The Monthly talks to Rana O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer of High Points Youth Ballet, about the Belfast International Ballet Festival – Part 2

With the success of a number of Northern Irish dancers working internationally is local Ballet on the rise?

Yes, local ballet is undoubtedly on the rise! We are immensely proud of the role we play in fostering this growth through High Points Youth Ballet. The global successes of dancers from Northern Ireland have contributed significantly to this upward trend. Bringing these international achievements together has helped to foster organic growth and progress within the local ballet community.

In the ballet community, success is paramount, and our collective passion drives us forward. I often joke that we are mad about ballet; this passion is contagious and propels us to new heights as we come together and support one another.

Anna McCoy

We have seen remarkable accomplishments from dancers including Leigh Alderson from Ballett Theatre Nordhausen, Luc Burns from Opera Varna, Ruaidhri Maguire from Ballet Ireland and Six Dance Collective, Anna McCoy from Semperoper Ballet, and Rachel Neale from The Phantom Of the Opera Middle East and European Tour.

Their return to Northern Ireland generates tremendous excitement and inspiration among our students. Another internationally acclaimed talent is our award-winning choreographer Oona Doherty. Our students are very excited to perform Oona’s “Navy Blue” and among them is Giorgos Zafeiris, a Greek ballet student from School of Dance Aristea Litou.

Oona Doherty

What do the organisers hope to achieve through the hosting of the festival?

In essence, the festival aims to highlight the rich talent and potential in Northern Ireland, foster a greater appreciation for ballet, and provide opportunities for all aspiring dancers. We hope this inaugural event will be the beginning of a growing tradition, further strengthening the ballet community here and beyond.

Through hosting the first Belfast International Ballet Festival, we really want to fly the flag for Ballet excellence here. First and foremost, we want to showcase potential and success – we hope to demonstrate our potential and raise awareness about the global successes of our dancers. We believe that our accomplishments deserve more recognition locally, and this festival is a platform to showcase that.

We want to highlight the benefits of dance and illustrate that dance offers benefits to everyone who is drawn to it, regardless of age or ability. To this end, we have organised various workshops during the festival.

For example, on August 10th at 1:30 PM, Anna Carapellotti will demonstrate the benefits of dance for Parkinson’s patients in a free event (booking required). On 5 and 7 August masterclass teachers Yuri Tcvetkov and Sara-Maria Barton will teach ballet to adult enthusiasts in the High Points Youth Ballet studios on 24 Alfred Street. On 10 August the “Second Chance Ballet” group will perform in Swan Lake Suite at 3:30 PM alongside our students and soloists.

Through the festival we wish to stimulate debate and discussion about ballet and its impact. We are fortunate to have Prof. Aoife McGrath from Queens University and Assistant Prof. Victoria Durrer from UCD participating in an academic lecture titled “Youth Dance Matters.” This panel will be hosted by Dr. Argyro Tsampazi, fostering a rich discussion on the importance of youth engagement in dance.

Finally, we really want to inspire local talent. On my arrival in Belfast many years ago, I was inspired by a poster of a leaping ballerina at the airport, which symbolised the aspiration for a vibrant ballet community. Although it was merely a dream at the time, over the past 25 years of teaching ballet here, I have witnessed the incredible talent and creativity in this region. By establishing High Points Youth Ballet, our goal has always been to create opportunities for local talent, inspiring them to pursue professional careers in ballet despite financial obstacles.

For more details on the festival, or to buy tickets for our performances, visit Belfast International Ballet Festival see the link below

www.belfastballetfestival.com

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