Ballerina takes legal steps to block her ex from closing school

Ms Loughman brought High Court proceedings against her fellow shareholder and former partner, Fraser Brown, in relation to the Monica Loughman Ballet Company Ltd, which was set up in 2011. They had lived together until last year.

The company operates a school and carries out a wide range of activities in relation to ballet.

Relationship

Ms Loughman claims that, despite the end of their personal relationship, there was an agreement Mr Brown would no longer be part of the business.

It is claimed Mr Brown, who is a diamond dealer and acted as the company's business/finance manager, refused to disengage from the company or her life generally.

She now fears her reputation in Ireland and internationally will be damaged.

Last week she secured temporary injunctions preventing Mr Brown interfering with her work as a ballet teacher.

Mr Brown was also restrained from taking any steps from winding up the company.

The case returned before Mr Justice Paul Gilligan yesterday.

Mr Brown, of Willow Park Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin 11, represented himself and said he was opposed to the injunctions.

However, following talks with lawyers for Ms Loughman, the case was adjourned with the temporary injunctions to remain in place.

It will return to court in August.

In a sworn statement, Ms Loughman, of The Courtyard, Castleside Drive, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, said she left Ireland at age 14 to join the Perm State Ballet in Russia.

She is well known for her work promoting ballet as a writer and on television. She set up a national ballet company on her return to Ireland.

She also appeared in an Irish TV series called Ballet Chancers which introduced six people who had no previous engagement with ballet to the popular form of dance.

She said she met Mr Brown in 2010. They had lived together until unhappy differences arose in 2014.

Control

He had assisted her with administrative and financial matters connected with the company.

After their relationship ended, he agreed he would no longer part of the business.

However, she claimed he continues to control the company and passes off his actions as those of hers.

This has made it impossible to maintain and recruit customers and to deal with creditors, she said.

She also claimed Mr Brown removed significant assets from her business including a dance floor and Nutcracker sets.

She wanted orders preventing him taking steps to wind up the company or from terminating her employment, or from interfering with her business.