Ireland’s leading ballet dancers, Alan Foley and Monica Loughman, have launched a new book of stunning ballet photography. The publication Ballet Through The Lens ‘Foley and Loughman – A Portrait’ features lavish and intimate photographic portraits of two of Ireland’s most prolific ballet dancers. The beautiful photography, featuring over 200 photographs, captures Russian-trained Irish ballerina Monica Loughman and Cork City Ballet Artistic Director and Principal Dancer Alan Foley in all their glory, and in their simplicity, demonstrating many aspects of their lives as dancers and documenting the progression of their careers.

At the launch of the book, Alan Foley commented: “ Our hope is that this book will inspire young Irish dancers to follow their dream of becoming a ballet dancer, and remind them that although it is a very difficult profession, it is nonetheless a very rewarding one”. The publication of this book follows the hugely successful Foley/Loughman collaboration ‘The Magic of Ballet’, DVD launched in 2005, which features the dancers in class and rehearsal in addition to live footage from performances of the dancers in performances of classics such as ‘Swan Lake’, ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘Le Corsaire’

In her foreword to the book, Dancing Times editor Mary Clarke says: "These photographs bear testimony to the breadth of vision of both Alan and Monica, whose horizons reach far beyond their native city. Monica's training at the famous school in Perm brings a Russian purity of classical style to her dancing. Alan has travelled widely to look at dance standards of great schools and companies and he has been tireless in persuading guests to support and inspire his Irish dancers."

In 1999, in the Cork Opera House, Cork City Ballet Artistic Director Alan Foley strained to pick out "the Irish girl" in a performance given by the Perm State Ballet. He was astonished to discover that Monica was one of the leading dancers and immediately sent a message backstage. That evening was the start of a collaboration between Monica and Alan and, in the years which ensued, they have performed, taught and choreographed together in theatres all over the country.