Free Irish Dance Class for Children

Join us for a free Irish dance for children during our Open Houses on Sunday, August 18 or Sunday, August 25, from 4-5pm. Children will learn the basics of Irish dance form, technique, and some dance steps from our certified teachers. Children ages 4-18 are welcome. August 2019 Open House Dates: August 18, 4:00-5:00pm August 25, 4:00-5:00pm After the free class, children are welcome to enroll in classes, which start on Sunday, September 8.  We work with each new family to find a suitable class for their child - based on their age and ability. Currently, we offer a special class for our youngest beginners from 3:30-4:15pm on Sundays. Older children and youth attend class from 4:00-5:00pm on Sundays. As children progress, they are invited by a teacher to extend their class time by 30 minutes to attend "Beginner Boosters" class and learn more difficult choreography (attending from 4:00-5:30pm). We staff our classes to maintain a low student-teacher ratio and often break into smaller groups for more focused work with a teacher.  What to expect at the Open House: Open Houses include a meet-and-greet with instructors, a mini introductory dance class, information about how to enroll in classes, and time for Q&A about the McTeggart Irish Dancers and Irish dancing in general. For the free class, children should wear comfortable, non-binding clothes (modest athletic shorts are preferred), and thick socks on their feet. If they own ballet slippers or jazz shoes, they are welcome to wear them, but there is no need to make a special purchase. Enrolling & Class Costs: Enrollment is easy. There is a one-time registration fee of $25 when you first join the school, and then families make two separate monthly payments which total $60/month. We provide information about enrollment - including classes, locations, tuition and fees - when we meet you at the Open House. Other costs: Beyond classes, students have opportunities to perform and compete. Performances and competitions are entirely optional. We provide a consignment shoe closet for beginner families to buy used shoes, and our beginner costume is a simple black skirt and white blouse - very affordable. There is no cost to the child to participate in performances; that's a free value-add for our students. To pay for the facility for our annual recital, we do charge admission fees for tickets ($6 to $8 per ticket). As a child progresses and wants to participate in competition, there are competition entry fees and either rental fees or purchase costs for Irish dance costumes. But, that's a ways down the road! For beginners, we keep costs low and want to make Irish dancing as accessible as possible. Do you want to receive information about upcoming events, open house dates, and performances? Click here to join our mailing list.  You may safely unsubscribe at any time.