2016ANNUALREPORT

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MESSAGEFROMTHEDIRECTOR2016wasanexceptionallysuccessfulyearforBalletIreland,seeingthecompanyreturntofinancialgoodhealthhavingreversedtheaccumulateddeficitfrompreviousyears.Thecompanywasengagedinslightlyfewerperformances,aswedidn'ttourinthespring.However,thenumberofperformancesduringtheautumn/wintertourofTheNutcrackerwasuponpreviousseasons.Theproductiondid93%businessaroundthecountryduringthetour,sellingoutcompletelyinallbut2venues. InSeptembertherewasanintenseperiodofResearchandDevelopmentforafuturecommissionofGisellebyLudovicOndiviela.TheshowingattheconclusionofthethreeweeksofR&D,wasmetwithgreatexcitementandtherewasaninstantsenseofanticipationlookingaheadtothepremierein2017.Anothernotablehighlightof2016wastheinclusionofyoungmembersofIrishNationalYouthBalletinTheNutcrackerduringourGaietyTheatreSeason.ItisalwaysajoytobeabletoincludechildrenintheproductionanditofferstheseyoungpeopleonINYBanunforgettableandinvaluableexperience,particularlyforthosewithambitionstomakedancetheircareer. Whilst2015wasadifficultyearfinanciallyforthecompany,2016sawthosefinancialdifficultiesreversed.ThedecisiontoprogrammeTheNutcrackerin2016wasbothaprudentfinancialdecisionandoneofartisticbalance.ItisimportantthatBalletIrelandcontinuestopushanddeveloptheartformofballetinIreland.Butwealsowishtoprovidemoretraditionalproductions,whichwillbeappreciatedbysomeofourmoreconservativeaudiences.ItistobenotedthatdespitethefactthattherewasanotherRussianproductionofTheNutcrackerintheBordGaisEnergyTheatreashorttimeafterthecompany'sDublinseason,itdidnotappeartoimpactonoursales.OurDublinseasonsoldextremelywellandweachievedticketsalesof77%attheboxoffice. Oureducationalactivitiesareanextremelyimportantpartofthecompany'sactivitiesandwecontinuetogrowourschoolsprogramme,aswellasourSummerWorkshopsandotherindividualmasterclassesandworkshops. AnothermajorundertakingfortheBoardin2016wasengagingtheservicesofconsultantLisaClancytoworkwiththeBoarddevelopingastrategicplanforthecompany.TheBoardworkedveryintenselywithLisaandmyselfoveraperiodofabout6weeks.Itwasaveryvaluableexperience,notjustfortheendresultofthestrategicplan,butalsoforthecohesionandengagementitinspiredintheBoard.

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TheBoardalsosaidgoodbyetotwolongservingdirectors,ourChairSheamusSmithandKilianO'Callaghan.Iwouldliketothankthemfortheirhugecontributiontothecompanyduringtheirtermsofoffice.Itwasapleasuretoworkwiththem.WealsowishedourGeneralManagerJeanetteKeanebestwishesasshemovesonattheendof2016. So2016wasaverypositiveyearforBalletIreland,bringingfinancialstabilityandstillinvestinginamajornewworktobepremieredin2017.Thecompany'sfuturehasneverlookedbrighter.

AnneMaherDirector

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Production:TheStolenChildSUMMARY

BalletIreland’sStephenBrennanchoreographedacollaborationwithINYBandJohnScottusSchool,Donnybrook.ThiscollaborationresultedinperformancesatthePavilionTheatre,DunLaoghaireinJanuary.AnoriginalorchestrationofmusicbyFranDempseyplayedbylivemusiciansaccompaniedthisexplorationofW.B.Yate’spoem.Thisinvolvedchildrenatsecondaryschoollevel(betweentheagesof12-18).BalletIrelandhiredabackdroptotheJohnScottusSchoolfortheirperformances.

PERFORMANCES

15&16(matineeandevening)January2016

AUDIENCENUMBERS960audiencememberssawtheproduction.

