Class / Workshop Schedule Summer 2010

Sean-nós Irish Step Dance Workshops

Sean-nós means “old-style” in the Irish language. Sean-nós Irish step dancing is a solo, musical dance style characterized by inventive rhythms, improvisation, and playful performance quality. Kieran has studied sean-nós dance styles from Connemara and West Clare in Ireland. She is the 2005 Second Place Winner of the Comórtas Chóilín Sheáin Dharach, a sean-nós jig competition in Ros Muc, County Galway. Her sean-nós workshops are available to students with or without dance experience. Best suited to ages 11 and up. Please bring shoes with smooth, hard leather soles. (See shoe information.) Thick sneakers and sandals are not recommended.

  • Beantown Tap Fest
  • August 16–22, 2010
  • Boston Percussive Dance
  • Cambridge, Massachusetts

Beyond the Feis™ Workshop for Experienced Irish Dancers

Read testimonials from workshop particpants

Beyond the Feis™ is Kieran’s workshop for Irish dancing schools. It is designed to introduce Irish step dancers to aspects of traditional dance and music that extend beyond competition steps and competition culture. The workshop lasts one to two days and can be tailored specifically to meet the needs and interests of a particular dancing school. It is best suited to dancers ages 11 and up. Topics include:

  • The History of Irish Dance
  • Music for Dancers: Understanding Traditional Irish Music and Working With Musicians
  • Safety Dance: Warm-ups, Alignment, Stretching, and Strengthening for Irish Dance
  • Skills for Stage: Enhancing Your Performance Technique
  • Introduction to “Sean-nós” (old style) Irish step dance
  • Introduction to Irish Set Dancing
  • Survey of Related Step Dance Styles (Cape Breton, Appalachian Clogging, Tap)
  • Improvisation in Hard Shoe Dance (Percussive Dance Jam)
  • Choreography and Composition for Irish Dance Performance

For more information, please contact Kieran.