April 23rd Sean-nós Workshop In Plano, TX

Do you like Irish sean-nós dancing?   If you’re asking “What’s that?” it’s like solo tap dancing to Irish tunes, older than Riverdance and modern step dancing, and all ages can do it.  Sean-nós is a great style for dancing however the jigs move ya, even in a tiny pub.

Guess what?  Brian Ó hAirt, a fantastic dancer and teacher, is coming to town at 1pm on April 23rd to teach a sean-nós workshop for $20 per student.  The location will be our home in North Plano (near 121 & Independence).  See below for more details and use our contact form to let us know if you’d like to attend.

When: 1pm on April 23rd.
Cost: $20
Where: North Plano (contact us for directions)

We need to know:

  1. Would you consider yourself a beginner, intermediate or advanced sean-nós dancer?  Please pick one.
  2. Would you be interested in a beginner, intermediate or advanced workshop?  Please pick one.

If you can commit to the workshop, please let us know as soon as possible.

Any dancer is welcome, so spread the word!  Now for a few words from Brian about the dancing, his workshops, and himself.

Continue reading April 23rd Sean-nós Workshop In Plano, TX

O’Flaherty 2017 – Set Dancing Master Pat Murphy Comes To Texas!

Calling all y’all who love Irish set dancing…

Whatever it takes, you do not  want to miss the 2017 O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat in Midlothian, Texas.

Why?

Drum…

…roll…

…please…

Pat Murphy, Irish set dancing master, is coming to Texas!!!

If you’re not excited yet, you will be.  A brief bio, taken from Joanie Madden’s cruise page:

Pat Murphy is an accordion player and renown Set Dancing Master from Upperchurch, County Tipperary. His first contact with set dancing happened in his own home where his father Jack played the accordion and often the Ballycommon and Castle sets were danced. Upon retirement from his job as a primary school teacher in the early 1980’s, he got actively involved in teaching and reviving sets. With his wonderful demeanor and way of teaching, his reputation soon spread and he was invited to teach set dancing all over the world. He has lead workshops in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Russia and practically every country in Europe! He is the author of four books on Set Dancing; “Toss the Feathers”, “The Flowing Tide”, “Apples in Winter” and “Tabhair Dom Do Lámh”.

Pat is an amazing teacher, and it’s a rare treat that he is actually coming to Texas.  Save the dates!  Save your pennies!  Lie to your boss if you have to, but make sure you’re in Midlothian next October!

Now…who wants to get together for extra dance practice before then?  The more we know, the more we can learn from Pat.  This is going to be awesome!

Keep an eye on the O’Flaherty web site (and here) for more information.  Registration will begin in May. Keep your calendar open for October 19-22!

Social Dancing At NTIF 13 – 2016

We’ve reached 2015 in the series of posts leading up to the 2016 North Texas Irish Festival. This is last year before this year!  What will we show after this post?  No matter what’s next, even if you don’t dance, come out and cheer on the dancers!

If you’re on Facebook, add the workshop and ceili events to your calendar.

First up we had the afternoon workshop with a couple of two-hand dances followed by the Camp Set.

2015 dance workshop with Susan and Michael Harrison

Music for the evening ceili was again provided by the wonderful Lone Star Ceili Band.

2015 ceili band

Come on out to the Emerald stage in the Tower building for the dance workshop on Saturday at 1pm and again for the ceili at 7pm-ish.

If you’d like to see tons of pictures and video from past festival workshop and ceili’s, head over here.

Social Dancing At NTIF 12 – 2016

We’re staying in 2014 for this post in the series leading up to the 2016 North Texas Irish Festival.  Make sure you set your schedule up before you arrive so you have time to see the headliners as well as get your dancing in!

If you’re on Facebook, add the workshop and ceili events to your calendar.

For the evening ceili we again had the Lone Star Ceili Band with dances called by Susan & Michael Harrison

2014 ceili played by LSCB

With some Waves of Tory called by Susan & Michael Harrison

2014 ceili called by Susan & Michael Harrison

Come on out to the Emerald stage in the Tower building for the dance workshop on Saturday at 1pm and again for the ceili at 7pm-ish.

If you’d like to see tons of pictures and video from past festival workshop and ceili’s, head over here.

Social Dancing At NTIF 11 – 2016

We’ve reached 2014 in the series of posts leading up to the 2016 North Texas Irish Festival.  Are you bringing a dog to the festival?  You are, aren’t you?

If you’re on Facebook, add the workshop and ceili events to your calendar.

First up with an afternoon dance workshop with Susan and Michael Harrison.

