Summer Stuff!

And planning for the fall...

Happy Summer!

If you’ve not been dancing with me over the summer, you likely haven’t gotten many emails from me lately. I have been busy writing articles for my ballet and Irish dance students, so this particular email list has been a little neglected.

If you’re interested in reading up on some very niche dance history, you can read about Irish dance history before Riverdance in this article.

I also wanted to share a few upcoming events that some of you may be interested in.

Adult Irish Dance Camp

I’m running my first-ever adult Irish dance summer camp. It will be in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, from August 28 - 30. We’ll be dancing at NK STUDIOS in Bingen, Washington, but also spending a little bit of time exploring all the Gorge has to offer.

This is a weekend intensive built for intermediate to advanced dancers. We’ll work in skill-level tracks, build performance-focused choreography rooted in Irish dance (with a little contemporary and percussive dance flavor mixed in), and by Sunday, have a whole dance to show for it.

This is dance-focused, yes—but it’s just as much about connecting with other adult dancers outside of competition or performance pressure. A chance to meet like-minded people, make dance friends, and move in different ways. Payment plans, scholarship funding, and creative housing options are all on the table if cost is an issue. I’m helping folks organize group housing and transportation.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, please respond to this email, and I’ll get you more info. We’d love to have you.

Common Ground - A percussive dance workshop with me

Details

July 22 and 23 // 6:00- 9:00 PM

Kerry Hall // 710 E. Roy St. Seattle, WA 98102 // Room 301 // Entrance to the building is on the corner of Roy St. and Harvard Ave

This is a two-evening intensive for experienced dancers curious about what happens when percussive traditions meet. Rooted in body percussion and the vocabulary of step dance, but without shoes, and without allegiance to any single form, Common Ground draws from Irish step, Appalachian clogging, tap, and traditional drumming to explore the rhythmic and expressive possibilities of the body as an instrument. Participants will work across movement patterns from multiple traditions, building a shared physical language that is rigorous, experimental, and genuinely collaborative.

Seattle Irish Dance Company and this workshop are supported by Shunpike and ArtsWA.

For more information and to register for this, please see the website. Yes, we also have funding available for this.

Midwest Workshops?

Also! I’m working with a dance school in Chicago to put on a couple of workshops this fall (we’re looking at October/November). If you’re a dancer or a dance teacher who might be interested in having me teach a workshop in the Midwest, please let me know. It would be fun to plan some additional teaching time while I’m out that way.

Other upcoming events

There are many shows and events coming up that I’m performing or teaching in, and I’d love to see you there. Please do come say hello if you make it out!

Seattle Scottish Highland Games
July 25 & 26, Enumclaw, Washington
Performing with The Katie Jane Band

Bitterroot Celtic Games
August 15 - 16, Hamilton, Montana
Performing with The Katie Jane Band

Long Peaks Scottish Festival
September 11 - 13, Estes Park, Colorado
Performing with The Katie Jane Band

Halfway to St. Paddy’s Day at the Spanish Ballroom
September 17, Seattle, Washington
Performing with Ockham’s Razor

MAC Scottish Festival
October 3 - 4, McMinnville, Oregon
Performing with The Katie Jane Band

Ocean Shores Music Festival
October 20 - 25, Ocean Shores, Washington
Teaching workshops and performing all week