CoisCéim Dance Theatre

What CoisCéim Dance Theatre does

CoisCéim Dance Theatre is a Dublin-based contemporary dance theatre company founded in January 1995 by David Bolger and Bridget Webster, operating as a registered Irish charity (CHY 11455, CRA 20031435, CRO 228131) and not-for-profit company. The company creates and tours live dance theatre productions, dance films (including the 2011 IFTA-nominated Deep End Dance and the 2024 RTÉ documentary Breakin' Brothers), site-specific outdoor performances (the BENCH series), and a 180-degree stereoscopic VR experience (Francis Footwork 180 VR) filmed live at The Ark Children's Cultural Centre. It operates the Broadreach community participation programme reaching thousands across Ireland through classes for older people, schools, community groups, and people with disabilities, plus a Cinematheque initiative that screens dance films on outdoor digital advertising screens with QR-code audio integration.

The company's core technology stack centres on live performance capture and immersive distribution: stereoscopic VR filming for international touring, QR-linked audio at outdoor screenings, and standard web/social platforms (YouTube, Vimeo, Google Analytics) for audience reach. Distribution is multi-channel: domestic theatre box offices through partnerships with Project Arts Centre, Pavilion Dún Laoghaire, The Mac Belfast, The Everyman Cork, Draíocht, An Grianán, Town Hall Galway, and Civic Theatre Tallaght; free outdoor performances at George's Dock and IMMA; international festival circuits including Edinburgh Fringe, Aerowaves, and LIFT; and studio/Atrium hire at the 42 Fairview Strand headquarters (a refurbished 1883 An Post sorting office). International performances have reached Sydney Opera House, Venice Biennale, Jacob's Pillow, Peak Performances, Brighton Festival, and Spring Loaded at The Place London.

The revenue model combines four streams: ticket sales (Pay What You Can pricing introduced 2022, with some pricing controlled by presenting venues), Dance Angel annual donations of €250+ eligible for up to 45% tax relief under Ireland's Charitable Donation Scheme, strategic public funding from the Arts Council of Ireland and supporting government bodies (Dublin City Council, Culture Ireland, Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media), and studio/Atrium hire. Customer segments span general arts audiences, children and families, older adults aged 50+, teenagers and young people, community groups, schools, and independent dance artists using studio facilities.

Name

CoisCéim Dance Theatre

Legal name

CoisCéim Dance Theatre

Website

https://coisceim.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CoisCéim Dance Theatre is a Dublin-based contemporary dance company creating touring stage productions, dance films, VR experiences, and community participation programmes. Founded in 1995, it serves Irish and international audiences through festivals, theatre venues, outdoor performances, and digital platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Contemporary Dance Theatre

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental) (MPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Performances (THAJAFAD), Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance theatre
• Performing arts production
• Dance film production
• Community dance programmes
• Outdoor site-specific dance

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Box office revenue from theatre performances, outdoor events, and VR presentations. Pay What You Can pricing model introduced in 2022 to increase accessibility.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Dance Angel programme (€250+ annual donations), one-time donations, and tax-efficient giving through Ireland's Charitable Donation Scheme (CHY3/CHY4 forms). Tax relief can increase donation value by up to 45%.
3. Government and Arts Funding: Strategic funding from Arts Council of Ireland, supported by Dublin City Council, Culture Ireland, and Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
4. Studio Hire: Rental revenue from hiring the dance studio and atrium space at 42 Fairview Strand for rehearsals, auditions, filming, and events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CoisCéim Dance Theatre produces and tours contemporary dance theatre works for stage, film, and virtual reality, complemented by the Broadreach community participation programme and the BENCH site-specific outdoor performance series. The company operates from its dance studio and Atrium at 42 Fairview Strand in Dublin, offering tickets via Pay What You Can pricing, venue hire, and international touring to festivals and presenting venues.

Product overview

CoisCéim Dance Theatre is a contemporary dance company founded in 1995, offering a portfolio of live stage productions, dance films, virtual reality experiences, and community participation programs. Their core offerings include touring dance theatre productions (such as Dancehall Blues, The Piece with The Drums, Palimpsest), the Francis Footwork VR experience (both as a stage production and 180-degree VR format), dance films (including Breakin' Brothers and Deep End Dance), the outdoor BENCH series of site-specific performances, the Broadreach community engagement initiative with dance classes and workshops, the Cinematheque film screening program, and studio facilities for hire. The company operates from its home at 42 Fairview Strand in Dublin and offers accessible pricing through Pay What You Can tickets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Broadreach: CoisCéim's pioneering access and participation initiative designed to inspire a genuine curiosity in dance, providing opportunities for people across Ireland to participate in creative dance.
• CoisCéim Cinematheque
• The Choreography Project

Products and services

• Live Dance Theatre Performances
• Francis Footwork 180 VR

Quantifiable outcome

• 885,000+ people reached through 292 performances in 30th anniversary year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• United Fall: Irish contemporary dance company (formerly United Artists) producing touring stage and site-specific work; overlaps with CoisCéim on touring economics, Arts Council funding, and festival circuit presence.
• DV8 Physical Theatre: UK-based contemporary dance theatre company producing narrative, physically grounded work; shares CoisCéim's hybrid dance-theatre vocabulary and international touring model on the Aerowaves/European festival circuit.
• Fabulast Beast Dance Theatre: Dublin-based contemporary dance theatre company producing narrative-driven work with a similarly inclusive ethos; competes for the same funding, venues, and audiences as CoisCéim.
• Dance Ireland: Ireland's national dance development organisation providing studio space, residencies, and professional development; directly comparable to CoisCéim's Broadreach and studio hire offerings.
• Scottish Dance Theatre: Scotland's national contemporary dance company, comparable in scale, repertoire-building strategy, and public-funding dependency to CoisCéim, with similar international touring through Aerowaves.
• Dublin Dance Festival: Ireland's principal international dance festival; directly comparable to CoisCéim's festival programming and a key presenting partner / competitor for headline contemporary dance audiences in Dublin.
• Irish National Ballet: Ireland's flagship dance company producing both classical and contemporary work; the closest national-scale dance peer to CoisCéim and a direct competitor for Arts Council, Culture Ireland, and audience share in Ireland.

Broad incumbents

• Sadler's Wells: UK's leading dance house producing and presenting international contemporary dance; comparable in mission (making dance accessible) and presenting-tier relationships, but operates at materially larger scale than CoisCéim.
• Project Arts Centre: Dublin's flagship multi-disciplinary arts venue and a primary presenting partner for CoisCéim (Palimpsest, Sing Me Your Song); comparable in scale but operates as a venue/producer rather than a touring dance company.
• The Place: London's principal contemporary dance venue and development organisation; functionally analogous to CoisCéim's combined producing + studio hire + professional development offering, but at larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/coisceim
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CoisCeim/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/Coisceim
• Instagraminstagram.com/coisceimdancetheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coisceim

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CoisCéim Dance Theatre