Kids Dance Classes: Irish Dancing

Anyone who grew up in Ireland in the last thirty years will have experienced some form of Irish dancing classes and will be overly familiar with the rhyming, ‘one, two, three and two, two three, and three, two three’ and so on. The ‘ up and one two’ steps will be familiar to most Irish people too. The difference between now and then is Irish dancing is becoming more and more popular in the media than it has been over the last ten years. Think of the success of children such as the Mulkerrin Brothers, former winners of The All Ireland Talent Show and sean nós dance troop, Cosa Beoga on the same television show has inspired new interest in Irish Dancing around the country.

It’s almost a rite of passage among Irish children, that at some point they will attend an Irish dancing. Many truly enjoy it, I can’t say that I did when I initially went, however my experiences were limited to about two weeks of lessons where I skipped around a freezing cold community hall, needless to say I left at great speed. However, fortunately times have moved on and the lessons are taught in a much more streamlined fashion. Irish dance classes are an extremely healthy way for your child to remain fit and active.

The classes are run with a strong work ethic; most divide the children into groups depending on their skill level. The teachers will then proceed with a warm up and then teach your children the steps. It is a show and tell form of teaching, where the steps are demonstrated and then repeated by the children. Normally the children begin with learning dances like jigs which are danced in 6/8 time then moving onto reels and then more difficult dances.

The only drawback of the Irish dance classes are the extras that go with it. Many of the classes work towards competition which has become highly focussed upon pageantry. The costumes are heavily expensive and the wigs are faintly ridiculous. However the dancing and the dance style are fantastic methods of exercise and are a beneficial part of our heritage.

If your children are interested in Irish dancing then you can enrol them in classes in your area. There are Irish dancing classes are available in Ennis from the John Fennell (Set Dancing) School. John can be contacted at 087 9941466. If you are interested in Irish Dancing classes for your children but from Tralee, you may have to look further afield. The Irwin School of Irish Dancing is based in Killarney and is available for phone at 064 0039530. If you are looking for Irish Dancing classes in Limerick city, then look no further than the Keane School of Irish Dance located in the Monaleen/ Castleroy Community. If you are interested in lessons you can contact mellissa_keane_@hotmail.com.

I am an experienced journalistic writer and editor.