Portadown ballet star to perform in Belfast ballet, White Doves

With a successful career spanning Canada, the UK, Ireland, Hungary and Germany, Leigh brings a wealth of experience back to Northern Ireland to perform in Six Dance Collective’s newly created ballet ‘White Doves’ at The MAC Belfast from August 3 until August 5.

The first new ballet created by local artists for a Belfast stage with Belfast at the centre of its story, White Doves is a collaboration between Moneymore choreographer Ruaidhrí Maguire and Donaghadee composer Amelia Clarkson.

Gazing back on history to look towards the future, the new ballet tells the story of the first march for peace and the formation of the Peace People in 1976. A mesh of abstract and narrative storytelling, Maguire’s choreography weaves moments from history together by two White Doves.

Tickets are available via themaclive.com/event/white-doves-a-new-ballet

Leigh will perform as one of the work’s two title Doves, alongside Italian-Scots dancer Danila Marzilli.

Born and raised in Portadown, Leigh, who left his home at the age of 11 to train full-time at The Royal Ballet School in London for eight years, said: “At this point in my career, working on new choreography is one of the most exciting parts of being a dancer.

"Performing in White Doves brings both physical demands and the emotional aspects of dancing a work created about Northern Ireland. It’s an important moment for me to dance this home-grown story on a Belfast stage.”

Beginning his career at Scottish Ballet, Leigh has worked with several esteemed companies and prolific choreographers including Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada and Grands Ballets Canadiens, performing in works by Didy Veldman and Jiří Kyliáns.

Later, he joined Matthew Bourne’s company New Adventures to perform Swan Lake and guested with Cork City Ballet and Ballet Ireland closer to home. Most recently, Leigh worked for The Royal Ballet Fehervar before joining his current position as soloist in Ballett Theatre Nordhausen in Germany.

White Doves runs for four performances at The MAC from August 3 until August 5, with a question and answer session on Friday, August 4 with the creative team and principal dancers.