Arts in Education and Community Offerings

IRISH ARTS CENTER OFFERS ARTS IN EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WITH SCHOOLS, SENIOR CENTERS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS!   

Building friendships and community through shared learning experiences has been core to our mission since 1972. We are an official vendor with the D.O.E. and offer special opportunities for all New Yorkers to see award-winning performances and take lessons from our first-rate teaching artists. Scroll down to learn about some of these programs, contact Jessie Reilly, our director of education, family and community programs (jessie@irishartscenter.org), with any questions about pricing and availability.

A Celebration of Irish Music and Dance (Ensemble Performance) 

School assemblies available—we are an official D.O.E. vendor!  

Champion Irish step dancers and professional musicians will lead an upbeat introduction to Irish dance and music through a high-energy dance performance featuring live music and audience participation. The artists will also demonstrate both soft shoe and hard shoe dance styles, and discuss different contexts of Irish dance (e.g., competitions, community céilís, and Riverdance), and explore the history and traditions of both disciplines.

Community Céilí

Intended for grades 2 and up, but can be adapted for any audience. 

Participants of any skill level or age will learn Irish social dance in the form of the céilí, and enjoy a morning, afternoon, or evening of dance to traditional tunes played on Irish instruments. 

Irish Song, Music, and Dance (Trio)  

Intended for grades pre-K–5, but can be adapted for any audience. 

Kids will listen to, learn about, and help make traditional Irish music with a trio of professional musicians! The artists and participants will explore subjects including tempo, melody, and rhythm; the special relationships between musician, dancer, and instrument; the difference between a jig and a reel; how to clap, dance, and sing along; and more. 

Dance Lessons and Residencies

Introduction to Irish Dance Lessons:  

A 45-minute session in which you will learn the basics of Irish step or social dance from a professional Irish dancer.  

Irish Dance Residencies:  

We offer residencies in Irish step dance and Irish social dances, ranging from two weeks to a school year.   

Intercultural Connections—Dance Residencies:  

Dance instruction in both Irish dance and the traditional dance of one or more cultures from another part of the U.S. or world. Irish Arts Center has collaborated on intercultural dance residencies with companies specializing in dance from Mexico, India, Colombia, Tibet, and West Africa, as well as in American traditions such as tap, African American step, clogging, and square dance. Each residency celebrates the universality of dance and the similarities and differences of each unique dance form.