Irish Dance Classes

Irish dance is one of the most popular traditional dance forms around. Popularized recently by shows such as Riverdance, this form is both challenging to perform and exhilarating to watch. This form is divided into two main parts: soft shoe dancing and hard shoe dancing. Soft shoe consists of intricate flexible footwork, and fast flexible leg work with leaps and high kicks. Hard shoe boasts fast percussive rhythms, intricate footwork and extreme precision. When step dancers perform together, it is an impressive sight to say the least.

Core Irish Dance Classes

• Tiny Toes: A class aimed at children who are 3 to 5 years old. It is a pre-beginner class that teaches your child balance, timing, coordination, and the basic positions and techniques at the core of traditional Irish dance. Your little dancer will work together with you and the teacher to prepare them for their progression into the beginner class when they reach 5 years of age.
• Beginner (or Adult 1): The starting point for new Irish dancers. No experience necessary. Dancers learn basic soft shoe techniques and simple traditional Irish dance choreography.
• Advanced Beginner (or Adult 2): For the Irish dancer with some Irish dance experience (usually at least 6 months to 1 year). At this level, the Irish dancer will begin hard shoe Irish dance training. The Irish dancer should be familiar with all of the basic soft shoe techniques.
• Primary Level (or Adult 3): Irish dancers in this level hone their skills in the foundations learned in the Beginner levels. Dancers will also be introduced to more advanced choreography and techniques for solo and group performances.
• Intermediate Level (or Adult 4): For experienced Irish dancers proficient in Primary level Irish dance techniques. Usually, the Irish dancer has 5 or more years of Irish dancing experience and can perform challenging choreography in both hard shoe and soft shoe as a solo dancer or within a group.
• Open Level: The highest level for Irish dancers. Irish dancers at this level have mastered all the motions of hard shoe and soft shoe Irish step dance. They know all of the traditional Irish dances and can perform professional-grade choreography as a solo dancer or within a group.

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Elective Classes

• Baby Ballet: A pre-beginner class for children 4 to 5 years old that encourages self-expression and fun through ballet. Ballet is a foundational dance form and its core movements lend themselves very well to Irish dance.
• Basic Barre: Based in ballet, barre exercises are the foundation for all the other ballet exercises. These exercises are also extremely helpful for the Irish dancer, particularly for balance and posture. Open to all skill levels.
• Barre and Flexibility: A class for all skill levels that focuses on barre exercises and slow stretching to improve balance, posture, and flexibility. For the Irish dancer, a major benefit comes out from a reduced risk for muscular injuries or strains. Also, generally, higher effortless kicks also result!
• Competitor Training: A class designed for only highly dedicated dancers interested in competitng against other Irish dancers in regional, national, and international competitions. Instructors focus on developing stamina, perfecting technique, and maintaing correct rhythm throughout the class for a student's personalized competitive choreography. To join this class, students must be enrolled in at least one core Irish dance class (according to their level) and have instructor approval.
• Dancer Conditioning: A class that focuses on strengthening, toning, and stretching different parts of the body. Our instructors typically focus on isolating body parts important to Irish dance and working them out for an allotted period of time within each class. Open to all skill levels. A required class for all competitive dancers.

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Special Activities

• Ceili Social: A fun, social activity on the 3rd Friday of every month in our studio. Come on your own or bring your friends and partners, and have a blast! Ceili are traditional group formation dances, taught with easy step-by-step instructions. Have a laugh and get a gentle workout at the same time. Very low impact, no high kicks (we promise!)
• Motor City Irish Dance Company: This is our school's performance company. All members are dedicated Irish dancers who want to apply their Irish dance skills to group choreography for performance. Members not only learn dazzling dances and the meaning of teamwork, but will also showcase what they learn at various local venues. Members must audition before being accepted into the company and they need not be registered students of Ealain Ceime Irish Dance School in order to audition.
• Production Rehearsal: Occasionally, our school will put on (or be invited to be part of) a special show or production. Most productions are invite only, however some might hold auditions. If you are interested in being part of a future production, please let us know.

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