A TEENAGE ballet dancer from Finglas is heading to Barcelona later this month in pursuit of her dreams after securing sponsorship for tuition at the Institute of the Arts in Barcelona.
Kate Finn (19) was offered a place at the prestigious institute after impressing tutors from Barcelona during a demanding audition earlier this year.
She had been desperately trying to find a way to fund the
?¬9,500 yearly cost of her education and training in Spain and thanks to the generous sponsorship Kate will now be able to dance at one of Europe’s top arts institutes.
Kate was featured in Northside People earlier this year shortly after she had been accepted at the Institute for the three-year course that will end in a BA Honours Degree in Dance.
She studies at the College of Dance in Kimmage and has successfully auditioned for the Irish National Youth Ballet every year for the past decade.
Kate’s mother Alison said the family were delighted that their local newspaper had highlighted her daughter’s quest for sponsorship.
“We’re very grateful to Northside People,
? she said.
“Kate used the article as part of her applications for sponsorship.
“Kate is great, she’s always been so single minded about the whole thing. She’s always been focussed and never strayed from the path she’s on.
“She’s taken this one step at a time. Going away to do the degree is just the next step. She has a fantastic work ethic and she’s a team player and that’ll stand to her.
?
Back in June Kate told this paper how she was really excited about the being offered the course.
“I can’t wait,
? she said
“Three years is a long time but it’s all for what I love. I’ll be living over there by myself but my mam and my grandma will be coming over to help me settle in.
?
Kate began dancing since she was aged just four. She practices and studies six days a week, from 10am to 5.30pm.
She’s been influenced by top Irish choreographers Stephen Brennan and Kilian O’Callaghan and says classical ballet dancer Polina Semionova and Cuban-born international star Carlos Acosta are her major inspirations.