JOANNA BANKS - ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Teacher of Classical Ballet

Born in London, Joanna trained at The Royal Ballet School. Upon graduation she joined the Royal Ballet Company performing at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She later performed world-wide with Ballet Rambert, London Ballet Theatre Company, National Ballet of Canada, Bat-Dor Dance Company, Israel and the Bavarian State Ballet, Munich before joining Irish National Ballet to dance both soloist and principal roles.

During her career Joanna performed all the major classical repertoire as well as works by Balachine, Anthony Tudor, Kenneth McMillan, working with such distinguished choreographers as Sir Frederick Ashton, John Cranko, Roland Petit, Anton Dolin, Andree Howard, Ronald Hynd, Peter Darell, Norman Morris, Norman Walker, and Lucas Hoving.

During her career Joanna has studied with many of the most outstanding teachers of Classical Ballet - Dame Ninette De Valois, Kathleen Crofton, Natalia Dudinskaya, Anna Northcote, Audrey De Vos, Pamela May, Errol Addison, Harold Turner, David Howard, Flemming Ryberg, Eileen Ward, Hans Brenaa, Maryon Lane, John O'Brien, Brenda Last, Winifred Edwards and John Regan.

As one of the foremost Classical Ballet teachers in Ireland today, she is now passing on this invaluable legacy to the new generation of young dance students, having joined the faculty of the College of Dance in 1990, and subsequently becoming Artistic Director in 1992.

Joanna is a founder member of The Association of Professional Dancers in Ireland and has continued her performing career by making guest appearances with Irish Modern Dance Theatre during the 1996, 1998 and 2001 seasons, performing in Paris, Germany and at both the Dublin Theatre and Belfast Festivals.

ESTER O BROLCHAIN- ASSITANT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Teacher of Classical Ballet and Dance History

Ester O Brolchain was born in Dublin. She studied Ballet with Valentina Dutko and Patricia Ryan (Dublin National Ballet). As a scholarship pupil, she studied with Nadine Nicolaeva-Legat at The Legat School U.K. achieving honours in the Intermediate and Advanced exams and in the teacher's Diploma of Russian Ballet. Ester danced as soloist in Dublin National Ballet, also reproducing Swan Lake, Giselle and Les Sylphides for the Company as well as choreographing several original works.
She subsequently studied in London with the Royal Ballet Company at the invitation of Dame Ninette De Valois.

In 1962 Ester won a scholarship from the Italian government to study Opera production in Italy. While studying in the Rome Opera House, she also worked as Ballet assistant and interpreter to Eric Bruhn preparing Nureyev / Fracci / Bruhn performances.

Ester studied Benesh Dance Notation, achieving a diploma with honours in the classical section and taught Classical Ballet in her school in Cerveteri under the auspices of the town council.

Ester is fluent in Italian, French and Russian, and has taught in Rome for fourteen years. She performed recently in the Project in a work in progress with choreographer Finola Cronin and will be performing in collaboration again with Finola in the Project in the coming year.

Ester is currently Assistant Artistic Director of the College of Dance, teaching Classical Ballet and Dance History.

Sam graduated with a Diploma from the College of Dance in 1994 and went on to specialise in Contemporary Dance and Choreography at London Contemporary Dance School. Since graduating from LCDS in 1995, she has worked with groundbreaking choreographers including Janice Garett and Nicole Frobusch and companies including "Torn Halves Opera Company", "Akashic Dance Theatre" and "Millenium Opera Company". Sam was a soloist and core group choreographer in Stephan Koplowitz's site specific pieces, "Genesis Canyon" (awarded Time Out Best Dance Production of 1996) and "Babel Index" (1998). She has extensive experience in teaching all age groups and levels, having taught at Hackney Community College, LCDS's Young Place and Evening School. Bearfoot School of Performing Arts, Merlin School, London Junior Ballet and University College, London.

