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Irish Ballet was founded by Patricia Mulholland to showcase performances that were not ballet in the classical sense but a form of folk ballet. The company made its debut in 1951 in the Empire Theatre, Belfast as part of the Festival of Britain.
See Irish National Ballet
Irish Modern Dance Theatre, also known as John Scott Dance, was founded in 1991 by Dublin-born John Scott to create and commission new works to expand the experience of dance theatre for audiences in Ireland and abroad. Since its instigation, the company has operated the policy of employing Irish dancers in its work whenever possible and seeking Irish dancers living abroad to bring them back to work in Ireland. It has also forged links with international choreographers and other artists, including Meredith Monk, John Jasperse, Thomas Lehmen, Sara Rudner, Sean Curran, Chris Yon, Deborah Hay, and Charles Atlas. The Irish Modern Dance Theatre has produced several ground-breaking works which break traditional theatre and dance conventions, leaving audiences thrilled and sometimes shocked. They have been performed in theatres, art centres and schools across Ireland. International venues include PS 122, Danspace Project at St Marks Church, La MaMa (New York), Forum Cultural Mundial, SESC (Rio De Janeiro), l’Étoile Du Nord (Paris), Pustervikstheatern (Göteborg), Varna Summer Festival, Kanuti Gildi SAAL (Estonia), Scenario Pub.bli.co (Sicily) andAl Kasaba Theatre (Ramallah).
A professional ballet company established in Cork under Joan Denise Moriarty's direction and funded by the Arts Council. Originally named the Irish Ballet Company, it was renamed Irish National Ballet in 1984. In the same year, the Arts Council commissioned a report on dance in Ireland. The report was highly critical of the ballet company and the ensuing controversy resulted in Moriarty's resignation in September 1985. In 1988, the Arts Council halved the dance company's budget, forcing it to disband in 1989.
Irish Theatre Ballet was founded by Joan Denise Moriarty in 1959 with Marie Rambert as its patron. The company's first performance took place in December 1959. The company received modest funding from the Arts Council, but depended heavily on private sponsors for its survival. In 1963, to resolve the company's financial problems, the Arts Council insisted on its amalgamation with Patricia Ryan's National Ballet Company in Dublin.
Junk Ensemble was co-founded in 2004 by its current Artistic Directors Megan and Jessica Kennedy to create works of brave and innovative dance theatre. Its productions have toured nationally and internationally and are the recipients of many awards, including Jane Snow Award for Excellence and Innovation 2007 for The Rain Party; Culture Ireland Touring Award 2008 for Drinking Dust, and Absolut Fringe Festival Best Production Award 2011 for Bird with Boy. In addition, Jessica Kennedy was honoured with Best Female Performer Award at the 2006 Dublin Fringe Festival. In 2012, Junk Ensemble became artists in residence for Tate Modern in Britain.
See Mariinsky Ballet
