Youth Ballet West
Performance History
11 December 2021: YBW performs in the Knights before Christmas in the Galway Cathedral for a fund raising cancer charity Hand in Hand.
6/7 November 2021: Claddagh Swans is performed for two performances in the Town Hall Theatre to great acclaim.
17 September 2021: A short segment of the Claddagh Swans film was presented on Facebook for Culture Night. It also featured on the RTE 6.01 news.
July 2021: Eight company dancers enter the studio for two weeks of intensive rehearsal in the hope of staging Claddagh Swans in August. The theatres were open in August with restricted numbers, but only professional performers were permitted. Company members were disappointed so it was decided to film the piece in studio with a small socially distanced audience of the dancers’ parents.
18 September 2020: Presentation of Forest Fairies on social media for Culture Night.
7/8 August 2020: Fairy Film entitled Forest Fairies at Castle Ellen House for Culture Night shot by Darachphotography, directed and edited by Anne McCabe and choreographed by Judith Sibley and danced by eight of the company’s dancers.
July 2020: Creation of Claddagh Swans a socially distanced new ballet over two weeks on eight of the company’s senior dancers in the hope that it will be performed in December
June 2020: Dancing from a Distance, dance film in collaboration with Cruinniu na nOg
May 2020: Dance in Tiny Spaces –an online film created by Judith Sibley with company dancers and Darachphotography
17 December 2019: Four company members travelled to Dublin with Artistic Director Judith Sibley. They spent several hours in Crumlin Children’s Hospital performing the Snow dance from the Nutcracker in all the wards, interacting with the children and giving out candy canes.
27 October 2019: Artistic Director Judith Sibley collaborated with Artistic Director of Macnas Noeline Kavanagh to create a new piece of work which was performed by fifteen members of YBW in the parade entitled Dance Macabre on the streets of Galway.
October: Company members gave a performance at the ‘Dillon Symposium’ at the NUIG.
20 September 2019: For Culture Night the company performed their popular Fairy ballet. The performance which was repeated several times on the loop was given this year in the large tent at Claregalway Castle. The event, which is becoming an expected annual treat was attended by approx 800 people across the two hours, some of whom had never attended a dance performance previously. The performance was attended by the Galway County Council Arts Officer Sharon and was videoed by Galway County Council. The performance was mentioned in the national press as one of the best events to bring young children to.
15 June 2019: Company members performed the Library open day in Athlone for Cruinniu na nOg.
11 May 2019: Performed world Premiere of Virtually Perfect in the Town Hall Theatre, Galway.
15/16 December 2018: 3 sold out performances of Nutcracker at Town Hall Theatre, Galway.
30 October 2018: company performance as part of Macnas Parade, Into the Wild Sky.
21 September 2018: For Culture Night the company performed the twenty minute ballet which was given at the Drogheda arts Festival earlier in the year. The performance which was repeated several times on the loop was given in the lecture Hall of Claregalway Castle. The event, which is becoming an expected annual treat was attended by approx 500 people across the two hours, some of whom had never attended a dance performance previously.
7 July 2018: Twelve company members performed outdoors at the Claregalway Garden Festival.
30 June 2018: Four company members travelled to Dublin to perform at the Irish Youth Dance Festival held in the Pavilions Theatre in Dunlaoire.
10 June 2018: Sixteen members of the company gave outdoor performances in Strokestown House, Roscommon at IzzyB’s Away with the Fairies Fun Day. Company members also interacted with the children by engaging with them and inviting them to dance in a fairy ring.
2 June 2018: Performed as part of Lark in the Land, a charity mixed bill in aid of the Make a Wish Foundation, in Leisureland, Salthill,Galway..
7 May 2018: Performed The Magical Faeries of Beaulieu, a 20 minute ballet commissioned by the Drogheda Arts Festival. The piece was performed several times at Beaulieu House as part of the Drogheda Arts Festival. Company members also interacted with the children during the afternoon.
21/22 April 2018: Performed Swan Lake Act 2, Paquita & Laws of Infinite Motion at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway. Swan Lake Act 2 and Paquita was re-staged by Artistic Director Judith Sibley. Laws of Infinite Motion was created by the members of the company.
February 2017: Performed ‘Tea Party’ from Alice Underground and ‘Image of a Swan’ at the ‘Hand in Hand’ Ball at the Ardilaun Hotel.
May 2017: Performed a mixed bill of works given over the last 10 years by the company, together with some new pieces choreographed by company members and by the Artistic Director Judith Sibley. The production received an excellent review on line by Charlie McBride of the Galway Advertiser, and the Sunday performance was attended by the first lady Sabina Higgins.
