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For Joan, the show must go on
Despite losing Arts Council funding, Cork City Ballet’s Alan Foley is refusing to give up on his dream, says Jo Kerrigan
By Jo Kerrigan
IF Cork City Ballet receives no funding from the Arts Council this year, will it have a future? That question is pressing for the ballet’s artistic director, Alan Foley. For the past 20 years, Cork City Ballet has kept classical dance at the forefront of Irish culture, presenting professional performances and bringing in guest stars of international renown. Mr Foley has been an indefatigable promoter, the inheritor of the mantle worn by Joan Denise Moriarty for more than 40 years. Both in the company he assembles for each gala performance, and in the diploma in dance he directs at Colaiste Stiofain Naofa, here is a man who has never faltered in his drive to ensure ballet’s rightful place.
But there can come a time when the driving force wonders if it’s all worth it, whether there is any point in continuing. That road-to-Damascus moment came for Mr Foley recently, when he received the unwelcome news that Cork City Ballet would receive no funding from the Arts Council this year. This, when long-nurtured plans are in place for a full-scale production of The Sleeping Beauty for next November, one of the final showpieces of the year celebrating JDM’s centenary and honouring her work.
“It was a total body blow,” says Mr Foley, running his hand through his hair in desperation. “We’ve been planning this year, and all its events, for so long. The opening night of Sleeping Beauty is probably going to be graced by a visit from the President, for heaven’s sake. We are hoping he will unveil the statue of JDM in Emmet Place, where her studio stood for so long, and where so many young people of Cork trained under her expert guidance.” That sculpture is in progress and, says Mr Foley, looks incredible. “It’s great to think that she will stand there always.”
It has never been easy, financing performances in a notably expensive art form. There are the guest stars’ expenses to meet, even when they are willing to cut their normal fees and travel costs to a minimum, for Mr Foley’s sake. There is the corps de ballet to pay, the costumes to find, the sets, the scenery, the props — and that’s before you factor in charges for rehearsal space and the use of the final venue for several nights. Cork City Ballet’s artistic director is no stranger to cutting his cloth carefully and making minimum funds go a long way. But minimum funds are not the same as nothing at all.
“When I’d taken it in, that there wouldn’t be anything from the Arts Council, I didn’t know what to do,” he says. “I sat down and thought, ‘Why am I banging my head against a brick wall? Why keep on trying?’ All that work over the years, and it doesn’t seem to have got us anywhere.”
Mr Foley rang Valerie O’Sullivan, arts officer at Cork City Council, and said he didn’t think Sleeping Beauty was going to happen, after all. “She was dismayed, of course. This is a very big event for Cork, and would give us a lot of positive publicity, both within Ireland and beyond,” he says. Then, he went home and tried not to think about it for a few days.
“I don’t know how it happened, but I woke up one morning and thought, ‘what the heck. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but this show is going to happen. And it’s going to be the biggest, brightest and best production ever. We’ll show them’.”
Fired with a new vigour, Mr Foley rushed off to talk to the city council again, to the Opera House, to the Firkin Crane, to anyone. And, as has happened time and time again in Cork, everyone rallied round.
“We’re not there yet, not by a long chalk, but those I’ve spoken to, so far, have been so supportive. We’re going to make it happen somehow.
“I know there are still many well-wishers out there who value what we’ve done over the past 20 years and want to do their bit to see this performance goes ahead.
“It was Moriarty’s absolute favourite ballet, and that’s why we’d chosen it for her centenary year. We can’t let her down,” he says.
* Cork City Ballet presents The Sleeping Beauty at Cork Opera House, Nov 22-24, and Wexford Opera House, Nov 25. www.corkcityballet.com
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