DCU Dance took home much of the silverware at the Dance Intervarsities last Tuesday. Hosted in the Helix, the competition was electric as thirteen colleges across the country fought to take the top prizes in each category. The categories competed were Contemporary, Irish Dance, Jazz, Hip-Hop and Mixed Piece.
Intervarsities were hosted by DCU Dance this year, making it a highlight in the society’s 20th anniversary year. The Helix was brilliant to watch and perform on. The DCU Dance committee worked tirelessly to ensure a fabulous competition. Chairperson Kate McConnell helmed the Inters planning. She told me they have been planning since May last year.
“It was a big undertaking and a lot of work went into it. I think it all paid off in the end.”
Kate McConnell
The highlight of the night was the winning of DCU dance for the “Mixed Piece” category. The Mixed Piece includes dancers from all seven dance squads. This includes the competitive squads, alongside ballet, heels and performance. The theme was Britney Spears, as the squad performed to a mega mashup of her backlog. The dance was high energy and full of life, as choreographed by Megan Doyle & Abby Rafferty.
Megan remarked on the long rehearsal process to turn their creativity into a first place piece: “From the first rehearsal until the time we performed on stage, every single dancer improved 1000% for the competition.”
Despite incredible pieces by University College Cork and the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, DCU still came out on top!
DCU’s Jazz squad placed third in a fiercely competitive category. The flapper themed piece was choreographed by Clara Daly & Isobel Murphy, and elevated the heart rate of everyone watching. The dance included a section with hats and transitioned into an all out party. It was so incredible to watch such hard work pay off.
The category was won by University College Cork with a Bond themed piece, and the runners up were University College Dublin who told a feminist story through dance.
Irish dance had its moment at the competition, especially for DCU students. DCU’s Irish squad placed second in the category with their Angel v. Devil themed piece. Choreographers Niamh O’Donnell & Eva Finnegan were bestowed with the Choreographers Award for their creativity. The dance featured both soft and hard shoe dance, with many of the dancers making the switch mid performance. However, Trinity College Dublin topped the category with a spicy love triangle story to their performance.
Sadly, there was nothing for our Contemporary or Hip-Hop squads. As a member of the Contemporary team, I was disappointed by the result but so grateful to have performed alongside some of the most talented dancers I can think of. Our piece was choreographed by Abby Rafferty & Teresa Phelan, who did a wonderful job. The competition was intense, with UCD taking the top spot.
Hip-Hop, choreographed by Caitlin Rooney, performed an effortlessly cool Michael Jackson piece – complete with suit and glove. That competition was particularly strong, with eleven colleges competing for the top spot. In the end it was Technological University Dublin who came in clutch.
Overall, it was an incredible day, filled with so much talent that kept judges on the edge of their seats. The brilliant plan by the committee led to the commendation of faculty members and DCU President Dáire Keogh. The day was a massive success for DCU Dance, and I imagine Intervarsities 2025 will be no different.
Photo Credits: Paula Kelly