Cork dance company to expand across Britain

CORK dance company Angelina Ballerina has been chosen by international HiT Entertainment company to launch up to 250 partner academies across Britain.

HiT Entertainment is one of the world’s leading children’s entertainment producers and rights-owners of brands, including Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Barney, Fireman Sam and Angelina Ballerina.

The lucrative dance and entertainment market has access to millions of potential customers in Britain and the Cork company expects to license up to 250 partner academies within the next five years.

Angelina Ballerina is the star of the hugely popular animation series based on the books by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig. The dance academy classes follow the adventures of Angelina Ballerina and introduce children to the early movements in ballet, through the various story lines.

The marketing power of one of the world’s leading children’s brands and the focus on the internationally-recognised animation character provides the company with a unique selling point.

The move is part of an innovative dance business concept created by Donna Daly Blyth, one of Ireland’s top choreographers.

The company started with Cork classes and has since launched academies in Dublin, Laois and Kildare. Studio director Ms Daly Blyth has worked in dance and theatre performance and production for over 25 years. Many dance teachers want to join the studio as “partner teachers”.

“The brand has gained a strong loyalty over the years from both parents and their children.

It attracts so much interest from parents because it represents positive values in an age where parents feel children are becoming too advanced. The moral of the show is about embracing being a child and we instil valuable life lessons along with dance,” she said.