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Production:AMidsummerNight’sDreamSUMMARY

OurongoingcollaborationwithINYBhasbeenamutuallybeneficialpartnership:severalpreviousmembersoftheINYBhavesubsequentlyperformedonstagewithBalletIrelandasfully-fledgedprofessionals.BalletIrelandhiredabackdroptoINYBfortheirperformancesofMidsummerNight'sDream.

PERFORMANCES

13&22May2016

14,20,21May2016(matineeandevening)

AUDIENCENUMBERS

2,115audiencememberssawtheproduction

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Production:Research&DevelopmentforGiselle,choreographedbyLudovicOndiviela

SUMMARY

Freshontheheelsofthesuccessof2015’s‘Lost’,ex-RoyalBalletchoreographerLudovicOndivielareturnedtoDublintoworkwiththedancersofBalletIrelandfortheresearchanddevelopmentphaseforGiselle.Thisworldfamousballetwillbere-imaginedfor2017withthecompanypremiereatProjectArtsCentreinDublinonApril22nd.AdolpheAdam’sgorgeousscorewillbearrangedbyTomLane&RobMoloneywhohavepreviouslyworkedwithBalletIrelandonMorgannRunacre-Temple’s‘Coppelia’.SetandcostumedesignwillbebyMareeKearnsandlightingdesignbyPaulKeogan.

INFORMALSHOWING07OCTOBER2016–32ATTENDEES

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Production:TheNutcracker

SUMMARY

Inautumn2016BalletIrelandremountedit’sproductionofTheNutcracker.Thetourwasaresoundingsuccesswithalmosteveryvenuereportingasold-outboxoffice.TheGaietyseasonwasaparticularhighlightasjuniormembersofIrishNationalYouthBalletjoinedthecompanyonstage.

TOURDATESRoscommonArtsCentre,Roscommon05NovAnGrianánTheatre,Letterkenny06NovRiversideTheatre,Coleraine08NovTheatreattheMill,Newtownabbey09NovBurnavonArtsCentre,Cookstown11NovArdhowenTheatre,Enniskillen12NovGaietyTheatre,Dublin16-19NovGarageTheatre,Monaghan22NovHawk’sWellTheatre,Sligo23NovDraíochtArtsCentre,Blanchardstown25NovEverymanTheatre,Cork26NovTownHallTheatre,Galway29-30NovCivicTheatre,Tallaght01-03DecDunamaiseArtsCentre,Portlaoise05-06DecTheHelix,Glasnevin08Dec

LimeTreeTheatre,Limerick09-10DecSiamsaTíreTheatre,Tralee11DecSolsticeArtsCentre,Navan13DecBackstageTheatre,Longford14Decglór,Ennis16DecTheWatergateTheatre,Kilkenny17DecSourceArtsCentre,Thurles18DecDeanCroweTheatre,Athlone20DecVISUAL,Carlow:21DecMermaidArtsCentre,Bray22-23Dec

AUDIENCENUMBERS17,878audiencememberssawthetour.

REVIEWS…capturesthespiritoftheseasonadmirably…BalletIrelandassuredlydeliverthemagicandthemovementofTchaikovsky’sperennialfavourite.THEIRISHTIMES

Luscious,luxuriousandasheerdelight,“TheNutcracker”isaperfectChristmasTreat.THEARTSREVIEW

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EducationProgramme:PrimarySchools

SUMMARY

Wecontinuedtodevelopandpromoteourschoolsprogrammethroughout2016.OurcurrentagendahasevolvedinclosecollaborationwithschoolsintheDublin15area.Ourseriesofworkshops,inwhichchildrenjoinusinclassandrehearsal,hasprovedanextremelysuccessfulroutethroughwhichtoexposeyoungpeopletotheexperienceofdance.Inadditiontotheclassesintheirschools,childrenhadworkshopsinDanceHouse,beforemeetingthecompanyandobservingrehearsals.

SCHOOLS

OurEducationOfficerworkedwithstudentsinSt.Patrick’sJNSCorduff,St.Patrick’sNSDiswellstown,ScoilMhuireJNSBlakestownandSt.Philip’sJNSMountview.

PARTICIPATIONNUMBERS5,520studentstookpartintheprogrammewith210workshopstakingplaceonschoolpremises.

