The most exciting dance news of the moment is surely the work of choreographer, Paul Johnson, who has a residency at the Project Arts Centre. With his long-time collaborators from Mandance, composer Eugene Murphy and lighting designer Paul Keogan, Johnson is working with male dancers to explore male culture. The first work-in-progress period begins on Monday and there will be an informal showing of the work at the Samuel Beckett Centre on the afternoon of August 28th.

Johnson is specifically looking at age and ageing, relationships, mortality, and how men do - and don't - cope with them. He focuses on men partly because he is one and

because he works from his own experience, he says, but also because male experience is badly reflected in dance because of the persistent "sissy" label. It's not a label which Michael Flatley seems much bothered by, and his spirit seems to live on in Liam Harney from Boston who will, apparently, star in a new musical drama to be staged here in September. Called Waves, it will be choreographed by US choreographer, Kevin Patterson. Auditions for dancers with ballet, jazz and a touch of tap, took place at De Valois House on Monday for the show, which will have new music by Charlie Lennon and will be televised by RTE on September 29th.