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Sixteen-year-old aspiring dancer Seán Hanley earns spot in prestigious centre for professional dance training

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Seán Hanley, a 16-year-old aspiring dancer from Newport has been offered a place at a world-leading dance school in London this September

Sixteen-year-old Seán Hanley from Newport has been offered a place at a prestigious centre for professional dance training in London this September

By I Love Limerick correspondent Cian Reinhardt

Seán hanley
Seán Hanley, a 16-year-old aspiring dancer from Newport has been offered a place at a world-leading dance school in London this September

Seán was accepted at the prestigious Central Ballet School in Covent Garden, London, from September this year following three auditions which saw him pitted against amazing dancers from around the world.

Having joined The Dance Academy in Limerick at nine years of age, Seán’s instructor, Stacey Booth told I Love Limerick his determination always made her believe he was destined for great things recognising his talent “very early on”.


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“I think when Seán was ten or eleven, he knew what he wanted and where he wanted to go with it. He was hungry already, and very willing to work,” she said, “I think if you know what you want early on, it is easier, you might not get a direct route there, but at least you can find your ways of getting there, and if you don’t know what you want you won’t know what path to take at all.”

“We have some other fabulous boy dancers in our school as well, and I think some of them might possibly go down this route as well, but I think they might wait until they’re 17 or 18 to leave home and go do it. Everybody’s circumstances are different and each child needs to be ready to go at a time when they’re ready to go,” said Stacey.

The St Mary’s transition year student will pack his bags to head to London for the two-year course, and Stacey said The Dance Academy couldn’t be happier for him.

“We are delighted, we’re a very inclusive school and we’re proud of all our kids,” she said, explaining, “You know we will have kids come in who are never going to achieve heights in dance, but they might grow confidence, socialise, and learning what they’re capable of, disciplined, learning to be respectful. But hopefully, you teach them all something and they learn and grow with you.”

Stacey describes Seán as an inspiration, saying, “What is lovely for the other children is seeing what they could be capable of, or what is possible to achieve if you are that keen to do so, and that’s what makes him a great ambassador for the school in that way.”

Seán hanley
Seán Hanley, a 16-year-old aspiring dancer from Newport has been offered a place at a world-leading dance school in London this September

As Seán prepares to leave his home in Newport for London, his mother, Elaine Roche spoke about how proud they are of their son:

“By taking part in dance he challenges many gender stereotypes that still exist today.  I believe his courage and confidence in pursuing his passion is an inspiration to others to encourage them to pursue their own passions regardless of societal expectations.”

Although filled with pride, Elaine understands the reality of living in London and the cost involved, she has been actively calling on government officials and institutions for support, and continues to seek sponsorship.”Dance, unlike GAA or Rugby, is an activity that parents must fund from start to finish, we don’t have the equivalent government bodies that have clubs for young dancers to grow and develop in the formative years,” said Elaine.

 She explains how tuition fees at the Central School of Ballet are in excess of  €10,000, adding, “As the school is located in the centre of London, living expenses are high and will be in the region of €20,000 per annum.” 

“By supporting this young dancer, you would be making a significant contribution to Limerick’s vibrant arts and culture scene,” Elaine continues, “Sponsorship will enable the student to pursue his passion for dance and gain the necessary skills and experience to become a successful dancer. In doing so, you will be helping to promote the cultural richness of Limerick and contribute to its reputation as a hub of artistic creativity.”

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Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.