TESTIMONIALS‘…OurcollaborationwithBalletIrelandenabledstudentsofallagestoexplorenewwaysofexpressingideas.Dance,asamediawithouttongue,stimulatedmuchdebateastohowanideacanbestbe

physicallyrepresentedandinspiredmuchexperimentationinmovement.Theprojectwasthoroughlyenjoyedbychildrenofallabilities,butmostespeciallythosenothugelyacademic.Itaffordedthemtheopportunitytoexpressthemselvesinanon-academicwayandtogainconfidenceandtherebyenhancetheirselfesteem.’BridannMoloney,PrincipalSchoilAngela,UrsulineConvent,Thurles

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EducationProgramme:SummerSchool

SUMMARY

OursummerschoolprogrammecontinuedthroughoutJulyandAugust2016.Wecontinuetoconcentrateonattractingalargeruptakeofplacesfromayoungeragegroup,thoseagedbetween6and9yearsparticularly;inrecentyearstheprogrammehasprovedincreasinglypopularwitholderstudents,manyrepeatingyearonyear.

PARTICIPATINGTHEATRESGlór,Ennis;TheCivicTheatre,Tallaght;AnGrianán,Letterkenny;TheBurnavon,CookstownandtheMoatTheatre,Naas

ATTENDANCENUMBERS3,360youngpupilsattended

TESTIMONIALS‘AsaparentIwasamazedthatsomuchcouldbeaccomplishedinonlyfewdays.Thefinalperformancelookedlikesomethingthatwasrehearsedforweeks.’

‘Mysonhasbeendancingforacoupleofyears.WeattendallofBalletIreland’sproductionsandheisdelightedtobedancingonstagewithdancershehasseenonstage.’

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EducationProgramme:Workshops

SUMMARY

Werespondtovariousrequeststhroughouttheyeartodeliverworkshopsofallkindsaroundthecountrytoprivatedanceschoolsandcolleges.Thisformspartofourstrategytogrowourrelationshipswithteachersandstudentsthroughoutthecountryandcontinuesourcommitmenttonurturingyoungtalent.

PARTICIPATINGTHEATRESWorkshopswereconductedatIrishTheatreBallet,Cork;ClareConnollyDance,Blanchardstown;Burnavon,Cookstown;AnGrianán,Letterkenny;EtoileSchoolofDance,Portrush;PeeloSchoolofDance,Celbridge;ReginaRogers,Galway;ZonaDance,LetterkennyandTheArkaspartoftheAssociationforCreativityandArtsinEducation(ACAE).

ATTENDANCENUMBERS312studentstookpartinworkshops.

TESTIMONIAL

IthasbeensuchadelighttoworkwithBalletIrelandoverthelastfewyears.EachtimeBalletIrelandcomestoourtownwehavebeendelightedtopartakeinrepertoireclassesandsummerschools.Ourstudentshavebeenchallengedandinspiredbytheirinteractionwiththecompanyandthedancers.Eachyearstudentscometomewitheyeswideasking‘canwedothat?’.I’vefoundastheirinstructorthatthestudentsworkharderandfindmoreinthemselvestogivetotheirdancingafterwe’vespenttimewiththecompany,whetherthatisinclassorasanaudiencemember.Fromtheyoungeststudenttothemostseniordancers,theyalwaysleavetheexperiencewithhigheraspirationsandasstrongerdancers,Iamsogladoftheongoingprofessionalrelationshipthatwe’vebeenabletodevelopwithBalletIreland.

JessicaPeoples,RAD,RTSDirector/PrincipleZoNaDanceCo.

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StrategicPlanIn2016theBoardofBalletIrelanddecideditwasimportantfortheorganisationtogrowandcreateastrategicplanfor2016-2021inordertodeveloptheorganisation.Achanginglocalandglobalcontextandtheimportanceofattainingacommercialpartner,meantthatitwastimelyforthistohappen.Anumberoffocusgroupswithkeystakeholderswereplannedtoattainkeyinformationforplanning,allowprobingofnewideasandtoexamineviewsofstakeholders.Ithashelpedprovideablueprintforthedevelopmentoftheorganisation,detaildirection,prioritiesandgeteveryoneonthesamepage.

