Ballymun dancer follows in mum’s ballet footsteps
Dublin People 27 Nov 2011
AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Northside girl who will be
performing in the much-loved musical
‘Oliver’ at the National Concert Hall this
Christmas has been rehearsing round the clock for her first ever role in a
professional production.
Little Layla Salem from Balcurris in Ballymun is
thrilled to be taking part in the show with Festival Productions, after she
successfully auditioned for a part last summer.
“Layla will be playing one of the children in Fagin’s
gang, and she’s beside herself with excitement. It’s all she’s been talking
about for months!
? proud Mum Karen told Northside People.
Layla has been singing and dancing before she could
walk, and started learning ballet at the age of three. Even as a toddler
Layla’s talent was apparent, and her parents remember her dancing whenever
music came on.
Speaking to Layla’s mother, it soon becomes clear
where the talent to perform originates. Now aged in her late thirties, Karen
Salem, née Wright, is a former professional dancer with Dublin City Ballet.
Born and brought up in Ballymun, Karen left school at
15 and got her first wage packet when she joined the corps de ballet of Dublin
City Ballet at the age of 16.
“It was all I wanted to do, and I was dancing right up
until I had children,
? says Karen.
“I also qualified as a teacher and became the
principal teacher of the Irish National College of Dance in Blackrock, training
young dancers and graduate ballet teachers.
?
Nowadays, mum-of-three Karen says she spends her time
“chauffeuring her children from A to B,
? but she’s also on hand to give Layla a
bit of extra training coming up to ballet exams.
“Dancing is physically demanding, I remember we used
to have to pour white spirits on our feet to harden the skin so that it
wouldn’t bleed! Almost everyone I danced with had injuries towards the end,
it’s a form of athletics really,
? reflects Karen.
Layla loves to hear stories from her mother’s dancing
days, and often persuades her Mum take out her old point shoes and perform the
more advanced ballet steps on her toes that she is still too young to learn.
But Karen is also careful to ensure that Layla’s
passion to perform doesn’t compromise her education or her social life.
“I left school after my Inter Cert to dance, but we’ll
be more sensible with Layla. She’s quite strong academically and we’ll
definitely be putting as much time and attention into her school work as well
as her performance. She’s studying Arabic at the moment, as her father is
Egyptian.
?
Layla has formed great friendships with girls from her
ballet class, and her mother noticed that having the opportunity to perform has
helped to grow Layla’s confidence.
“Layla is so shy normally, you can barely get a
‘hello’ out of her, it’s just her nature. But it’s uncanny, on stage she’s a
different person, giving it socks. She just comes to life!
?
Layla’s older brother Omar (11) has a different
passion – he’s into science. However little sister Noor, who’s just turned 3,
is already showing an interest in showbiz – she’s learned lots of the lines of
the songs from Oliver just from listening to her big sister.
Layla is one of 100 performers taking part in Oliver
at the National Concert Hall from December 27 to January 3. For more
information or booking tickets, go to www.nch.ie.
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