Coinciding with the biggest Irish celebration outside of Ireland, the Ottawa Irish Dance Company (2-888 Lady Ellen Pl.) will be celebrating its first anniversary along with St. Patrick’s Day. Needless to say, March is the perfect month to learn more about the art of Irish Dancing.
“It’s a busy month, that’s for sure,” said Co-Director Siobhan Fleury. “We perform all over the place in March, but for us, Irish dance is really a way of living.”
During its first year in operation, the dance school has experienced overwhelming success, with several dancers qualifying for the 2019 North American and World Irish Dance Championships. “Our competitive dancers train really hard, and we are so proud of them,” said Fleury.
Fleury and her Co-Director, Christie Glover, founded the school last year. Both are residents of Kitchissippi who work full-time jobs while teaching Irish dance as a passion project, along with a team of other dance teachers. “We put a lot of time and energy into it,” said Glover, “It’s a labour of love. We care a lot about the kids.”
Of her vision for the school, Glover said, “We want to share our love for Irish dance with everyone. What makes this a great sport and art form is that anyone can do it. You can choose to compete or just to have fun with it. We want to help everyone see the benefits that Irish dance can offer for them, because it’s been such an important part of our lives.”
Irish dancing is a beautiful art form and sport that is constantly growing and changing. It is accessible to dancers aged 3 to 99 and is a great form of exercise.
The Ottawa Irish Dance Company offers classes for beginners and experienced dancers, including a free trial for all new students. Keep an eye out for these dancers at parties and seniors residences over the course of March, and you can get in touch with them through their website at
www.ottawairishdance.ca.