Sam returned to Ireland in 2001 and opened "Fun 2 Dance", a creative dance school for children aged 1 - 18 years in July 2002. She joined the college faculty in September 2003 having previously choreographed "This World's Eden" (2002) and "Misurlea Masquerade" (2003) for the College's graduation shows. She was choreographer for St Thomas' Church production of "Godspell" Laurel Lodge (2003). Sam was guest teacher for Dublin Youth Dance Company during 2003 and "Visual Literary Linguistics" is her first choreographic piece for the company.

DEBBIE KIERNAN
Teacher of Tap

Debbie Trained with the College of Dance and Digges Lane Performing Arts.

Theatre Credits include: The Temptress in Spirit of the Dance (European and U.S  Arena Tour), Soloist for Dance of The World (European Tour), The Broadway Production of 42nd street at The Apollo Stuttgart; Guys and Dolls Gaiety Theatre, Mary in The Wiremen Gaiety Theatre, The Maiden in Slam for Irish Modern Dance Theatre, Peggy Sue in Buddy Holly, the musical German Tour, Rosalita in West Side Story at the Gaiety Theatre, Anytime Annie in 42nd Street Gaiety Theatre, This Dancing Life Sara Rudner (New York) Dublin, U.S Tours with Tony Kenny Sonny Knowels and Andy Cooney including Madison Square Garden and Westchester off Broadway.

TV and Film credits: The Tudors, Pop Idol (dancer), Top of the Pops, Ella Enchanted (Dance).

Choreography Credits: Jam The Musica l(winner for R.T.E) Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella at the Gaiety Theatre, Snow White Liberty  Hall Theatre, Hey Get A Life, Andrews Lane Theatre, On Such As We, Peacock Theatre, A Life at the Abbey Theatre, The German Tour of Dubliin Dancers and R.T.E Eurosong, Dance consultant for Eurodance 2008.

BERNADETTE O'ROURKE
Teacher of Jazz Dance and Pilates

Bernadette trained at The College of Dance for two years and continued her training at the Performers Dance College in the U.K.

While living in the U.K. Bernadette worked extensively with Brian Rogers, choreographer and Director, in various summer season variety shows and trade shows.

On returning to Ireland Bernadette has worked in the Gaiety Theatre in the pantomimes Cinderella(1998) and Snow White(2001), The Normandy Nights Cabaret Summer Seasons, 1999 and 2000, and at the Olympia Theatre in the pantomimes Puss in Boots(1999/2000). She has worked with Irish Modern Dance Theatre and Co-motion Theatre Co.

Maureen – Victoria Ward, Soprano, has a Masters in Music Performance (RIAM and DCU) and also possesses a Bachelor in Music Education Degree from Trinity College, Dublin. As well as being a working qualified teacher in Singing, Musical Theatre, Choir and Speech and Drama, she is in much demand as an Adjudicator and as a Solo Vocalist in various concerts and shows.

She has been a Soloist in operas and musicals in Ireland, England, Brussels, Italy and the U.S.A. She had a starring role in the “Raven King Opera” which was part of the world famous Wexford Opera Festival. She has also toured as a solo singer, actress and dancer with the musical “Peace Child” around Ireland, and then in the U.S.A. as the European representative. She has been a very successful bursary winner and overall prize-winner at many competitions and festivals around the country and abroad for all styles of Singing and Drama, and has received a lot of news, television and radio coverage.

Maureen has a very keen interest in educating children and young people of all abilities through the Arts, and has been teaching for over twelve years. Her students are multiple prize-winners in Classical and Pop Singing competitions; and in Speech and Drama competitions throughout Ireland and Wales. Many of her students have been recipients of the Irish Permanent Higher Achiever Award from RIAM.

In 2002, she founded Talented kids Performing Arts School and Agency, which continues to grow from strength to strength. The school gives classes in singing, Drama and Musical Theatre and various styles of Dance and has many students at present starring in R.T.E.’s Fair City, The Den’s “Drawing with Don” and “ Snapshots”, Feature films such as “Ella Enchanted” and “Wimbledon”, Short Films which have been shown in Irish cinemas and in Film Festivals here and abroad, current television and radio Adverts, as well as Musical Shows Corporate Shows and Pantomimes. Maureen is head of Musical Theatre in The Royal Academy of Music.