About Us

Monica Loughman

Monica Loughman began her ballet training in Dublin before moving to the Perm State Ballet school, Russsia at the age of 14. After graduating she was immediately offered a place with the Tchaikovsky Perm State Ballet Company. Monica was promoted to the role of soloist in 2002 and has featured and danced principal roles in all of the major productions including Giselle, Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, Concerto Barroco and The Nutcracker, and continues to dance as a guest artist with Perm on a regular basis. She has also worked as Principal Guest Artist with Cork City Ballet for 10 years.

In 2006/07 Monica received her teaching diploma and established The Monica Loughman School of Russian Ballet which in 2009 became The Academy Of Russian Ballet. 2009 also saw the first Russian Ballet exams taken by her students.

Also in 2007 Monica Loughman and Patricia O’Riordan established The Irish Youth Russian Ballet Company, in Dublin.
Monica has made numerous appearances on RTE Television, in particular as featured presenter of the 6 part television series ‘Ballet Chancers’ in 2008 on RTE1, were she put 6 hip-hop dancers through their paces in the hope that they could perform alongside The Irish Youth Russian Ballet regulars in their sold out Winter Ballet Spectacular in Dublin’s Helix in December of that year.

Monica’s autobiography The Irish Ballerina was published in 2004. And with Alan Foley (Director of Cork City Ballet) she has published Ballet Through The Lens and a DVD The Magic of Ballet.

Patricia O’Riordan

Patricia O’Riordan has worked as a dance notator with many US based dance companies, working with such artists as Rudolph Nureyev and Ian Horvath.

In 2000 she received her BA hons from the University of Dublin, Trinity College. She has worked as Co-Artistic Director of the contemporary dance company Drogheda Youth Dance, since 2007.

In 2009 Patricia will begin work on her graduate thesis on The History and Aesthetics of American Ballet.

Patricia is also Co-Founder and Company Manager of The Irish Youth Russian Ballet Company.