My Weekend: ‘Friday evenings are for family’

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work:

My name is Matt Szczerek and I am a dance maker living in Balbriggan, Dublin, with my partner Chrissie and our three-year-old daughter Bonnie.

I am an artistic director for Irish based company Human Collective and choreographer for international circus/dance company Kundle Cru. I have been making dance theatre for more than 15 years now and travelled around the world performing. My proudest achievement is a performance at Sydney Opera House in Australia and recent research on the roots of hip hop dance culture at Performing Arts Library in New York, supported by Luail National Dance Company of Ireland.

At the core of my creations is a strong sense of playfulness. I love creating from that place and even though my work can be viewed as political at times, I really enjoy shining different light on particular issues through inviting play into the mix. In my practice I use elements of contemporary dance, hip hop and krump.

What is your ideal way to spend a Friday night?

Usually, my Friday evenings are for the family, there is so much going on during the week that I like to relax, build structures with magnetic blocks with my daughter and watch movies with my partner, thrillers and horrors are my favourite. From time to time I organise community dance sessions at the Phoenix Park on Fridays.

Lie ins or up with the lark...which is it for you?

I don’t get many occasions to lie in, but they are definitely missed.

Does work creep into your weekend at all?

It does, although I’m trying to create a bit of a work hygiene and switch off from my work during the weekend. Sometimes I have some work in the form of performances or consultation work for Redbull that takes me away during the weekends but I do enjoy it, so can’t really complain.

If money was no object where would you head to on a weekend city break? And who would you bring with you?

I would like to visit Osaka in Japan. In general I’m fascinated with Asia and would love to bring my partner and my daughter for a weekend of great food and walks in its Botanic Gardens.

Closer to home, is there some place you like to head to recharge the batteries?

As we live in Balbriggan we spend at least one afternoon a week at the local beach, it’s the best way to recharge for me. But I also love Kilkenny, there is something about the friendly atmosphere of the town that makes me feel great.

Do you like to catch up with family/friends at the weekend?

Yes I do, but I also like having some time for myself, to go to the gym or sauna.

Do you get to indulge any hobbies? Even as a spectator?

I love seeing theatre pieces, I often visit The Civic in Tallaght to check out new shows. I am also a vintage sneaker collector and I love drawing.

Entertain or be entertained? If it’s the latter do you have a signature dish?

I’d rather be entertained and let others create beautiful meals, but if I was to make something it would be either Pierogi (polish dumplings) or pasta putanesca.

We have so many places to eat out in Cork - where are your go to spots for coffee/ lunch/ special meal?

Big up to Scoozis, Italian restaurant in Cork with great food and amazing cake selection. Marina Market for coffee spots and a slice of pizza.

Sunday night comes around too fast.. how do you normally spend it?

Sundays are for preparation for the week and maybe a cinema date if possible. A recent watch that I totally recommend is 28 Years Later. The music and cinematography is so good.

What time does your alarm clock go off on Monday morning?

7.20am, baby time.

Anything else you are up to right now..

I am the lead dancer and choreographer of a new show, Birds, by Kundle Cru, premiering at The Everyman for one night only next Wednesday, August 27, as part of Pitch’d Circus and Street Arts Festival. The show is co-produced and supported by Cork arts organisation Promenade, founded by Kath Gorman, who have been very supportive of our work. The piece is an exploration of modern life, identity, and collective uncertainty; reflecting the uneasy feeling around the current state of the world caught in flux, the under-the-surface boiling sensation that creates urgency for change. I hope the audience will feel a sense of liberation through the dancers’ dynamic and purge-like movement.

After premiering in Cork, Birds will have a four-show run in The Civic Theatre, Tallaght during the Dublin Fringe Festival, which is fantastic to be part of. But I’m delighted that it’s premiering in Cork first, so come along and take flight with us!

To book tickets for The Everyman show see https://everymancork.com/events/birds/target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> and for Dublin Fringe Festival Show see https://www.fringefest.com/festival/whats-on/birds