Irish Dancing Lessons in Phoenix

Remember Riverdance? The energetic music, the long rows of dancers moving with such precision, the graceful soloists? Admit it, you (like me) danced around trying to figure out the moves in your family room after seeing the show on a PBS special, or seeing the live show if you were lucky enough! Well, after watching some YouTube videos with my 4 year old, Molly, she began asking to take lessons. After a year of her asking, I relented and looked into it. Irish dancing lessons in Phoenix seemed like sort of a long shot. Little did I know…

When I found out that the Michael Patrick Gallagher School of Irish Dance was located at 32^nd Street and Greenway Rd. in North Phoenix, I was excited to find something that would be easy to get to and had classes that fit our schedule. Then, I read a little bit more information and discovered that Michael Patrick Gallagher, who runs the school and teaches most of the classes, had been the lead dancer in Riverdance, touring for 8 years.

Wait, WHAT?!?

Yeah, not just one of the amazing dancers in the long row, but the guy with the fancy shirt doing all of the solos and dancing with the main girl. The LEAD! Ummm…this guy is the real deal. He also has multiple World Championships (did you know that Irish dancing is competitive?) and all sorts of other accomplishments to his name. That meant that my daughter would have the chance to learn something she’s excited about from someone who is literally one of the best in the world.  An opportunity like this doesn’t come up every day. We signed up right away!

Molly started dancing with Michael Pat in November of 2012 at age 5. Lilly, who is now 8 years old, decided to give it a try this February. Both girls are loving it! They already consider themselves Irish dancers, which they should, since they work hard in class, practice the dances at home, and have already had the opportunity to compete and to perform in a parade and faire on St. Patrick’s Day here in Phoenix.

Here are some of the things we love about Irish dancing so far:

1. The music! It’s so energetic and fun. Irish music is a great mood-lifter for all of us, myself included, as we play it at home so the girls can practice. They dance any time the music is on (and pretty much everywhere we go, music or no music)!
2. The dancers (girls and boys) are learning life lessons such as encouraging the other dancers to do their best, handling competition, taking responsibility to practice at home ( and learning HOW to practice something difficult), seeing their hard work pay off, learning from older dancers (they love to watch the older girls perform and the older girls help them learn the beginner dances), and the simple physical benefits of exercise.  Plus, dancing is fun!
3. The style of dance is a good fit for our family. We want our daughters to enjoy dancing as young girls without worrying about them learning moves that make them seem older than they are. The costumes reflect that, too. (Side note…the costumes become more elaborate if dancers choose a more competitive path as they improve, but they still provide full coverage, something my husband especially appreciates for his little girls!)
4. It’s just different and unique. Molly and Lilly tried ballet and gymnastics, and enjoyed both. But, they were just two out of the masses of girls in those activities. Irish dancing is something out of the ordinary, and they have the opportunity to learn from the very best!

As we’ve gotten more involved, my girls have made quick friends with the other dancers, and I’ve realized that not only is Michael Patrick an accomplished performer, but he is a caring teacher, too. Our school has six dancers headed to the World Irish Dancing Championships this week, showing that his skill as a teacher matches his skill as performer. The school website is www.mpgirishdance.com or check them out on Facebook, so check out the schedule and mention Scottsdale Moms Blog for a free class! We would love to see you there!

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Erin McGever is a stay-at-home mom with three kids, Caleb (10), Lilly (8), and Molly (6), and is married to her high school sweetheart and best friend, Sean.  She grew up in the Arcadia neighborhood, where her parents still live, and has deep roots in the Phoenix area.  After going away to college at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, then teaching 3^rd grade there, Erin and Sean moved back to Phoenix to be closer to family.  Erin loves hosting people in her home, including the 100 or so teenagers who come over every week as a part of Young Life or the 40 members of their extended family who come over for holidays.