Irish dancing is a very important part of the heritage and culture of Ireland and the Irish-American community, and no one knows that better than Patsy McLoughlin. ℘℘℘ Patsy Early McLoughlin founded her school of Irish dance in 1968 in Inwood, New York, and now, 50 years later, she still teaches her students that Irish dance is as much aboutRead more..
For 10 days in July, the New York Public Library (N.Y.P.L.) partnered with choreographer and original Riverdance star dancer Jean Butler to lead a workshop celebrating the history and variety of Irish dance. Titled “Our Steps, Our Story: An Irish Dance Legacy,” the program took the form of live discussion and performance, and was filmedRead more..
The World Irish Dancing Championships were held in April in Glasgow, Scotland, and several Americans came away with medals in competition among the best youth dancers in the world. The Academy of Irish Dance, based in Ohio, won several team world championships, including U16 mixed céili and senior ladies, while the school’s Loghlan Howard won boysRead more..
Tara Sullivan talks about her life in sports, Irish dance, and the memorable people along her road to becoming the Boston Globe’s newest sports writer. ℘℘℘ For twenty years Tara Sullivan covered sports for the Record, the largest of New Jersey’s newspapers. She’s covered everything from high school to the pros, bringing her readers intoRead more..
Hairspray, fake wigs, and oodles of bling were on full display in front of 20,000 spectators for the 45th installment of the Irish World Dance Championships which took place in Montreal at the Palais des Congres in April. It marked the first time the event took place on Canadian soil and proved to be aRead more..
Despite Argentina’s historical ties to Ireland, prior to 1979 there was a glaring absence in the Irish-Argentine cultural exchange: Irish dance. Adam Farley talks to Dominique Dure, the director of Celtic Argentina School of Irish Dance about how that changed. It started when Christine Rasmussen, an educator from Buenos Aires, traveled to Ireland in 1978Read more..
Lord of the Dance and Irish America’s Irish-American of the year for 2003 Michael Flatley was awarded with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor at a gala ceremony on May 15, 2004 at Ellis Island. Chairman of the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations (NECO) Denis Fugazy said, “The Ellis Island Medal of Honor Awards allowRead more..
Successful Riverdance team takes on Hollywood. ℘℘℘ Moya Doherty and John McColgan, the couple who own Abhann, the company behind Riverdance: The Show, announced at the Cannes Film Festival that they would be moving into film production. Together with Joan Egan, a director of Tyrone Productions, which produces Ireland’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire,Read more..
Tipperary expects over 200,000 for Irish music festival. And Irish musicians and dancers from throughout the U.S. meet in Boston. ℘℘℘ Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2003 will be held in Clonmel, County Tipperary from August 22-24. This premier traditional music event attracts over 220,000 people and 10,000 performers each year These include 4,000 competitors inRead more..
Stepping out in style for the Center. ℘℘℘ The Irish Arts center presented the New York City Irish Dance Festival 2003 at Pier 63 on Sunday, May 4. There were performances, workshops, discussion forums, films, music & dance workshops, music seisiúns, and set and céilí dancing accompanied by live music. Taking part were Donny Golden,Read more..