On the Town: Ballet dancer Stephen Brennan, dressed as the Mad Hatter, ran along the path of the Iveagh Gardens. He was followed by Jane Magan from Rathfarnham, who will dance the title role in the upcoming production of Alice, a new ballet based on the writings of Lewis Carroll and choreographed by Günther Falusy of Ballet Ireland.
The two stopped and stretched, pointing their legs skywards. They were joined by the little Ace of Hearts, Alannah Maher (6½), who stood beside a blue princess, Taylor Loughnane (5), both ready to smile and tilt their heads sideways up for the cameras.
Then John O'Donoghue, Minister for Arts, joined the troupe. "Down in Kerry we send all our ballet dancers to Croke Park," he joked.
Anne Maher, artistic director of Ballet Ireland, who founded the classical ballet company in 1998, smiled broadly. The minister had just announced an important funding decision made by Culture Ireland, which was established last month to promote Irish arts and artists abroad. It will fund Ballet Ireland's UK tour.
"We've been through some difficult times," said Maher. "But to have the minister launch our season and to have the Arts Council represented here by Olive Braiden is for us an indication of the fact that we are here to stay now," she said.
Among those who came to congratulate the company and wish it well was the British ambassador, Stewart Eldon. The Dutch ambassador, Jacobus Von Der Velden, and the German ambassador, Gottfried Haas, were also present as were Sheamus Smith, former Film Censor of Ireland and David Collopy and Nicola Moore of Opera Ireland.
Alice opens in Draíocht, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, on Fri, Apr 1st, and will tour Ireland and the UK until Saturday, June 4th