Channeling Sinéad

So often, dancers are treated as vessels for a choreographer’s vision. Movements are imprinted on their bodies and they must, to the best of their abilities, convince the audience that they believe. In Sonya Tayeh’s “The Surge: An Ode to Sinéad O’Connor,” there was none of this. From the first step to the final breath, the 12-dancer cast performed with pure conviction. They were dancing their own stories—and they believed every movement.

Performance

“The Surge: An Ode to Sinéad O’Connor” by Sonya Tayeh

Place

The Joyce Theater, New York, NY, September 17, 2026

Words

Sophie Bress

“The Surge: An Ode to Sinead O'Connor” by Sonya Tayeh. Photograph by Steven Pisano

“The Surge,” which had its North American premiere on September 16 at the Joyce Theater in New York City, is Sonya Tayeh’s homage to the late musician Sinéad O’Connor. The world premiere of this work, which is a joint commission by the Joyce and Manchester, UK’s Factory International, took place in June in Manchester.

In an interview with Laura Brown featured in the program notes, Tayeh recounts her lifelong connection to O’Connor’s music, the impact the musician made on her, and how deeply she grieved after O’Connor’s untimely passing in 2023 at the age of 56. At that time, she was exploring ideas for this Joyce commission and, she says, themes started to emerge in her mind:

“One was about how ahead of her time she was, the volume of her voice, not just as a singer but with a belief system about people, those denied, closed off and mocked. The other was about curiosity, about where all the dance artists were that were my age and older. Where are the women over 40, and why did they disappear?”

Tayeh ultimately made the choice to fill out her cast with only dancers over 40. The group is an illustrious one, made up of dance educators, choreographers, and alumni from some truly top-tier companies.

Karine Plantadit in “The Surge: An Ode to Sinead O'Connor” by Sonya Tayeh. Photograph by Tom Visser

Just like O’Connor herself, “The Surge” uses religious iconography as a thematic tool, both venerating these symbols and questioning them. This is especially apparent in the set for the work, which is composed of four wooden pews. Sometimes the pews aid the dancers, and sometimes they are obstacles, or weights to be beared. The dancers move among the pews like waves. Sometimes, they spill over them like water. In one section, the dancer Lisa Race slides down them as they are tilted in either direction by the other cast members, catching herself at the last moment with stunning grace.

There are also moments of processional in “The Surge.” In one section, the dancers move across the stage in a line, repeating a gestural phrase to a steady beat. What could have quickly become redundant was instead enrapturing—with each repetition of the phrase, I became more and more wrapped up in the motion—just as one becomes immersed in a song. It was truly a moving meditation, a danced prayer.

Gabby Malone and Lisa Race in “The Surge: An Ode to Sinead O'Connor” by Sonya Tayeh. Photograph by Tom Visser

Along with moments of deep grief and mourning came many moments of pure, unbridled joy and exaltation. At times, lighting—by Tom Visser, who also contributed the scenic design—came from above as if beaming through the clouds, creating one of those beautiful tableaus that can make even the most atheist among us consider the presence of a god.

“The Surge” is a powerful ballad to feminism and femininity. By showcasing women over 40 in their power, sexuality, and joy, it made me—a woman on the cusp of 30—excited to get older and live my life. I left the theater grateful for the knowledge I’ve gained thus far—as opposed to absorbing the fear of aging that our culture seems to want so desperately to instill within me. A fitting tribute, indeed.

Sophie Bress

Sophie Bress is an arts and culture journalist and dance critic. She regularly contributes to Dance Magazine and Fjord Review, and has also written for the New York Times, NPR, Observer, Pointe, and more.

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