Irish step dancing classes on Long Island: Where to go
Members of the “ Cork Troupe” Irish dance group rehearse for their upcoming St. Patrick’s Day performances at Show Stompin’ Irish Dance studio in Wantagh. Credit: Linda Rosier
Irish step dancers know how to make an entrance with their swift footwork, glittery costumes and pounding, synchronized movements.
Step dancing, an Irish folk dance with different styles, is a series of dance moves choreographed to fit a specific musical rhythm. The rapid and complex foot movements that create the rhythmic sounds of the dance are hallmarks of Irish step dancing. A stiff upper body helps focus attention on the feet and emphasizes the fast and complex leg movements, said Meagan Gollin, owner and instructor at Show Stompin’ Irish Dance in Wantagh.
Visitors who want to see if it’s for them are welcome to try a free lesson at her studio, Gollin said. She has taught students from age 2 through 70. There are no restrictions, she said, but there is a lot of leg movement, although some steps can be modified.
Gollin, 35, said she started step dancing when she was 9 and was a competitive dancer in her youth. She started the school in 2016 to enjoy Irish step dancing without the stress of competition, she said. Step dancing is for men and women, and while more women step dance in America, it’s more evenly split in Ireland, she said.
People often get interested after seeing step dancers perform at a Long Island Ducks game or in a parade, she said. The theatrical show “Riverdance” also sparked a lot of interest — and it is touring this year in celebration of its 30th anniversary, she noted.
Dancers start with a soft shoe, similar to a ballet flat, and then progress to a hard shoe, similar to a tap shoe. Step dancing can be done to any music with an eight-bar count, Gollin said, including Disney songs from “Moana” and “Frozen” and pop songs such as Taylor Swift’s “You Belong With Me.”
It’s never too late to learn, said Lynn Roell, 61, of Seaford, who’s in her seventh year of step dance lessons at the studio.
Roell danced ballet and tap in high school, “but that was 44 years ago,” she said with a laugh. She checked out a class for adult step dancers after seeing an ad. “I’ve stayed ever since. I love it,” she said. “It’s good exercise, and it keeps you in shape.”
Dancers from the adult Irish step dance class at Show Stompin’ Irish Dance in Wantagh outside Sonny's Canal House in Baldwin after the 2024 St. Patrick’s Day parade. Credit: Meagan Gollin
COST
Show Stompin’s introductory class is free. Other studios charge $5-$15 for an intro class. Lesson costs vary by studio and the number of classes per week, but can range from $70 to $135 a month.
WHAT TO WEAR
Sneakers or jazz or ballet flats for the first class, along with comfortable shorts, leggings or other tight-fitting pants. For regular lessons, soft shoes (often called ghillies or light shoes) are required. Advanced dancers also will need hard shoes (heavies or jig shoes).
FEELING NERVOUS?
"You don’t have to feel funny if you can’t do some of the steps," Roell said. "We all help each other and go over it together. They keep a pace that’s good for everyone.”
WHERE TO GO
Kender Academy of Irish Dance, Amityville, $5 for 45-minute adult trial class, kenderacademy.com
Mise Eire Irish Dancers, Babylon, $15 for trial class, miseeireirishdancers.com
Show Stompin’ Irish Dance, Wantagh, free intro lesson, showstompinirishdance.com
Ciara Greene School of Irish Step Dancing, Smithtown studio, adult classes $10 on Mondays, pay as you go, CiaraGreeneSchool.com
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