Late July and early August are a special time in the Irish calendar. In the Celtic year, the seasons change on August 1, the first of the month of Lúnasa, marking the start of the Celtic season of Autumn. In many parts of Ireland, the last Sunday in July or first Sunday in August is "Bilberry Sunday," celebrating the harvest and the change of seasons with bilberry-picking, music, dancing, and community fun.
To mark this time of year, we are hosting our very first "Bilberry Saturday" - a family fun event on August 2 from 5-8pm. We'd love for you to join us! Learn more and sign-up here.
Also in August and September 2025, we welcome prospective new dance students to attend free trial classes at our Lexington studio, 3519 Lansdowne Drive.
We have opportunities for children and adults in two styles of Irish dancing - 'Step and Ceili' style and 'Sean Nós & Set Dancing Style.'
Irish dance - step and ceili style - is considered the national dance form of Ireland. This style is danced on relevé, or on the balls of the feet, with higher impact movements (hops, jumps). This style is performed both in soft-shoes (with soft soles) and hard shoes or heavy shoes for tapping out rhythms. It is the style performed in shows like Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.
Sean Nós, or old-style Irish dancing, is a rhythmic, improvisational, close-to-the-ground form of percussive dance that is both an ancestor of Appalachian flatfooting and American clogging as well as a vibrant practice in its own right today. Set dancing is group dancing for 2 or 4 couples.
Here's the free trial class schedule - we hope you join us! Sign up here.
For Children:
Sunday, August 3: 2:00PM-3:00PM - Ages 5-12 - Step Dancing & Ceili Style
Wednesday, August 6: 5:30-6:30PM - Ages 7-12 - Sean Nós & Set Dancing Style
Wednesday, September 3: 5:30-6:30PM - Ages 7-12 - Sean Nós & Set Dancing Style
Sunday, September 7: 2:00PM-3:00PM - Ages 5-12 - Step Dancing & Ceili Style
For Adults:
Sunday, August 3: 5:45PM-7:00PM - Sean Nós & Set Dancing Style
Monday, August 4: 6:15PM-7:15PM - Step Dancing & Ceili Style
Sunday, September 7: 5:45PM-7:00PM - Sean Nós & Set Dancing Style
Monday, September 8: 6:15PM-7:15PM - Step Dancing & Ceili Style
Enrollment for Fall 2025 is now open on our online portal. Try a class (sign up on Eventbrite), and if you enjoy it, you can enroll right away via our online portal!
NOTE: When selecting the day/time you'd like to attend, please be mindful of the schedule above.
Questions? Contact allison@kyirishdancers.org. (859) 444-4JIG (4544)
Hope to see you soon - and on the dance floor!