for the University’s performing arts community.

Established in 1999, the Liz Roche Company is one of Ireland’s leading contemporary dance companies. With a reputation for its finely wrought and beautifully crafted choreographic style, the Dublin-based company presents the works of choreographer Liz Roche in collaboration with artists, dancers and designers. The company has produced over 20 original productions and has toured throughout Ireland as well as in the UK, Germany, France, US, Australia and China.

The performance is one night only and is open to the public. Tickets are $20 for community members. Purchase a ticket. Tickets for Villanova faculty and staff are $5 and free to Villanova students. Students, faculty and staff should contact the Box Office directly for tickets at 610-519-7474.

Villanova’s Center for Irish Studies celebrates the rich culture and history of Ireland and its diaspora with a compelling lineup of programs each academic year, bringing Irish theatre, film, dance, history, literature and more to Villanova’s campus.

About the Villanova Center for Irish Studies: The Center for Irish Studies at Villanova University has been a leader for four decades in interdisciplinary teaching and scholarship on Ireland in a global framework. The Center connects students to local community organizations while also preparing them to become citizens equipped to take on the world’s most pressing challenges. Through liberal arts-focused academics, multi-disciplinary scholarship and key partnerships, the Center provides students with research, study abroad and employment opportunities.

About Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: Since its founding in 1842, Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has cultivated knowledge, understanding and intellectual courage for a purposeful life in a challenging and changing world. With more than 40 majors across the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, it is the oldest and largest of Villanova’s colleges, serving more than 4,500 undergraduate and graduate students each year. The College is committed to a teacher-scholar model, offering outstanding undergraduate and graduate research opportunities and a rigorous core curriculum that prepares students to become critical thinkers, strong communicators and ethical leaders with a truly global perspective.