Mullingar dancer in Irish National Youth Ballet production

A young dancer from Mullingar has earned a coveted spot among the elite cast of the Irish National Youth Ballet’s (INYB) spring production of Coppélia, and join 40 other performers at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College Dublin.

Twelve-year-old Kian Newcombe was elected from a pool of 145 dancers who auditioned for the 2024 season, representing the pinnacle of ballet talent in the country.

Kian is trained by Anne-Marie Bentick of Energy Plus School of Dance in Mullingar and is also a member of Mullingar Shamrocks GAA.

Coppélia, with its themes of love, enchantment, and magic, transports audiences to a quaint European village where Swanhilda and Franz embark on a journey to unravel the mystery of Coppélia, a lifelike doll, in a tale filled with intrigue and deception.

Artistic director Lindsay Ashe-Browne said: "We are thrilled to bring the timeless tale of Coppélia to Dublin this spring. This production delights ballet enthusiasts, and welcomes newcomers with its engaging storyline and elegant choreography. We hope to see lots of people from Westmeath at the performances supporting Kian.

"To dance with the Irish National Youth Ballet, one must possess exceptional dancing talent, akin to elite athletes. The audition process is strict and competitive, and dancers undergo rigorous training to reach such a high performance level.

"We are grateful for the support we receive from Arts Council Strategic Funding, ‘Friends of the Company’ and Dance World, who help us in our work in developing and promoting the best of dance talent on the island of Ireland and in bringing it to audiences."

Performance Details

Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College Dublin, Friday 17 May, 12pm and 7.30pm, Saturday 18 May, 2pm and 7.30pm, Sunday 19 May, 1pm and 6pm.

Tickets: €30/ €15 Friday matinee and Students / 10% off for concessions and groups of 10 or more.

• Booking at beckett-theatre.ticketsolve.com.