Chloe Keogan, making her debut with the Irish National Youth Ballet
Given that she started doing ballet when she was just three years old, it is perhaps not surprising that Chloe Keogan is not nervous about her debut performance with the Irish National Youth Ballet next weekend. "I'm more excited than nervous," she says. "I just can't wait to get out there and dance."
The 16-year-old joined the company in 2007, having trained at the National Performing Arts School. "Last year I did a class with Katherine Lewis at the College of Dance and I thought she was a great teacher. I just loved being taught by her. I asked her if she did any other classes that I could attend and she told me about the Irish National Youth Ballet. I went to auditions in September and got a place in the senior company."
The Irish National Youth Ballet was formed in 1996, but last year was something of a landmark year for the organisation, with the appointment of Katherine Lewis as artistic director and a move to new premises in Dance House on Foley Street in Dublin 1. There are 40 dancers in the company - male and female - ranging in age from eight to 19.
"It's an amazing company. Before I joined, I was only doing small productions and would only be on stage for a few minutes. The standard in INYB is so much higher. You get to work at professional theatres and with professional crews. And the costumes are amazing."
The 2008 performance season kicks off with a triple bill. The programme opens with Norwegian Wedding, a ballet choreographed by Ballet Ireland's Stephen Brennan which features the music of Edvard Grieg. The second item on the bill is Concerto Grosso, a representation of the movements of sports men and woman, danced to the strains of Handel, while the final item is The Nutcracker Act II.
So does Keogan see herself making a career from dance? "There are jobs out there, but it's very difficult to get into professional ballet. But even if I can't get into ballet, I might end up as a contemporary dancer." Her friends are supportive of her hobby. "They think I'm obsessed. I think in general they think it's pretty cool that I do it. It's not like they think it's naff or anything."
Keogan has
particular respect for the boys in the company. "They don't care what people think, and I think that's really cool. They do it because they like it."
In conversation with Michael Kelly.
Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons (Chloe pictured centre)
The Irish National Youth Ballet is at the O'Reilly Theatre, Belvedere College,
Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1, on Friday and Saturday, January 18th and 19th.
Tickets from www.centralticketbureau.com