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''BLACK IRISH IS A DISTINCTIVE GROUP THAT SIMPLY CANNOT BE COMPARED TO ANYTHING ELSE.'' -- ANDREA M. LUKE / CVNC

''You want artists to be ambitious. You want them to push themselves,
push their collaborators.

You want them to include the kitchen sink and then some.

For these artists, you allow a rough edge or two. You reward their ambition, the scope of their vision, with a generous attention.

Choreographer Ronald West, creator and director of Black Irish, is one of these artists.'' - Chris Vitiello / ArtsNOW

''If līv ˈtiSHo͞o (live tissue) is a trip—and it definitely is—it’s riddled with sudden drops, stops, and unexpected switchbacks.

It careens through bonfires of technical brilliance, and exuberant ensemble sections slam into sober, soulful solos, duets, and trios.

The performance was this ever-restless, often-exuberant odyssey through a spectrum of experiences we seldom see on stage. '' -- Byron Woods / INDY

'' ''ORGAN'' began with West’s solo, performed without music, as he first used one hand to feel his other arm.

He then proceeded to perform hip-hop moves that had a soft, effortless quality even when he executed intricate floor moves, his feet lifted, body spiraling.

The entire performance had a tactile quality, like the softness of skin, the largest organ in the body.

West takes the hip-hop form to the level of art through his unique interpretation and expressiveness as well as technical skills.

Add to that his imagination, demonstrated by the fact that he came up with the idea of basing this new work on organs.'' -- SUSAN BROILI / HERALD SUN