Cork City Ballet
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Here are some of the Company's principal activities to date....
In January 2006, Cork City Ballet's production of Winter Season at the Cork Opera House was reviewed in Dance Europe Magazine
In February, we began research and development for two new ballets.
In February, Alan Foley travelled to Paris to attend Rudolf Nureyev's production of "La Bayadere" at the Paris Opera Ballet with a view to restaging this ballet in November 2006 in Ireland.
In March, Gira Con Me (choreography Alan Foley) and Bodyguard (choreography Patricia Crosbie) were workshopped at the Firkin Crane Theatre in Cork. Both ballets were subsequently presented in Cork City Ballet's production of "Ballet Spectacular 2006".
Members of Cork City Ballet travelled to Lanzarote to engage in discussion with a local theatre impressario with a view to bringing our production of "Ballet Spectacular" to the island.
In May, Cork City Ballet principal dancer Monica Loughman was a guest artiste at Colaiste Stiofan Naofa's Diploma in Dance Course Graduation Performance, at the Firkin Crane.
In May, Alan Foley and Janet Dillon, Company Administrator, attended the premiere of Natalia Makarova's staging of La Bayadere at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm, and met Makarova to discuss her coming to Cork to stage The Kingdom of the Shades from her production of La Bayadere for Cork City Ballet.
In June, members of Cork City Ballet - including Monica Loughman - performed with the students of the Alan Foley Academy of Dance at their annual production of Dance Offering, at the Everyman Palace Theatre.
In July, Cork City Ballet's Artistic Director Alan Foley and Ballet Mistress Patricia Crosbie attended one of Julio Bocco's final performances at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Bocco performed the lead role in Manon, with Alessandra Ferri.
In July, Cork City Ballet was featured in Dancing Times Magazine
In August, Cork City Ballet launched its Winter Season of Ballet Spectacular 2006 and open auditions were held at the Firkin Crane later that month.
In September, rehearsals commenced for Ballet Spectacular 2006
In November, the company toured Ireland with its production of Ballet Spectacular 2006, featuring the Irish premiere of the famous Kingdom of the Shades from La Bayadere, produced by Alan Foley and Monica Loughman, which was reviewed in December's Dance Europe Magazine (click here to read)
November also saw the launch of Alan and Monica's new book "Ballet Through the Lens - Foley and Loughman: A Portrait" (click here to purchase)
In December, plans were well underway for the company's Spring Season at the Cork Opera House to be held in May 2007 (Click here to read press release)
In January, Alan and Monica were featured in Ireland's biggest selling celebrity magazine - VIP Magazine.
In January, the company's Spring Season - Ballet Spectacular 2007 - was launched
In February, some of the dancers were busy in the studio rehearsing for a new work - Gira Con Me II - which was scheduled to be premiered at the tribute performance for the late Patrick Murray, in the Everyman Palace Theatre in Cork in May. Pat worked extensively with ballet in Ireland throughout his long career designing for the theatre.
In March, plans were well underway for the company's first full-length production of Giselle, to be premiered at the Cork Opera House in November 2007.
In May, Cork City Ballet's Artistic Director gave his farewell performance as principal dancer of the company to a full house, followed by a reception afterwards of close friends, colleagues and family. The Executive Director of the Cork Opera House, Gerry Barnes, commented "Alan will be fondly missed from our stage, but we look forward to many more productions from Cork City Ballet". Alan replied "I look forward to returning in my directorial capacity".
In September, casting for the forthcoming production of Giselle was completed.Yuri Demakov - who trained at the Bolshoi Ballet School in Moscow - was contracted to reproduce this ballet for the company.
In November 2007, the company performed its first full length ballet - Giselle - to full houses at the Cork Opera House with Irish Ballerina Monica Loughman dancing the title role. Monica was partnered by Russian ballet star Alexey Nasadovich.
In May and June 2008, a research and development choreographic project took place which culminated in two new ballets being created for the Company. These ballets will be seen in CCB's forthcoming national tour of The Sleeping Beauty Suite and Divertissements in November of this year.
In September 2008, Alan Foley launched his new book "Cork City Ballet - the story so far" at the Millennium Hall in Cork's City Hall.
In November 2008, the Company presented its National Tour of The Sleeping Beauty Suite and Divertissements. The Company was also featured on RTE's "Nationwide" programme.
In December 2008, Artistic Director Alan Foley was featured in the RTE production of "Ballet Chancers" alongside dancers from Cork City Ballet, and students from Colaiste Stiofan Naofa's Diploma in Dance course which Alan also directs.
In January 2009, Alan was elected onto the Board of the Fleischmann Centenary Celebrations for 2010 and is currently busy with preparations for a new production of "Swan Lake" and Professor Fleischmann's "The Golden Bell of Ko" to be performed by Cork City Ballet in 2010.
Updated July 2008