Classes will resume in September—fall dates will be posted soon. Please see workshops for summer programs.
Classes take place at Boston Percussive Dance (BPD) located inside Green Street Studios, 185 Green Street, Central Square, Cambridge, MA. The studio is T-accessible on the Red Line. Parking is available at meters, or one block away at the Green Street Garage ($1.50 per hour). The Tuesday evening class takes place at the Dance Complex, at 536 Mass. Ave., also in Central Square, Cambridge.
There may be positions available. Contact Kieran for details.
For Irish step dance Kieran recommends Fays Shoes. In Hard Shoes, try the Original Flexi and request to have the toe pieces shaved 1/3 of an inch lower than the normal height. You can also purchase Irish hard shoes and soft shoes in person at Teddy’s Shoes, 548 Mass. Ave., Central Square, Cambridge, MA. For beginner dancers, Capezio dance sneakers are a versatile and comfortable practice shoe. Available at most dance stores and online dance suppliers.
For sean-nós dancing please wear any shoe with a smooth hard sole and sturdy heel, but no taps. Try Kirsten by Aris Allen available at Teddy’s Shoes. Or the Camille by La Duca with hard leather soles, no taps.
For professional options try Miller and Ben Jazz Tap Master or Capezio Double Sole Tap Pro (TPK360).
For a louder toe sound on any sean-nós shoe, ask your cobbler to replace old leather soles with a layer of “neolite ” or “vibram” hard rubber soles.
Sean-nós (“old style”) Irish dance includes keen musicality, a relaxed upper body, and percussive footwork danced close-to-the-floor. Sean-nós dance is a joyful expression of movement and music. It requires a willingness to improvise and play with rhythm and solo expression. This class is designed for beginners, as well as dancers with experience in other genres, who wish to learn the traditions and steps of the sean-nós style. Please see shoe information above.
Irish dance is performed to lively jigs and reels and other fast-tempo tunes known broadly as “dance music.” But the wider tradition of Irish music also includes waltzes, slow airs, sean-nós songs, and ballads, which are rarely played for dancing. This new class will focus on lyrical and mindful movement, danced to a wide variety of slower Irish music. Exercises will draw from Kieran’s training in Body-Mind Centering, improvisation, and contemporary dance. Students will engage in gentle cardio sequences, guided improvisations, deep stretching and a meditative finish. Open to all levels.
Students will learn the basic rhythms and techniques of Irish “hard-shoe” step dancing. Steps will include traditional Irish reels, jigs, and hornpipes. Students in this class should already have at least one semester worth of Irish dance training, or comparable experience.
This class focuses on traditional Irish step dance technique, as well as group céilí dancing and original choreography. Each class will include a thorough warm-up and strengthening exercises, followed by a solid workout of technical elements. Students enrolling in this class must have at least 2 years of experience in soft and hard shoe dancing.
This class focuses on traditional step dance technique, as well as original choreography. Each class will include a thorough warm-up and strengthening exercises. Improvisation, choreography exercises, and ideas from other dance forms will also be included. Students enrolling in this class should have advanced level proficiency in soft and hard shoe dancing, creative spirits, and a willingness to try new things.