First look: In Rehearsals for 'The Clearing' for Belfast Ballet Festival

A glimpse into the creation process before this weekend's performances.

Rehearsals are underway for The Clearing, Six Dance Collective’s brand-new work for High Points Youth Ballet, premiering at the Rising Stars Gala of the Belfast International Ballet Festival on 1–2 August 2025 at The MAC.

Kristina Murphy in rehearsal. Image by Amelia Clarkson.

Over the past two weeks, 12 pre-professional dancers from High Points Youth Ballet have been in the studio with choreographer Ruaidhrí Maguire, developing movement rooted in the shifting energy of the seasons and the physicality of ritual. Composer Amelia Clarkson has been working alongside the dancers, shaping a new score in real-time — blending orchestral recordings from her wider body of work with immersive electronic textures.

The Clearing explores the half-light between endings and beginnings, asking: what must we leave behind to begin again? Created especially for the dancers of High Points Youth Ballet, the work challenges the cast to remain on the edge of balance, moving between urgency and stillness.

Choreographer Ruaidhrí Maguire working with the dancers. Image by Amelia Clarkson.

This marks SDC’s second collaboration with High Points Youth Ballet, following the success of White Doves (2023), Belfast’s first newly created full-length ballet. Alongside dancers who are dancing in their first SDC piece, several members of the original White Doves cast will appear in this new work, including Kristina Murphy, Adam Donnelly, Leah McNally (1 August) and Lucy Dunbar (2 August) who share the trio at the heart of the work.

Leah McNally and Adam Donnelly. Image by Amelia Clarkson.

The Clearing will receive its world premiere at the Rising Stars Gala, part of Belfast International Ballet Festival on Friday 1st August 2025 and Saturday 2nd August at The MAC Belfast.

Tickets are available now:

Tickets

Rehearsal Gallery

Images by Amelia Clarkson.