Impasse is a powerful, driving, and charged duet that seeks to understand the politics of the black body in a contemporary Western society. Through striking imagery, raw physicality and emotional intensity the performance challenges the historical racial projections of blackness – its crudeness, threat, sexuality, rage and immorality – unveiling its power, grace, sensuality, tenderness, intelligence and love.
Attempting to understand the politics of the Black body in contemporary Western society, Impasse interrogates notions of representation, misrepresentation, and the lack of representation. In this powerful work, two performers confront the biased narratives etched onto Black bodies throughout history.
Through striking imagery, raw physicality and emotional intensity the performance challenges the historical racial projections of blackness – its crudeness, threat, sexuality, rage and immorality – unveiling its power, grace, sensuality, tenderness, intelligence and love.
Impasse opened at Dublin Dance Festival in 2024, and ran at Edinburgh Fringe Festival before commencing a national and international tour to venues across Ireland, the UK and France and Nigeria. In 2025, the piece was shown at Dance Cork Firkin Crane and Tipperary Dance Festival in Ireland and abroad at ImPulzTanz Vienna International Dance Festival, PRISMA – Festival de Danza Contemporánea at National Theatre Panama and The Lowry in the UK. Impasse will tour internationally in 2026.
Funded by The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon with support from Culture Ireland.
Produced by Luail – Ireland’s National Dance Company. Originally commissioned and co-produced by Liz Roche Company.
Creation supported by Solstice Arts Centre, Dance Cork Firkin Crane, Irish Arts Centre New York, Ultima Vez, Dublin Dance Festival, Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre, Maison de la Danse, Lyon, Le Pôle européen de création, Centre National de la Danse.
