Oíche Shamhna / An Irish Halloween: Bonfire Stories

Darrah Carr holds a PhD in dance from Texas Woman's University and is an assistant professor in the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College. She received her MFA from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wesleyan University. Carr is active in both the modern and Irish dance communities as a choreographer, dancer, educator, and writer. She is the artistic director of Darrah Carr Dance, and describes her choreographic style as ModERIN: a blend of traditional Irish step and contemporary modern dance. Recent performance highlights include Good Morning America, NBC’s The Today Show, a performance with the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, the Duke Theater on 42nd Street, Celebrate Brooklyn, Victory Dance at the New Victory Theater, and the company’s annual NYC season at the Irish Arts Center.  

Laura Simms is a storyteller with a love for Irish tales and myths. For twenty years she regaled audiences at the American Museum of Natural History with ghost tales and spirit stories for all ages. She currently sits on the Advisory Council for Global Education (UN-NGO), and is the artistic director of H. C. Andersen Storytelling Center in NY. Her past awards include the Sesame Street SUNNY DAYS award for her work with children worldwide. 

Photo credit: Steve Savage