2014 dance workshop with Susan and Michael Harrison
2014 dance workshop with Susan & Michael Harrison

Where’s the ceili?  Coming in the next post!

Come on out to the Emerald stage in the Tower building for the dance workshop on Saturday at 1pm and again for the ceili at 7pm-ish.

If you’d like to see tons of pictures and video from past festival workshop and ceili’s, head over here.

Social Dancing At NTIF 10 – 2016

We’ve reached 2013 in the series of posts leading up to the 2016 North Texas Irish Festival. If you attend the whiskey tasking before the workshop or ceili, don’t drink too much!

If you’re on Facebook, add the workshop and ceili events to your calendar.

First up with an afternoon dance workshop with Susan and Michael Harrison. Hard to tell what we were teaching in this photo. Perhaps An Rince Mor.

2013 dance workshop with Susan and Michael Harrison

During the workshop we also taught the “Maggie” figure for the Connemara Set where Susan was able to show off her levitation skills.

2013 workshop called by Susan & Michael Harrison

Music for the evening ceili was again provided by the wonderful Lone Star Ceili Band.

2013 ceili band

and called by Susan & Michael Harrison

2013 ceili called by Susan & Michael Harrison

Come on out to the Emerald stage in the Tower building for the dance workshop on Saturday at 1pm and again for the ceili at 7pm-ish.

If you’d like to see tons of pictures and video from past festival workshop and ceili’s, head over here.

Social Dancing at NTIF 9 – 2016

We’ve reached 2012 in the series of posts leading up to the 2016 North Texas Irish Festival.  What are you going to wear to the festival?

If you’re on Facebook, add the workshop and ceili events to your calendar.

First up with an afternoon dance workshop with Susan and Michael Harrison, shown below dancing the Britannia Two-Step.

2012 dance workshop with Susan and Michael Harrison

And the evening ceili with the Lone Star Ceili Band, dancing Peeler and The Goat

2012 ceili called by Susan & Michael Harrison

Come on out to the Emerald stage for the dance workshop on Saturday at 1pm and again for the ceili at 7pm-ish.

If you’d like to see tons of pictures and video from past festival workshop and ceili’s, head over here.

Social Dancing at NTIF 8 – 2016

We’ve reached 2011, which is a good number because this year marks the 11th year we’ve been calling the Saturday night ceili. This is the 8th in the series of posts leading up to the 2016 North Texas Irish Festival.  You’re coming out, right?

If you’re on Facebook, add the workshop and ceili events to your calendar.

First up with an afternoon dance workshop with Catherine Sherer Bishop, but we have no photos!  Send us some!

The evening ceili again played by the Lone Star Ceili Band

2011 ceili with music by the LSCB

and called by Susan & Michael Harrison.  Waves of Tory!

2011 ceili called by Susan & Michael Harrison

Come on out to the Emerald stage for the dance workshop on Saturday at 1pm and again for the ceili at 7pm-ish.

If you’d like to see tons of pictures and video from past festival workshop and ceili’s, head over here.

Social Dancing at NTIF 7 – 2016

We’re up to 2010 in the runup to the 2016 North Texas Irish Festival.

Do you have any specific dances you’d like to do at the ceili?  We can’t promise we’ll get to them all but if they’re quick to teach, we’re likely to do them early.  Let us know!

From 2010 we’ve got the afternoon dance workshop led by Gadelle

2010 dance workshop by Gadelle

and the evening ceili called by Susan & Michael Harrison.  You may see a pattern here.  we’ve been calling the evening ceili for almost 11 years.

2010 ceili called by Susan & Michael Harrison
2010 ceili called by Susan & Michael Harrison with the LSCB in the background

Come on out to the Emerald stage for the dance workshop on Saturday at 1pm and again for the ceili at 7pm-ish.

If you’re on Facebook, add the workshop and ceili events to your calendar.

If you’d like to see tons of pictures and video from past festival workshop and ceili’s, head over here.

Social Dancing at NTIF 6 – 2016

This is the 6th in the series of posts leading up to the 2016 North Texas Irish Festival and we’re up to 2009 now.  Bring your friends, family and dogs out to the festival!

If you’re on Facebook, add the workshop and ceili events to your calendar.

There was the afternoon ceili workshop by  Máirtín de Cógáin

Followed by the evening ceili with music by the Lone Star Ceili Band

2009 Lone Star Ceili Band

and called by Susan & Michael Harrison.

2009 ceili called by Susan & Michael Harrison

Come on out to the Emerald stage for the dance workshop on Saturday at 1pm and again for the ceili at 7pm-ish.

If you’d like to see tons of pictures and video from past festival workshop and ceili’s, head over here.