National Dance Archive of Ireland (NDAI)

Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll post a number of highlights from our 70+ dance collections on our blog, with archival material relating to Ballet, Contemporary and Irish Dance… even Flamenco! Before our first post, you can read more about the establishment of the National Dance Archive of Ireland (NDAI) below.

Introduction to the NDAI

The National Dance Archive of Ireland (Cartlann Náisiúnta Damhsa na hÉireann) is housed in the Special Collection and Archives department at the Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick and works in partnership with Dance Research Forum Ireland, the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance (IWAMD) and the Arts Council.

The archive is the first of its kind in Ireland and the most comprehensive in the country. It is committed to collecting, preserving and providing access to multimedia dance resources. Genres represented in the archive include traditional dance, social dance, contemporary dance, ballet, urban dance and world dance. The NDAI is an important public resource for dance education and research. It is a living archive that forges links with dancers, scholars, choreographers, companies and organisations of dance in the wider community.

Dr Catherine Foley
Founding Director, National Dance Archive of Ireland