I was very lucky to spend an afternoon in the Dance Ireland studio with Irish choreographer Laura Macken for a studio performance of her new neoclassical ballet ‘Connections’ set to the music of Bach.

Mentored by inspiring Irish (and internationally acclaimed) choreographer Marguerite Donlan and working with seven professional dancers, Laura comments that the ‘various layers of connection we experience in our everyday lives will be explored.  One’s own connection to themselves-their sense of self as people, and their identity as dancers, the different ways in which we connect and relate to others, and our connection to the origins of ballet will all be used in creating this piece.’

Laura was working with a lovely talented group of dancers Eoin Padraig MacDonncha, Kate Haughton, Claudia Arrazia, Pablo von Sternenfels, Yuliya Prokhorova, Fanni Esterhazy and Rose Hardiman. It was an absolute pleasure to meet them all and great to get a glimpse of rehearsal and sneak in a few shots. The studio was packed for their performance on July 20 and a very appreciative audience is looking forward to following the journey that ‘Connections’ will take. Personally. I can’t wait to see it on stage – costumes, lighting and all.

It’s really wonderful to see such high quality ballet being supported in Ireland by The Arts Council Ireland. Thank you all.