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Sep52022 by BCANo Comments

Bluegrass Ceili Academy expands expertise with new teaching partnership

Heading into the 2022-23 dance class year, Bluegrass Ceili Academy is again expanding it's national and global partnerships to provide opportunities for its dancers. Lexington's community-based Irish dance program has partnered with former world medalist and international champion Courtney Jay, TCRG. Jay is director of Scoil Rince Luimni in Connecticut and, like Bluegrass Ceili Academy, focuses on bringing a modern approach to the traditional art of Irish dance. Courtney Jay has been dancing for 25 years. She trained for 12 years under Sheila Stevens and she found her love for Irish dancing and passion for teaching. Courtney attended the University of Limerick, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Irish Music and Dance with first class honors. While in Ireland she studied under the Fleming-Ball School of Irish Dance where she…

Jan152021 by BCANo Comments

Virtual Irish dance workshop brings dancers together Jan. 16

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Join us via Zoom For the last three years, we’ve been honored to host a percussive Irish dance workshop in Lexington over MLK weekend. Because of COVID-19 and travel restrictions in Ireland and around the nation, we won’t be able to meet in person this year, but want to get together with friends near and far. On Saturday, Jan. 16, join with dancers worldwide for a FREE mini-workshop featuring a specially created Zoom percussive dance that we’re turning into a virtual challenge. Then our workshop alumni are invited to stay online for a chance to chat and catch up with dance friends. Zoom login details will be sent to all registered participants via the email you provide. Click here to register online. Here’s what’s on tap for our percussive Irish dance workshop Schedule…

Nov42019 by BCANo Comments

Percussive Irish dance workshop in Lexington returns with new classes

Instruction, Irish Dance Classes in Lexington, Uncategorized

A two-day Irish dance workshop in Lexington Jan. 18-19, 2020, will explore the roots of Irish and percussive dance styles. The event returns for the third year to Artworks at the Carver School and for the first time features classes on percussive improvisation and Appalachian flatfooting. Whether you tap, clog, Irish dance or just enjoy a good toe-tapping tune, we invite you to spend your weekend making music with your feet. Join us as we bring acclaimed dancer and instructor Mary Beth Taylor to Lexington from Dublin, Ireland, for two days of traditional old style Irish séan nos and set dancing classes. Taylor will be joined this year by Julie Shepherd-Powell, an award-winning Appalachian flatfoot dancer, and Carla Gover, a Kentucky Folklife Program master artist in traditional dance, who will teach…

Oct162019 by BCANo Comments

Our “Heart Sings” in Bluegrass Ceili tartan designed for SportKilt contest

Bluegrass Ceili Academy, Community, Uncategorized

The "Heart Sings" tartan represents the past, present and future of Lexington's community-based Irish dance program. Click and vote for it here until the first week of November. Dancers at Lexington's Bluegrass Ceili Academy regularly rock the Big Blue, a tartan from U.S.-made SportKilt. Now we're taking a chance on getting our very own tartan made and we need your help to do it. SportKilt recently announced its "Put the Art in Tartan" contest, allowing individuals to design their own colorful patterns. "[T]artans have been worn to express family, region or individual pride for nearly 2,000 years," according to the contest website. Taking on the tartan challenge As a proud part of SportKilt's #ClanBrave, Lexington's community-based Irish dance school submitted design for the company's tartan contest. And while the design…

Aug12018 by BCANo Comments

Bluegrass Ceili Academy awarded LexArts community arts grant

Bluegrass Ceili Academy, Community, Uncategorized

Lexington's community-based Irish dance school, Bluegrass Ceili Academy, has been awarded a community arts development grant by LexArts to provide scholarships to dancers for the 2018-2019 class year. "We're truly honored for the generous support of LexArts, through its Fund for the Arts, which is funded in part by the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government," said Academy director Megan Moloney. "With this grant, we'll be able to bring Irish dance to more students in our community, including both children and adults." According to LexArts' website, since its inception, the organization has raised millions of dollars in support of the local arts through its annual Fund for the Arts. In turn, LexArts underwrites general operating expenses for a variety of arts organizations and offers competitive Community Arts Grants for arts projects…

Nov32016 by BCANo Comments

Bluegrass Ceili Academy: Getting ready to take the stage!

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We're a full month into our very first year of Bluegrass Ceili Academy classes and time really does fly when you're having fun. Our children's class is full of young dancers getting their first taste of Irish dance. Some have danced before, some had never taken a dance class until they walked in our studio doors. All of them are having a great time! We're excited that our dancers, ages five to 10, are learning... AND getting ready for their first performance. Bluegrass Ceili Academy will be joining the Kiddie Kapers and Company Dance Program for their winter recital on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 11 a.m. One thing we're super excited about is getting to put together our very first performance costumes. We're keeping it simple, but also a bit…