A young Westmeath dancer has overcome serious injury to represent the county in the prestigious Irish National Youth Ballet (INYB).
Kian Newcombe was cast to dance in The Nutcracker, part of INYB’s 30th anniversary performances in December, 2024.
Trained by Anne-Marie Bentick of Energy Plus School of Dance in Mullingar, Kian has shown incredible dedication, attending rehearsals every week even with a broken bone in his foot.
The Artistic Director of INYB, Lindsay Ashe-Browne, commended Kian’s resilience, stating: “His commitment to continuing with us despite his injury speaks volumes about his passion and determination to excel in dance.”
Talking to Topic in May, 2024, Kian’s father, Derek Newcombe said: “From the parent’s perspective, it is recognising the amount of work his teachers and Anne-Marie Bentick has done with him to get him to this stage and in Dublin too. He gets huge support from everywhere at the moment.”
Dance teacher, Anne-Marie Bentick told Topic at the time: “We are very proud of him. he is a real hard working student. He has been with us since he was three. He had just been a danceaholic ever since he walked through the door. He works super-hard.
“He is a beautiful ballet dancer. He is a complete all-rounder as well. He does ballet, tap, modern song and dance. He does everything. He comes to me about four times a week as well as classes in Dublin.”
Kian will take to the stage at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin in performances running from Friday, 6 December until Sunday, 8 December, including matinee and evening shows.
This is not Kian’s first successful stint with the INYB, as the young Mullingar Shamrocks member also danced among the elite cast of the INYB’s spring production of Coppélia earlier in 2024.
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