Since 2003 Artastic have created a pageant spectacle for St Patricks festival parade in Dublin, using a variety of community groups along with our talented artists. This blog will describe in brief of a spectacle along with credits to those involved in the year 2015.
History of Group
Artastic is a street spectacle company based in Kildare, under the artistic direction of Vijaya Bateson and Caitriona McGowan. Artastic was founded in 2003 by Vijaya Bateson.
Artastic’s collaborative art projects are, nationally recognised as models of community theatre in Ireland, where artists and community groups work together to transform our urban landscapes with colourful creative performances
Artastic annual programme will include but not limited to a new production for St Patrick’s Day Festival in Dublin, as well as many National Festival including Rose of Tralee.
Description of Pageant
This was Artastic’s 13th year involved with our national St Patricks parade in Dublin.
Parade Title : Wow O Clock
Story line : Artastic want to help you celebrate ‘now’ by creating a ‘Wow O Clock’. This clock is designed to celebrate those times that we decide to do more of what we love. Wow O clock has no numbers, or hour and minute hands, but has one WOW hand that brings us to different wow moments in our day. We encourage you all to make your own WOW O clock and put your favourite moments of the day on it. So don’t wait until tomorrow, and yesterday has gone, do more of what you love, and each day will be more fun.
Artastic’s cast of 120 performers create a colourful spectacle
Parade Opening,
The parade opens with our clock makers. These clock makers create the wow o clock to point to different ‘Wow’ moments in our day.
First WOW moment – ‘In the Garden’
If you’re a garden lover, you will know how rewarding it is to spend your time in your garden. In this section we will see a collection of beautiful flowers like Lilies, Daisies, Buttercups and Roses, along with two beautiful butterflies flying between the flowers.
This section is led by Atomic dance group from the Liberties in Dublin. The groups are Choreographed by their director Mark Kennedy.
Second WOW moment – Sweets and Treats
Do you know that feeling when you bite into a lovely slice of cake and the world disappears in that moment? Well in this section we will see some of our favourites from, cupcakes, popcorn, love heart sweets, candy canes, gingerbread man and candy of all shapes and sizes.
This Section is performed by young people form Bradog Regional Youth Service’s in North Inner City, Dublin, and from Balitore Youth Theatre, Balitore , Co KIldare. This section is directed by Mary Duffin
Third WOW moment – Lost in music
You know how you can be transported in time when you hear your favourite tune. You know how some songs just want to make you dance. Well in the last wow moment today we see, costumes and characters to conjure up those feelings. Lose yourself in the moment, or get up and dance to join in.
This section is performed by first and second year Students from Iadt Model making course in Dun Laoghaire.
Artistic team involved including titles
Artistic Directors – Vijaya Bateson, Caitriona Mc Gowan
Atomic Dance group choreographer – Mark Kennedy
Performance Directors: – Mary Duffin
Other Groups/people involved in the project
This year Artastic has a cast of over 120 performers from group such as;
Dancers from Atomic Dance Group – Dublin
Students form Model making course in IDAT Dunlaoire – Dublin
Balitore Youth Theatre – Kildare
Bradog Regional Youth Services – North inner city Dublin
If you would like to see our full gallery of Saint Patrick’s parade Ireland images for 2015 please visit the links below
https://www.flickr.com/photos/28488361@N00/albums