Farrell School of Irish Dance
Contact Jeanne Farrell at 518-965-2352
Serving New York's Capital District: East Durham, Albany and Schenectady
Discover Your Rhythm at the Farrell School of Irish Dance
Kids' Dance Classes
Introduce your child to the joy of Irish dance from the age of 4, on up. New students will be able to perform a beginner Irish jig step in no time. As the dancer develops, more complex movements will be incorporated, reels, slipjigs and ceili (group) dances. Eventually hard-shoe routines are introduced beginning with the classic traditional set pieces like St. Patrick's Day, Blackbird, Garden of Daisies and more. As there is advancement in skill, more complex and difficult moves will be incorporated. Dancers are allowed to learn at their own pace.
Students are categorized (for class purposes) in to Beginner, Novice, & Advanced, but these levels will frequently practice and perform together.. Farrell students encourage each other and form supportive bonds and friendships - across varying skill levels.
BEGINNER, NOVICE & ADVANCED CLASSES FOR CHILDREN ARE HELD IN EAST DURHAM (Tuesdays) and ALBANY (Thursdays).
Adult Dance Classes
NO EXPERIENCE OR PARTNER NEEDED...
Ceilidh (Ceili/Group) instruction:
Our ceili class is perfect for someone looking to tip their toe in to the Irish dance world or that just wants to get some exercise and laughs in with friends (old and new).. Our students learn basic movements that are the foundation for all of the wonderfully fun group dances. The movements include the sidestep (aka 7s & 3s), promenade step (aka 2-2-3s, a type of skipping), and a jig specific movement called the rising step. They are fun to learn, easy to do and can be low-impact friendly.
MONDAYS in SCHENECTADY.
Solo & Ceilidh (Ceili/Group) instruction:
Join us for our adult Irish dance class that includes both solo and ceilidh, aka ceili (group) dancing. Students range from brand new, the never danced anything type, through the "retired" upper level dancer returning for fun and exercise. This adult class is lighthearted, a great source of exercise, and there's usually a lot of laughter. In addition to learning the fun ceili/group dances, students will learn routines including light shoe (like a ballet shoe) routines like light jig, reels, and slip jigs; they can advance to hard shoe (the shoes that make that distinctive Irish dance noise) dances like hornpipes, treble jigs and traditional set pieces; and they can even advance from there to learn more complex steps. No worries, no pressure - everyone learns at their own pace. Come & meet other adult dancers, practice your moves, and have a great time!
THURSDAYS in ALBANY
Structure
The Farrell School does not operate like the typical dance school. Instead of having scheduling multiple classes for multiple dance disciplines (light shoe class, and a hard shoe class, and a ceili class, etc), the Farrell school merges the disciplines in to one longer class, adding flexibility to focus on what the need or interest is. There's no need to register a dancer for 2 or more classes a week, no extra class tuition, and no extra commute to the studio.
Our beginner students and advanced students get to know each other. This unique approach creates a sense of unity, an extended dance family and mentor/mentee relationships blossom. The results are lasting bonds with others that love Irish dance, not just a few classmates.
Performances
The Farrell School strives to include all levels and ages of our dancers in our performances. Unlike some schools, we do not build a performance team. We encourage all of our dancers to participate in our shows.
Many of our shows are at community events. Dancers understand that they are performing a community service when participating in shows at schools, fundraisers, nursing homes, etc. Many of our dancers log these shows to meet their obligated number of hours doing community work, usually as part of Confirmation or a school project.
RECITAL? Well, that's not what we do. The Farrell School has held an annual "school dance" for decades. It's a family outing and opportunity for dance families, friends and family to enjoy an afternoon or evening of family, friends, food, raffles, music, laughter, and of course dance! It's more like an indoor field day than a recital.
TO BOOK A PERFORMANCE, DROP US A NOTE THROUGH "CONTACT US" BELOW.....
Competitive or non-competitive? WHAT IT MEANS……
They are best defined as certified and non-certified schools or instructors. Certified schools, like the Farrell School of Irish Dance, meet the requirements of a sanctioning body on safety, ethics, & quality, and therefore MAY compete. They provide the best in instruction and an opportunity to compete. A feis (Irish dance competition) is a family outing for the entire family. Dancers make friends from across the US, work as a member of a team, and learn to win/lose graciously, While Farrell students are encouraged to compete, it is not our goal. Our dancers are expected to expand capabilities, learn about Irish culture, perform community service (shows), support each other and HAVE FUN!
Schedule a Visit, Try a Class
Let us know if you would like to visit with us or try a complimentary class.