The Irish Ballet Company comes to Offaly for a performance at Birr Vintage Week.
When Joan Denise Moriarty established the Irish Ballet Company in Cork, her mandate was to take the art of dance to the people. The ballet company tours Ireland and while in Offaly will put on shows during Birr Vintage Week. The company has been performing in Birr for the last seven years under the patronage of the Earl and Countess of Rosse.
The dancers very much enjoy tourirng and meeting people. One dancer who has worked in many European countries says she was persuaded to come to Ireland by choreographer Domy Reiter-Soffer. The dancers share how they became involved in the Irish Ballet Company and how they have seen audiences grow..
Countess of Rosse Anne Parsons was instrumental in bringing the Irish Ballet Company to Birr and was anxious to do all she could to promote ballet in Ireland. She also had a family connection to ballet as her brother, Oliver Messel, was a famous stage designer and she worked alongside him creating some designs.
It was my great dream that Ireland, with its tradition of music and dancing, should have its own ballet.
The Countess of Rosse is looking forward to the The Irish Ballet Company performing at the Marian Hall.
This episode of 'Summerhouse' was broadcast on 26 August 1980. The presenter is Vincent Hanley.
'Summerhouse' was a summer magazine series on RTÉ Television. First broadcast in the summer evening time slot on RTÉ 2 on 13 June 1979, it ran until to 1981. Other presenters and reporters were Liam Nolan, Áine O'Connor and Vincent Hanley.