June 2017: Sixteen members of the company gave outdoor performances in Strokestown House, Roscommon at IzzyB’s Away with the Fairies Fun Day on 11th June 2017. Company members also interacted with the children by engaging with them and inviting them to dance in a fairy ring.
July 2017: Five company members travelled to Dublin on 1st July 2017 to perform at the Irish Youth Dance Festival held in the Pavilions Theatre in Dunlaoire.
July 2017: Twelve company members performed outdoors at the Claregalway Garden Festival particularly delighting the crowd when they staged an impromptu performance with the jazz band.
September 2017: For Culture Night 22nd September 2017 twenty eight company members gave site specific performances in Claregalway Castle entitled Faerie Dances. The performance of fairies, pixies and goblins was attended by approx 500 people, some of whom had never attended a dance performance previously.
October 2017: Catching Waves was performed for two shows at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway as part of the Baboro International Arts Festival for Children. Eight company members performed with the live orchestra ‘Symphonic Waves.’ Both shows were sold out.
October 2017: Artistic Director Judith Sibley collaborated with Artistic Director of Macnas Noeline Kavanagh to create a new piece of work which was performed by members of YBW in the parade entitled Port na bPucai on the streets of Galway on 29th October 2017. The Youth Ballet West members played birds and were featured on many photos and videos of the event.
October 2017: Twelve company members travelled to Dublin with Macnas to appear in the Bram Stoker Festival.
December 2017: Five company members travelled to Dublin with Artistic Director Judith Sibley on 20th December 2017. They spent several hours in Crumlin Children’s Hospital performing an elves dance and the Mirlitons dance from the Nutcracker in all the wards, interacting with the children and giving out candy canes.
February 2016: Performed Mirlitons from the Nutcracker and a dance number from the musical Cats at the ‘Hand in Hand’ Ball at the Salthill Hotel.
March 2016: Performed Mirlitons from the Nutcracker at Aras na nGael as part of Seactain na Gaeilge.
March 2016: Performed in the Galway Shopping Centre as promotion for upcoming show
Coppelia and Aspirations to Dream
April 2016: Performed the full length ballet Coppelia as a double bill with the world premier of Aspirations to Dream for two almost sold out performances at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway. Aspirations to Dream was accompanied live by Adrian Mantu of the RTE Contempo Quartet.
April 2016: Attended a photo shoot for Galway 20/20.
June 2016: Sixteen members of the company gave outdoor performances in Strokestown House, Roscommon at IzzyB’s Away with the Fairies Fun Day on 12th June 2016. Company members also interacted with the children by engaging with them and inviting them to dance in a fairy ring.
July 2016: Nine company members travelled to Dublin on 3rd July 2016 to perform at the Irish Youth Dance Festival held in the Pavilions Theatre in Dunlaoire.
July 2016: Company members accompanied Artistic Director Judith Sibley to the class and workshop given by choreographer Marguerite Donlon.
September 2016: Twelve company members collaborated with the choir of the Athenry Music School to give a performance in the Meyrick Hotel as part of the ‘Light it up Gold’ initiative on 4th September 2016 to raise awareness of childhood cancer.
September 2016: For Culture Night 16th September 2016 ten company members gave a site specific performance in Claregalway Castle entitled Dance Icons in Spirit. The performance was attended by approx 600 people, some of whom had never attended a dance performance previously.
October 2016: Alice Underground (Sibley 2012) was performed for two shows at the Town Hall Theatre, Galway as part of the Baboro International Arts Festival for Children. Both shows were sold out and Alice Underground was the fastest selling show of the festival.
October 2016: Artistic Director Judith Sibley collaborated with Artistic Director of Macnas Noeline Kavanagh to create a new piece of work which was performed by members of YBW in the parade entitled Savage Grace on the streets of Galway on 30th October 2016. The Youth Ballet West members, who played wolves, were featured on the RTE news as they tried to attack President Michael D. Higgins, who is the company’s Patron.
October 2016: Eight company members travelled to Dublin with Macnas to appear in Sleep No More which was part of the Bram Stoker Festival.
December 2016: Five members of the company gave site specific performances at Claregalway Castle on 10th and 11th December 2016 as part of the Christmas Festival.
December 2016: Three company members travelled to Dublin with Artistic Director Judith Sibley on 14th December 2016. They spent several hours in Crumlin Children’s Hospital performing the Mirlitons dance from the Nutcracker in all the wards, interacting with the children and giving out candy canes.
December 2016: Three company members performed as part of the Taibhdhearc Christmas production, Hans Christian Andersen agus a Chairde. The production ran from the 13th December to the 21st of December 2016.
