Ballet Ireland, having just completed a hugely successful run of performances at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Electric Picnic, is delighted to present ‘The Glasshouse’, its first ever children’s performance by the brilliant Irish Choreographer, Róisín Whelan — and it is coming to Galway this autumn as part of Baboró.
This special performance is a narrative about how small, conscious efforts can help rejuvenate our planet. ‘The Glasshouse’ will happen this October at the Solstice Arts Centre in Meath, the Draíocht, Blanchardstown in Dublin and at the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children, in Galway.
Róisín Whelan, is committed to creating dance works that are accessible to everyone. Whelan emerged as a strikingly innovative choreographer through her work for ‘Man Down’ and 'The Galaxy Of Occupations'. Ballet Ireland is proud to commission Whelan, as she uses her creative skill set to capture the attention of Ireland’s youth.
Ms Whelan is a choreographer from Carlow who creates highly physical and technically demanding work with strong narratives that is accessible to all regardless of their age, gender, or socio-economic background through her company Róisín Whelan Dance/ R.W.D. She is the recipient of the inaugural Propel Award, a three year-long artist development and mentorship programme funded by the Strollers Network, Ireland’s largest consortium of Arts Centres for the 2021-2024 season. She is a member of the Northern Ireland Opera Open Studio as an Emerging Choreographer and the first artist to be awarded an LD Dance Performance residency.
Other awards and residences include Backstage Theatre Activate Residency 20/21, Dance Ireland Regional Residency Award 20/21; Ballet Ireland Emerging Choreographer Award, Arts Council Dance Bursaries and Project Awards as well as a Tipperary Dance Fellowship in 2020.
‘The Glasshouse’ delves into themes of global warming, horticulture and life’s determination to survive. Themes align with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s learning objectives. Ballet Ireland will bring youth audiences through a tale of transformation and growth, learning what it takes to keep Earth's greenery alive and how important it is to take care of precious things.
Ms Whelan discusses her process of deriving inspiration and transforming her ideas into dance:
“I am really inspired by the world around me, things I hear on the radio, news, television. I often have a theme or a broader topic I am interested in and then love to do a week of research with a few bodies to help ideas flow before going back to the drawing board and setting out what has worked and doesn’t work. The ideas can then go from a larger theme or concept to more specific characters, moments and movement patterns.”
Commenting on the new performance created especially for young people, Anne Maher, Director at Ballet Ireland said they are delighted to be presenting new work by Róisín Whelan.
"It is important to continue to support Irish artists by amplifying Irish creative brilliance. We are thrilled to be presenting our first work made specifically for young audiences. The support from the Arts Council has made the addition of this strand of work possible.”
The Glasshouse will be performing at the Baboró International Arts Festival for Children in Galway on 14th- 23rd October. Tickets can be booked online through baboro.ie or by calling 091 562 667.
Ballet Ireland presents both traditional full-length classics and newly commissioned ballets which resonate with audiences of today. The originality of Ballet Ireland’s work has attracted a company of highly trained international dancers, who are recognised by audiences and critics alike for their individual style and razor sharp technique.
Established in 1998, each spring and autumn the company performs in large scale theatres in Dublin and throughout Ireland. Touring affords the opportunity for our regional audiences to access and enjoy professional ballet and to inspire young and talented students all over Ireland
Dublin-born Anne Maher is one of Ireland’s most respected voices in ballet and dance with an international career spanning over 35 years. “On behalf of Ballet Ireland, I am delighted to be returning to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2022 with a double-bill of exhilarating and dynamic choreography by Marguerite Donlon and Zoë Ashe-Browne.
"It is wonderful to be showcasing the work of two talented Irish women, Marguerite Donlon is an established Internationally acclaimed artist. Zoë Ashe-Browne is an immensely talented rising star and we are thrilled to introduce her work to audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival."