LisaClancyofClansultLtdwasengagedtoundertaketheconsultationprocess.

THEOBJECTIVES• ProduceastrategyforBalletIreland2016-2021• Attainviewsofkeystakeholders• Produceanactionplanwithdeliverablesandresponsibilities(toincludesponsorship)

FOCUSGROUPSTwo focus groups (including Board members) were conducted with a mix of age, gender andstakeholders.Eachgroupconsistedofabouttenpeople.Eachsessiontook60-90minutes.AnumberofoneononeinterviewswereheldwithkeystakeholdersincludingtheArtsCouncilandInternationalcolleagues.

TIMINGResearchwascarriedoutduringJulyandAugust2016andareportwassubmittedtotheBoardattheendofAugust2016.

OUTCOMESImplementationofthisplanhasnowcommenced.Goodgovernance,financialmanagement,supportingourartists,engagingpubliclyandbeingcreativeinourworkareallkeytothesuccessofthisplan.Collaborationwithotherswillbeanimportantpartofourgrowth.Ournextstepsinvolveensuringthecompanyhasthepropersolidfoundationsinplaceinordertogrowanddevelop.WewillworkwiththeDepartmentofArts,CultureandtheGaeltachttocontinueourstrategicdevelopmentandtoalwaysendeavourtokeep“ASTEPAHEAD”.

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OURVISIONTobeaninternationallyacclaimedcollaborative,

professionalcontemporaryballetcompany

OURMISSIONTocreateandpresentcompelling

balletworkwhichinspires,invigorates,educatesandis

relevanttoaudiencesoftoday

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OURVALUESExcellence Westriveforexcellencein

everythingwedoCreativity Uniquenessandoriginality

arecentraltoourthinkingAmbition Wearemotivatedand

determinedtoachievegreatness

Respect Wetreateachotherwithrespect

Teamwork Ourstrengthcomesinworkingcollaboratively

Integrity Weoperatewithintegrity,financialresponsibilityandgoodgovernance

Leadership Weleadboldly,bravelyandwithpassion

Accessibility Wewillstrivetomakeballetaccessibletoall

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BoardofDirectorsandManagementTheBalletIreland’sBoardofDirectorsandExecutivesarecommittedtomaintaininggoodgovernance.BalletIrelandiscurrentlyworkingtobecompliantwithTheGovernanceCodeasaTypeCorganisationandwebsitecomplianttoStandardAontheGovernanceTransparencyScale.AsanorganisationwithcharitablestatusundertheCharitiesAct2009,BalletIreland(BI)aimstocomplywiththeStatementofGuidingPrincipleforFundraisingdrawnuptomeettherequirementsoftheAct.

PATRONPresidentMichaelD.HigginsBOARDOFDIRECTORSSheamusSmith(Chair)–RetiredDecember2016LouiseCarpendale(Secretary)GerardineConnollyHeatherKennedyKilianO’Callaghan–RetiredAugust2016UnaO’HareEilisQuinlanSTAFFDirector:AnneMaherGeneralManager:JeanetteKeaneEducationOfficer:StephenBrennanPress:StephanieDickensonPR

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PartnersandFunders Supportfromourfundingbodies,mediasponsorsandpatrons,allowsustobringproductionsofthehighestprofessionalqualitytoaudiencesthroughoutIreland. MAINFUNDER

MEDIAPARTNERS

DonorBillyGaffDiamondFriendsLadyAnnieArnottRubyFriendsDebbieAllen,DebbieAllenSchoolofDanceHonorableMr.JusticeBartonandAnneMarieBartonOliveBraidenDeirdreBrennan,ThePeeloSchoolofDanceSapphireFriendsRoseandSaraChesterCynthiaÓDúnlaingSadhbhÓDúnlaing,BrayDanceAcademyIngridNachstern,NightStarDanceCompany

BalletIreland|Agher|Summerhill|CoMeath|A83WK70Tel:+3534659557585Fax:+353469557585E:info@balletireland.ie

RegisteredTrademark253463|CharityNo.CHY13310|CompanyNumber:254744