Judith Sibley: Principal

ARAD PDTD RTS RBS Dip

Dublin born Judith Sibley is one of Ireland’s most prestigious ballet artists. She studied at the acclaimed Elmhurst Ballet School and the Ballet Rambert School, London. She has performed with Vienna Festival Ballet, Rubato Ballet, New Balance Dance Company, Ballet Ireland, Spirit of the Dance, Phantom of the Opera in both Belgium and Germany, Cork City Ballet, Irish National Youth Ballet, Youth Ballet West, The Great Waltz, and Coisceim ( for the Ryder Cup). Judith has toured internationally, performing principal and soloist roles in all the major classical ballets including Swan Lake, Giselle, La Bayadere, Cinderella, Coppelia, and The Nutcracker.

She has choreographed for Cork City Ballet, Baboro Festival, Macnas, Cuirt Festival, and Catastrophe Theatre Company. Her work has been invited to The Galway Arts Festival, The Dublin Dance Festival, Dublin Absolute Fringe Festival, Flights of Fancy Festival, Feile na Bealtaine, and Louisburgh Arts Festival.

Having gained the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Professional Dancers Teaching Diploma with Distinction, Judith teaches at Shannon and Corrib Dance Academies. She has tutored internationally for the RAD, and has taught ballet as far afield as Singapore and Italy. She spent six years as Chairperson of the RAD’s Regional Advisory Committee in Ireland and is currently a Director of Irish Ballet Forum.

Judith was the Artistic Director of Chrysalis Dance, and has choreographed Strings, Wishes and Waves, Love and Other Disguises, Soul/S, Ways You Wander, Connect For and Thought Once Was, for the company. She is also Artistic Director and lead choreographer of Youth Ballet West.

 

Clare Farrell

Clare started dancing at the Corrib Dance Academy where she completed ballet and modern exams. She has completed her Advanced 1 ballet RAD and Advanced 1 Modern (ISTD.) She was a member of Youth Ballet West for a number of years where she gained experience in performance.

Clare is currently completing her ISTD DDE in Modern in Inchicore College of Further Education in Dublin and is also enrolled on the Certificate of Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS) of the Royal Academy of Dance. As well as teaching at Shannon Dance Academy, Clare also assists in the Corrib Dance Academy and has assisted with Youth Ballet West shows.

 

Sheelagh Hayes: School Administrator and Teaching Assistant

Born in the UK, Sheelagh commenced her dance training in London. Having moved to Dublin at the age of 7 she continued her dance studies at the Harcourt School of Ballet and the Abbey School of Ballet (started by Dame Ninette de Valois) and successfully gained all the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) grade examinations.

Sheelagh danced and choreographed for many musical societies and clubs in Dublin where she also taught teenage jazz and ladies keep fit classes for many years. She moved to Galway in 2001.
Sheeelagh is administrator for Shannon Dance Academy, and teaching assistant when required. She is the costume co-ordinator for the school, a role she fulfills for Galway’s Corrib Dance Academy also. In addition she works as administrator and costume co-ordinator for Youth Ballet West and Catastrophe Theatre Company.