Inishfree School of Irish Dance Prepares for St. Patrick's Day

Considered one of the top Irish Step Dancing schools in New York, the Inishfree School of Irish Dance has a very busy schedule preparing for St. Patrick's Day.

The school was invited to the movie premiere of Lord of the Dance in 3-D in NYC and and they will entertain at the Irish Consulate event the day before St. Paddy's. They also will be interviewed on WB11 morning news before 9am on March 17th. Later that day, the school will perform at the New Jersey Nets basketball game.

The school is often featured at championships and recently had student Paige Turilli place first place at the all-Ireland world championships.The students go to Ireland at least twice a year to compete in various competitions including ones in Great Britain, Scotland, and Spain.

Sean Regan, founder and teacher with Colleen Quigley-Carey, has taught students at Inishfree for 26 years. He started taking Irish Step Dance himself when he was young and found joy in teaching his classmates.

Classes are held every day in various places around Long Island, the Bronx, and Rockland. Tuesdays and Fridays classes are held in Pearl River.

"It keeps them off the streets, gives them goals, helps them make friends, and keeps the tradition alive," Regan said. "You become a family. Even when they're done dancing, the students come back."

Seventh grader Lauren Walsh and 11th grader Gabriela Bloomgarden have found a love for Irish dance and culture at the school.

Bloomgarden, who jokes that she's only a fraction of Irish decent, learned about Irish Step Dancing at an afterschool activity day in 1st grade.

"I went and tried it out and really liked it," she explained.

Bloomgarden has competed in regionals and all-Irelands while Walsh has competed in regionals, all-Irelands, and nationals.

"I really enjoy it," said Walsh.

Look out for the Inishfree dance students marching in the Pearl River St. Paddy's Day parade March 20th.