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Sinead O'Connor's 'Ghosts' Inspire Dance Surge
8 Sep
Summary
- A new dance piece, 'The Surge,' honors the legacy of Sinead O'Connor.
- Choreographer Sonya Tayeh was inspired by O'Connor's music and life.
- The work features dancers over 40, celebrating their experiences.
A new dance production, "The Surge," pays tribute to the profound influence of the late Irish singer-songwriter Sinead O'Connor. Choreographer Sonya Tayeh, deeply moved by O'Connor's sudden death in 2023, envisioned a piece that captures the essence of her music and life.
Tayeh's work, set to O'Connor's songs and spoken words, explores themes of grief, rage, and spiritual seeking. The choreography began to take shape after O'Connor's passing, with Tayeh visualizing "a straight line of women in motion, going toward something." The production is a collaboration between the Joyce Theater and Factory International.
"The Surge" uniquely features dancers over the age of 40, a deliberate choice by Tayeh to celebrate the strength and experiences of women in this life stage. The audition process attracted numerous women, highlighting a strong desire for such artistic representation.
The piece premiered in Manchester in June 2026 to positive reviews and is scheduled to open at the Joyce Theater on September 16, 2026. Tayeh selected 14 songs from O'Connor's initial four albums, connecting them to her own formative discovery of the artist's music.
