Beginner Irish Set Dancing Classes at Harrington's

Try something new this summer with an Irish set dancing class at Harrington's Pub in Wakefield (MA).  Here's the updated summer class schedule. Every Monday night at 7:30, Frank & Eileen teach a new set. See details here.

This is a perfect opportunity for beginners to learn the basic steps and most common sets danced year-round upstairs at Harrington's every Wednesday at 7:30 and indeed in the Greater Boston area where you can find a set dance or lesson just about every day of the week.

See the write-up in the Wakefield Patch.

Benefit Session at The Burren with Set Dancing

Some of Boston's best traditional Irish musicians will be playing a benefit at The Burren authentic Irish music pub / restaurant in Davis Square, Somerville on Sunday June 13th from 4PM to 1AM. The trad session goes from 4 to 9 featuring Helena Delaney, Peter Malloy (catch Helena and Peter Thursdays in the Burren's Front Room), Jimmy Noonan, and many more; this is followed at 9:30 by the Johnny Come Lately's.

The fundraiser event is for the Maunsell family, Seamus Maunsell, a friend and valued employee of The Burren and Hannah Maunsell, his 8 year old daughter, her mum Jen Maunsell, brother Seamus Jr. and sister Micheala.

If you're a set dancer, Ger Cooney will be leading a set or two around 5 o'clock. What an opportunity to dance to the live music of these great musicians!

Set Dancing at The Burren in the Back Room

Boston Set Dancers Drafted for New Irish Play

The Irish-American community around Boston is eagerly awaiting the new Irish play by Ireland's Tommy Marren of Mid-West Radio based in County Mayo, The Banshee of Crokey Hill. Irish set dancers were happy to co-operate when asked to participate in the kitchen hooley scenes in this 3-act play.

Dancers from Sally Harney's Comhaltas Watertown group and Frank Keane's Harrington's group in Wakefield will dress in West of Ireland '70's attire to welcome the neighbors' son returning to Ireland after being away in Manchester, England, as the drama unfolds around them.

Boston's Larry Reynolds (video with Larry joined by concert flute player Mike Rafferty and button accordionist Tara Lynch, originally from Corofin, Co. Clare. ) and friends provide the traditional Irish tunes for the kitchen session. The play also features the renowned Brian Cunningham (take a sneak peek at this amazing video), Sean-Nos dancer from Connemara.  

"There is an exceptional ‘hooley’ scene that includes a breath-taking display of brush-dancing (an old Irish dance done with a sweeping brush!) by Brian Cunningham from Connemara in County Galway and traditional musician that will warm the hearts of the audience!"


The Banshee of Crockey Hill will be presented Friday & Saturday, June 26th & 27th at 8PM and Sunday, June 28th, at 3PM at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA (directions).

Post Script: Link to some "Banshee" photos and a video on the Irish Set Dancing social network:

Photo Album: Backstage Photos of  The Banshee of Crokey Hill - Boston Performance

Photo Album: "Off Broadway" Photos of The Banshee of Crokey Hill - Broadway in Arlington MA

Video: Boston Sean-Nos Dancer Hughie's Stage Debut at Sunday Performance

Set Dancing on the radio

This week will be a "first" for some Boston area Irish Set Dancers.
We will be dancing on the radio, via Paula Carroll's Kitchen Sessions, which is being broadcast from Winchester Ma.

Trying to tell friends to listen in has been interesting since they usually can not tell us by the sound of our feet battering through some reels. I can imagine telling someone afterwards, "listen that's me. I can tell since I missed a beat."

http://comhaltas.ie/events/detail/kitchen_sessions_in_clare/lang/ga/

Tony Ryan Workshop in Maine August 5th

There was quite a turnout for master Irish set dance teacher Tony Ryan from Galway, Ireland, last April (2008) at the Maine Set Dancing Weekend hosted by Kathy and Bill Gavin (backs to the camera in this photo; Tony in white shirt opposite holding microphone). Tony will be back in Maine at the Yarmouth Community House, 179 East Main Street, Yarmouth, Maine, for an evening set dancing workshop on Tuesday, August 5th at 6:30 PM. The Greater Portland Set Dancers would like to invite any and all, whether experienced or not, to come to the workshop. Contact Cathy Gavin by email at setdncr02 (at) maine.rr.com for more information.