Portadown dancer lands coveted place to train with top ballerinas and teachers ahead of Belfast International Ballet Festival
A talented young Portadown dancer has secured a place at a highly sought-after ballet training programme involving some of the world’s top professional ballerinas and teachers.
Poppy Ashton, who is 10, is looking forward to joining the High Points Youth Ballet Summer Intensive as part of Belfast International Ballet Festival running from July 27 to August 1.
The professional training programme runs over two weeks ahead of the main festival, and will lead to a performance at The MAC, Belfast on July 31. Portadown-born professional dancer Leigh Alderson will also return for the festival.
The Summer Intensive Training Programme provides an opportunity for promising young dancers from across Northern Ireland to experience professional training from internationally acclaimed dancers and teachers.
Now in its third year, Belfast International Ballet Festival brings together more than 50 young dancers, professional artists and ballet enthusiasts from Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland, England, Portugal and Turkey.
Home-grown ballet talent including Luc Burns and Anna McCoy will return to reconnect with Northern Ireland and share their skills and experience with local audiences and young dancers. Students will also learn from distinguished guest teachers Sara Maria Barton, artistic director of Scotland’s S-MB Company, and Ayfer Zeren, former artistic director of Istanbul State Opera and Ballet.
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Poppy, who currently attends Respira Dance in Tandragee, recently represented Northern Ireland at the 2026 Dance World Cup, competing in the under-13 category and placing 16th in the world, with the highest mark in Ireland.
She says that she is most looking forward to “the opportunity to dance with professional ballerinas from all over the world, including Leigh Alderson, who is also from Portadown.”
Rana O’Brien, managing director of High Points Youth Ballet CIC, said: “Congratulations to Poppy, we are delighted to welcome her to our Summer Intensive. Belfast International Ballet Festival celebrates the calibre of ballet talent and ambition we have here in Northern Ireland, and we are thrilled to have representation from across the country with dancers like Poppy.
"A central aim of the festival is to allow young dancers to work alongside and share the stage with role models from Northern Ireland who have established international careers in ballet. We are excited to showcase the talent we have here and to give young dancers a meaningful opportunity to learn, perform and be inspired.”