TEAĊ DAMSA – MÁM – Mayflower Theatre until 18th February and the continuing tour

Reviewed: Pat Hayward 17th February 2026

Southampton has had to wait a long time to welcome Teaċ Daṁsa to Mayflower Theatre. But now, thanks to Dance Consortium and their partnership with Mayflower Theatre we get the pleasure of seeing this Irish Dance Company. Since Michael Keegan-Dolan founded Teaċ Daṁsa in 2016 they have toured the world and earned a reputation that puts the company into the top echalon of international dance. The company is steeped in Irish culture, traditions and folklore and their current production Mám delivers every one of those elements with a vigour and excitement seldom seen in the world of dance.

The dozen dancers in Michael Keegan-Dolan’s full-length production Mám, might hail from various parts of the world, but this work created for Teac Damsa, based in Co Kerry, is 85 non-stop wordless minutes of irish panache, wild, tender, rough, lyrical and fully felt dance accompanied by incredible live music.

Everything is almost there, the scene is set, the music leads the interpretation, but what is missing is the context of a story. So I felt that it was up to each member of the audience to develop their own outline into which the dancing and the music on stage would develop into a story. Mine was the story of a rural community, divided by hate and jealousies, being brought together at a time of loss or tragedy; exploring the reasons for their feelings, for each other, eventually reaching a point where they understood and were able to bury their animosities, to awaken with a new purpose and a unified community.

The whole piece is driven by the creativity of Cormac Begley’s concertina playing, which as the piece develops is brilliantly augmented by six members of Berlin based musical collective S T A R G A Z E providing a jazz based influence. Having the musicians perform on stage adds a further dimension to the production. The dancers are a company and perform throughout as such, whether individually, in pairs, in groups or as an ensemble and unusually they convey the feeling that they are enjoying every moment, every step. Their choreography created by Director Michael Keegan-Dolan is inspirational and is the vehicle that enables every dancer to communicate their emotions, desires and hatred in a clear and unfettered manner to each member of the audience.

Some may find the piece dark, but I say to them ‘look deeper’ and you will find joy and happiness – this is not dance as you know it – this is raw, intense and meaningful. Seldom have I experienced 85 minutes passing so quickly or a production that has stimulated my thought processes so aggressively. This is a piece of modern dance that has purpose, it may be Irish, but its real, not like Riverdance or Lord Of The Dance which are theatrical interpretations, this is why Teaċ Daṁsa’s Mám was justifiably nominated for an Olivier Award. It is one of those few pieces that has to be experienced.