Director and Teacher: Ann Coffey Tighe

RADRTS

Ann took her first Classical Ballet class at age four with Clodagh Foley, founder of Castleknock School of Dance, where she passed all Royal Academy of Dance examinations to Vocational Intermediate level by age 17. While continuing to train in Castleknock she also attended classes with Patricia Joan Mc.Carthy to further her studies to Advanced level and became a full member of the Royal Academy of Dance. She also successfully took vocational examinations of the Imperial Ballet branch of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) and with Clodagh Foley and Paddi Dowling, became among the first students in Ireland to take the Vocational Examinations of the Modern Theatre Dance branch of the ISTD.

During her student years, Ann attended classes at the Hammond School, Chester and took Master classes with the late David Gordon of the Irish National Ballet Company. At age 14 she was accepted as a member of the Dublin Ballet Club. She performed regularly and toured Ireland with the club. She also performed at the Gaiety theatre Dublin with the Dublin Grand Opera Society. At age 15 she auditioned and was offered a place at the Upper School of the Royal Ballet School, London, for Teacher Training, which she declined.

She completed the RAD Teaching Diploma at Inchicore College , taking examinations in Anatomy and Physiology, Psychology and Child Development, History of Dance and Music in relation to the teaching of Dance. She furthered her interest in Child psychology by studying the Montessori Method of education and was awarded the Certificate in Montessori teaching with first class Distinction.

In 1974, Ann established Killester School of Ballet and has dedicated herself to this work for the last forty years. From 1990 – 98 she worked with Clodagh Foley in St. Mary’s School for Deaf Girls, Cabra, teaching dance to severe and profoundly deaf girls , some with multiple disabilities. Through this experience, she has been able to accept children with special needs into Killester School of Ballet. Ann became a member of the Regional Advisory Committee of the Royal Academy of Dance for Ireland and N. Ireland in 2002 and was Chair of the committee from 2006 to 2009 , regularly representing the views of Irish RAD teachers at sub-committee meetings in London. She is a member of the RAC’s sub – committee for education, which is striving to have Dance recognised by the Dept. of Education as a subject in the mainstream Leaving Certificate programme. Ann has recently been appointed as an official RAD mentor for student teachers on the CBTS course.

 

 

 

 

Co-Director and Teacher: Lisa Tighe-Sébire 

BA(hons) Dance Theatre, ARAD RTS, ISTD CDE

Ballet and Contemporary Dance

 

Lisa, having trained in Killester School of Ballet and Modern Theatre Dance up to and including Advanced 2, completed her teacher training in both (RAD) Ballet and (ISTD) Modern Theatre Dance at Inchicore College, Dublin. She was accepted as an apprentice with Chrysalis Dance Company in 2005 and toured Ireland with their production of “Strings” choreographed by Artistic Director Jude Sibley. Subsequently Lisa completed a BA (Hons) in Dance Theatre at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London, studying Classical Ballet, various Contemporary techniques including Graham, Cunningham, Release and Limón and Choreography.

 

Since graduating in 2010, Lisa has been working in Ireland as an RAD Ballet, ISTD Modern Theatre and Contemporary Dance Teacher as well as working as an independent Contemporary Dance Artist with both Irish and International companies and choreographers. Lisa was Dance Artist in Residence 2013/14 at Rua Red South Dublin Arts Centre and her series of short dance films “Dublin, A City Speaks of Love” was chosen to be shown as part of Light Moves Film Festival 2016, Limerick. In 2019 Ann and Lisa became co- Directors of Killester School of Ballet and Modern Dance.

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher: Sarah Brophy

BA ISTD CDE

Modern Theatre Dance 

 

Sarah has been the resident Modern Theatre teacher in Killester school of Ballet and Modern Theatre dance since 2002. Her background is not only in Modern Theatre but also in Ballet, Musical Theatre, Tap and Hip hop – having studied these forms of dance since childhood. She completed many examinations, competitions and performances in these areas and we are delighted to have this experience on the team here in Killester.

Sarah is fully qualified in both Modern Theatre Dance and Imperial Ballet (FDI & CDE) with the ISTD. In addition to this Sarah holds a BA from Trinity College Dublin and is a fully qualified primary school teacher – skills which have certainly stood to her in the studio!

 

 

 

 

Teacher: Laura O'Callaghan 

B.ED(hons) RADRTS

Ballet

 

Laura has been studying at Killester School of Ballet since the age of 6 and has been successful in Royal Academy of Dance graded examinations up to and including the Grade 8 Award and Vocational Graded examinations up to and including Advanced 2 Level. In 2002 she began her study of ISTD Modern Theatre Dance. She has received all Modern Awards , has successfully completed ISTD Vocational Graded examinations and is currently working at Advanced level. Laura has a Bachelor of Education Honours Degree and is presently working as a primary school teacher.

Laura completed the RAD Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS) in 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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