Rising Tide Irish Dance Academy

Rising Tide Irish Dance Academy offers recreational and competitive Irish Dance lessons to students age four and up. Our vision is to build a community of passionate and skilled Irish Dancers, and their families, committed to exemplifying the Rising Tide values and elevating the profile of Irish Dance in the region.

Students will learn from two highly qualified, engaging instructors committed to helping each student reach their full potential through goal setting, motivation and feedback. As part of the Rising Tide community, students are encouraged to actively participate in each class, support the development of their fellow dancers, and take advantage of each other’s expertise. Our goal is to make each and every class challenging, educational and fun!

Classes began January 2015 and are offered in Halifax and Bedford. Rising Tide Irish Dance Academy is registered with An Coimisiún Le Rinci Gaelacha in Dublin, Ireland.



More About Irish Dance:

As an art form and a sport Irish Dance offers something for everyone: an opportunity to be creative, physical exercise, individual and team activities, and opportunities to compete locally, nationally and internationally (if desired). Using both hard shoes (similar to tap shoes, but with fibre glass tips) and soft shoes (similar to Highland Dance shoes or ballet slippers), Irish Dance can be percussive and powerful, athletic and elegant.

Popularized by such shows as Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, Irish Dance was originally a social form of group dancing performed at weddings, fairs and holidays. It is rooted in the dances taught by travelling dance masters throughout Ireland in the 16th and 17th centuries. Famously, Irish Dancers move only their legs, keeping their arms tightly by their sides. To learn more about the early history of Irish Dance, visit: http://www.marie-duffy-foundation.com/HistoryOfIrishDance.htm.

Today, Irish Dance is taught, and performed all over the world. Schools can be found across North & South America, Europe, Russia, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. In addition to learning a unique cultural art form and highly effective method of fitness, students also learn critical life skills: goal setting, team work, listening, giving and receiving feedback, sportsmanship and confidence.

The governing body of Irish dance, CLRG allows dancers to dance recreationally or competitively. Students interested in a competitive track have the opportunity to compete at local competitions (feiseanna), national feiseanna including the North American Championships, and international feiseanna including the World Championships. To learn more about CLRG, visit: http://www.clrg.ie.