Presented by Belfast TradFest & Belfast International Arts Festival.
The Devil’s in the Dance Hall is inspired by the true story of Jimmy Gralton and the suppression of Ireland’s rural dance halls in the early 20th century; a time when gathering to dance, to play music, and to think freely was seen as a threat.
Drawing on oral history, folk memory, and the energy of the big-band era, Edwina Guckian has created an immersive theatre performance that brings to life the world of the parish hall as a place of movement, learning, courtship, argument, and possibility, and asks what happens when church and state attempt to dictate how a community socialise.
At its heart, the performance celebrates the collective joy of dance as a form of defiance. Through spoken word, song, and the roaring sounds of The Gralton Big Band, it tells how Ireland’s old dance halls became centres of community life, offering music, learning, debate, and freedom of expression, until church and state moved to close them down through the introduction of the 1935 Dane Hall Act.
As the performance unfolds, the boundary between stage and floor dissolves, and the audience are invited to dance the night away. The hall fills with movement, laughter, and connection across many generations, echoing the spirit of the original dance halls.
WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?
Part theatre show, part concert, part dance hall.
The Devil’s in the Dance Hall is an immersive night of live music, storytelling and dancing that transforms the Ulster Hall into a dance hall of the 1930s.
Led by Edwina Guckian and powered by the roaring Gralton Big Band, expect traditional Irish music alongside the sounds of the dance-band era, with sean-nós dancing, set dancing, swing, foxtrots and plenty of opportunities to get onto the floor yourself.
You don’t need to know the dances and you certainly don’t need to be an expert. Edwina and the dancers will lead the way, and you can join in as much or as little as you like.
There are no barriers between performers and audience. Come ready to move, listen, watch, dance and become part of the story.
Come comfortable. Come curious. And bring your dancing shoes.
This tour is funded/supported by the Shared Island Cultural Cooperation Fund via the Shared Ireland Touring Scheme administered by the Arts Council in partnership with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI).
TICKETS: £30
Standing Only | Strictly 18+
- Ulster Hall, 34 Bedford St, Belfast BT2 7FF
- 22/10/2026
- 7.30pm
- Cost: £30.00
More information and booking: https://www.belfasttradfest.com/the-devil-in-the-dancehall
