Reviews

1999- Present

“Return Journey” (2008) “It is Return Journey’s aesthetic conversation around space, perspectives and presence that most beguiles and is rewarded by repeat visits.” Michael Seaver, Irish Times

“Audience (1) Waltzers” (2007) “This play on perspective and challenge to assumptions is repeated in different layers in a deceptively simple, eloquent work.” Michael Seaver, Irish Times

  “The Yellow Room” (2003) “Although featuring choreography by Colin Dunne and Mary Nunan many of (Yoshiko) Chuma’s signatures are still present -the metromes, stories and controlled chaos- but there seems more warmth and humanity underlying the action” Michael Seaver, Irish Times.

“On the Waterfront” (2001) “The poignancy of the tale is brough to life by Kasumi Takahashi and Douglas Comley as they dance Mary Nunan’s tender choreography” Mike Dixon, Ballet-tanz Magazine

“Clann Lir” (1999) “Above all I loved the combination of Irish traditional footwork and the arm and body movement of contemporary dance which so beautifully suggested the swan’s agitated flutterings, their steady wingbeat in flight formation and their battling against storms over the Sea of Moyle.” Carolyn Swift. The Irish Times (2001)

1989-1999

“Chimera” (1998)“The language of modern dance seems more ephemeral than that of the classical tradition, yet Daghdha, in their production of Chimera, give it a cohesion which at times is almost monumental.” Mary Leland, The Irish Times

Chimera (1998) “At times it is a geometric essay of movement, at times crashing in disjointed disarray, but very musical to wonderful sound effects.” Maureen Kelleher, The Examiner

Chimera (1998) “Without doubt, the work of Mary Nunan places her among the best artists of our time in the area of contemporary dance. The gentle elegance moves our senses while transforming the experience of being able to encounter something of ourselves in the movements of the dancers… “

Thus Mary Nunan demonstrates her preoccupation with clean movement in the choreographic work, a cleanness which is contemporary and absolutely formal, flooding our senses with beauty.”.José Rafael Bravo Meza, Correo De Hoy

Chimera (1998)“For the first time during the 26th International Cervantes Festival, the Alhondiga de Granaditas was silent, no shouts, whistles or cheering, all were engrossed in Daghdha Dance Company’s performance.” Enrique Rangel, El Heraldo De León

“3 Piece Suite” (1997)“Among the best of the festival [Dancefest '97]… all seven dancers swooped, soared and wheeled splendidly.”Carolyn Swift, The Irish Times

“3 Piece Suite” ( 1997) “Beautifully constructed… and made even more evocative of the events by the music.” Don Swift, Evening Herald

“3 Piece Suite” ( 1997)“Engagingly passionate with a good use of space and strong musicality.” Maureen Kellagher, The Examiner

“Fictional” (1995) “The mystery and curiosity of the story unfolds through the originality of the choreography.” Rene Sirvin, Le Figaro

“Fictional” ( 1995) “Danced by five agile and clever dancers… Here you are given room for an enormous fantasy and sometimes it feels that the dancers write the first words while the audience is given the opportunity to finish the sentence.” Ulrika Nilsson – Arbetarbladet

“Territorial Claims” (1992)

“A powerful political piece of dance/physical theatre… a forceful comment on the battle for cultural identity.” Ashling Duffield, The Irish News

“Territorial Claims” ( 1992) “One of the highlights [of Springtime Collection, London] was Mary Nunan’s ‘Territorial Claims’… it has a very musical contemporary breakdown born from pure forms of folkdance.” Jochen Schmidt, Frankfurter Allgemeine

“Territorial Claims” ( 1992) “A powerful, hard and virtuoso choreography… to expose the combined brutality and logic of our time.” Volker Boser, AZ Feuilleton

“Through and Eye of Stone” (1991) “Almost heart-stopping visual articulation…..” Mary Leland, The Irish Times 1990

“Heartscore” (1990) “Punchy, polished, portable and professional” Diana Theodores, Sunday Tribune

“Homing In” (1989) “A fine achievement, danced with skill and careful preparation-and a huge amount of energy and sheer joy, which are wildly infectious” Victoria White, The Irish Times.

Early works in the 1980’s

“Sand Dance” (1983)“At times the momentum achieves the pitch and focus of Dervish Whirling” Diana Taplin, Sunday Tribune, October 1984

Sand Dance (1983) “And in “Sand Dance” specifc commitment to the creation of of a contemporary dance for and about southern Ireland” John Clifford, The Scotsman, 1984.

“Search” (1981) “ A highly creative and remarkably artistic short piece” Belfast Telegraph 1983

Search (1981) “Mary Nunan’s startling solo performed to her spoken extracts from Samuel Beckett’s Company suggests a fast-developing new dance talent.” New Dance No.27 Winter ‘83