MUSICAL: Billy Elliot dancers celebrate musical

LAST month, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre launched a Nationwide Dance Competition to celebrate the Irish premiere season of the internationally acclaimed musical, Billy Elliot which will run from July 26 – September 3. 

Taking inspiration from the musical’s phenomenal choreography and from Billy’s inspira-tional story, the national dance competition called on dancers from all over the country to share their own passion for dance and for a chance to attend the Irish premiere at Bord Gáis Energy Theatre

On Saturday, May 28 over 100 dancers from all over Ireland descended on Grand Canal Square ahead of the National ‘Billy Elliot’ Dance competition grand finale which took place in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.

The top prize was awarded to the fantastic Westside Performing Arts, a Dublin based school established by Elizabeth Ennis in 1998 and now has over 1,000 students attending the school. Second prize was given to tap dancer Nicole Marie Fowler from Born 2 Perform Stage School in Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan and third prize was awarded to Kildare native, Daniel Sinclair from Stage Academy Newbridge.

Based on the highly successful film, the show is set in a northern mining town against the background of the 1984/’85 miners’ strike and follows Billy’s journey from boxing to ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever. Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, Billy Elliot the Musical has now been seen by over 10.5 million people across five continents and is the recipient of over 80 awards internationally, including ten Tony Awards and five Olivier Awards.