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Welcome to the Burke School of Irish Dance.  The Burke School has been around for more than 50 years continuing to teach traditional Irish dance.  Please take the time to browse the website.

Sláinte

- Tessie Burke
Founder, Burke School of Irish Dance
2005 Inductee - North American Irish Dance Teacher Hall of Fame

About Irish Dancing

Irish dancing is a form of cultural dance originated in Ireland hundreds of years ago.  It is a dance rich in tradition and ethnicity.  It is a form of dance where a dancer's arms and hands are not used. Dancers perform intricate movements with their feet while holding their upper bodies straight and tall.  Irish dancing is very different from other forms of dance such as ballet, tap or jazz. Most people will recognize Irish dance when seen in performances and such shows as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.  It is a beautiful form of dance which many people enjoy watching.
 
Irish dancing gives children a sense of pride and confidence in their own abilities.  It shows them how to dance and learn steps improving memory and cognitive abilities. Irish dance shows them how to collaborate and work with other children of different ages.  It lets them learn how to have a healthy competitive drive and it teaches them to be a gracious winner and loser.  It gives them a sense of where they come from by allowing them to get back in touch with their family's roots and history.  Overall, the benefits are physically, mentally, and emotionally productive to a child’s well being. 
 
Dancers, if they choose to, can compete in a feis (pronounced "fesh") or many feisianna (plural for feis).  Feis is the Gaelic term for competition.  Feisianna are held on Saturdays or Sundays, all year long, at venues all across the United States. Check the North American Feis Commission site to see how many there are every year! Students dance to live music and perform their steps in front of judges.  They can sometimes win medals or trophies if a judge scores them high enough.  It is a very fun and exciting experience that helps bring Irish dance to a different level.