Young ballet company set to create Christmas magic
Dance fans in Galway are about to get a wonderful double helping from the talented members of Youth Ballet West who will take to the stage of the Town Hall Theatre this Saturday. The city based company will perform two pieces, the classic Christmas favourite, The Nutcracker Suite and the more modern dance piece Strings, which incorporates the music of Paddy Casey.
Youth Ballet West was set up in 2007 by dancer and choreographer Judith Sibley and her sister Phyllis Hayes and now features 25 of Ireland’s most talented young dancers from Galway, Athlone and Roscommon. Classes are free for these dancers aged between 13 and 23 who are selected by the company during an audition process.
Judith, who is a Youth Ballet West’s artistic director, describes the company as being “unrivalled in the West of Ireland in its excellence” and given its track record to date, that’s a claim that stands up.
Since it was established, Youth Ballet West has entertained audiences in Galway’s Town Hall Theatre and at Féile Na Bealtaine in Dingle. Performances also include dancing in St Patrick’s Day Parades in Dublin, dancing as part of the Volvo 2012 celebrations, dancing in the annual Macnas Parades and at The Dublin Youth Dance Festival. The company has won awards at The National Dance Awards and is firmly establishing itself as one of Ireland’s leading youth ballet companies.
Sibley herself is one of Ireland’s most highly regarded ballet artists and is successfully guiding these young dancers to realise their dreams through Youth Ballet West. Many former members of the company have been accepted into top dance schools in the UK and mainland Europe.