The Dance of the West Group is running a campaign to bring professional dancers to a chain of West of Ireland towns.
At Clifden Community School, over 300 young children are given their first introduction to the creative world of ballet. Clifden is in the middle of its sixth annual arts week and the Clifden school has been transformed into an exhibition hall with lectures, workshops and an art exhibition featuring many well known artists.
This year the emphasis is on creative dance. Internationally renowned choreographer Ian Montague is taking this group of first and second year dancers through their paces.
Sabina Higgins is the organiser behind the dance venture and outlines the objective to bring different kinds of dance to the west of Ireland. Dancers from places including France, Africa and India perform to an audience after which the audience takes part in a dance workshop. Sabina is optimistic that the project has been a success to date.
To bring different kinds of dance to Galway, Clifden, Tuam, the region.
Dance teacher Christine Hamburger says that for the first time different kinds of dance have been joining together along with movement, mime, drama and theatre. She believes that dance is an important part of education in schools.
The highlight at the school was an 18th century minuet performed by Ian Montague and Elizabeth Clarke.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 20 October 1982.
