Ballet Chancers
Encyclopedia
Ballet Chancers is an Irish
television programme broadcast on RTÉ One
in late 2008. Featuring the ballerina, Monica Loughman
, it began on 16 November 2008. In the show Loughman attempts to turn six streetwise hip hop
dancers into elegant ballet
dancers over a period of four months. At the end of the show they may, if successful, partake in a performance of The Nutcracker
with Loughman's own company, The Irish Youth Russian Ballet Company which took place in the 21 December finale.
described Ballet Chancers as one of the best six television programmes of 2008, with only half of these being produced by RTÉ (the others were coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics
and Arts Lives, whilst the remaining three programmes were broadcast by the BBC
).
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
television programme broadcast on RTÉ One
RTÉ One
RTÉ One is the flagship television channel of Raidió Teilifís Éireann , and it is the most popular and most watched television channel in Ireland. It was launched as Telefís Éireann on 31 December 1961, it was renamed RTÉ Television in 1966, and it was renamed as RTÉ One upon the launch of RTÉ...
in late 2008. Featuring the ballerina, Monica Loughman
Monica Loughman
Monica Loughman is an Irish ballet dancer, writer, and television personality. She has featured on Ballet Chancers, a 2008 television series which saw her attempt to train six young people, schooled in hip hop, to appreciate the art of ballet. Loughman has also co-written a book on her experiences...
, it began on 16 November 2008. In the show Loughman attempts to turn six streetwise hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
dancers into elegant ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
dancers over a period of four months. At the end of the show they may, if successful, partake in a performance of The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
with Loughman's own company, The Irish Youth Russian Ballet Company which took place in the 21 December finale.
Chancers
Six chancers participate in the show, three of each sex.| Name | Age | Origin | Other details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra Fitzgerald | 20 | Glasnevin Glasnevin Glasnevin is a largely residential neighbourhood of Dublin, Ireland.-Geography:A mainly residential neighbourhood, it is located on the Northside of the city of Dublin . It was originally established on the northern bank of the River Tolka... , Dublin |
A hairstylist said to possess a "quirky nature and funky style" which "completely clash" with ballet, she refuses to lose her sense of individuality. |
| Donking Rongavilla | 27 | Newbridge Newbridge, County Kildare The earliest known mention of Newbridge was by traveller and bookseller John Dunton in 1698, though he does not refer to any settlement other than at Ballymany.... , County Kildare County Kildare County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county... (originally Philippines Philippines The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... ) |
A regular hip-hop champion who can back-flip and windmill, teaches hip hop in Dublin and in Newbridge and thinks that ballet is "boring". |
| Matthew Williamson | 19 | Clonsilla Clonsilla Clonsilla is a suburb of Dublin in the district of Fingal, Ireland.-Location and access:Originally a small village in its own right, Clonsilla is now a large residential suburban area, with Ongar and other localities developing their own subsidiary identities... , Dublin |
Described as "the ultimate b-boy" and credited as "a born entertainer" by his family and friends, he is said to be "the boy least likely to don a pair of tights", wanting simply to do ballet "as a laugh". |
| Ian Harris | 14 | Hartstown, Dublin | The youngest of the Chancers, studying for his Junior Certificate Junior Certificate The Junior Certificate is an educational qualification awarded in Ireland by the Department of Education to students who have successfully completed the junior cycle of secondary education, and achieved a minimum standard in their Junior Cert. examinations... and aspiring for a career in dance. |
| Stacey Grimes | 16 | Sheriff Street Sheriff Street Sheriff Street , known by locals as "Sheriffer," or "The Street" is a small area in the north inner city of Dublin, Ireland, lying between East Wall and North Wall and often considered to be part of the latter.... , Dublin |
Studying for her Leaving Certificate Leaving Certificate The Leaving Certificate Examinations , commonly referred to as the Leaving Cert is the final examination in the Irish secondary school system. It takes a minimum of two years preparation, but an optional Transition Year means that for those students it takes place three years after the Junior... and described as "a real homebird". |
| Annaleigh Meegan | 23 | Clogherhead Clogherhead Clogherhead is a fishing village in County Louth, Ireland. Located in a picturesque natural bay on the East Coast it is bordered by the villages of Annagassan to the north and Termonfeckin to the south. with an administrative population per the 2011 Census of 3026, it is in the townlands of... , County Louth County Louth County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county... |
Has performed in pantomimes and shows for nearly a decade, previously as a Spice Girl Spice Girls The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30... wannabe, later matured into hip-hop dancing but learning ballet is the realisation of a childhood dream. |
Episodes
The first episode was broadcast on 16 November 2008.| Date | Detail | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 16 November 2008 | Monica Loughman and Patricia O'Riordan audition more than one hundred hip hop hopefuls as they attempt to find six dancers suitable for their ballet challenge. | |
| 23 November 2008 | The six hip hop dancers take their first ever ballet classes. | |
| 30 November 2008 | Rehearsals are continuing and the hip hop crew make a trip to the English National Ballet School English National Ballet School English National Ballet School is a specialist classical ballet school based in London in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1988, the school is the official associate school of the English National Ballet, with many graduates becoming dancers with the company... in London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... . |
|
| 7 December 2008 | The crew become acquainted with jazz ballet and perform with the professional dancers of Cork City Ballet. | |
| 14 December 2008 | Rehearsals intensify and the hip hop dancers discover if Loughman and the youth company director's, Patricia O'Riordan, will allow them on her stage to perform The Nutcracker. | |
| 21 December 2008 | The night of the performance arrives. A ballet audience of a thousand people watches the Chancers as they make their stage debut after four months of intensive training. | |
Reaction
The Irish IndependentIrish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
described Ballet Chancers as one of the best six television programmes of 2008, with only half of these being produced by RTÉ (the others were coverage of the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
and Arts Lives, whilst the remaining three programmes were broadcast by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
).