2011 Dance Lineup!
ARCC Cloggers
The Aberdeen Recreation Cultural Center (ARCC) Cloggers are comprised of teachers, students and graduates with a love of dance. They’ll demonstrate how clogging has evolved from its beginning in the 18th century to include many genres of music including country, bluegrass and pop rock. Clogging is an ever changing dance form, taking style from regional interests and many styles of dance. The ARCC Cloggers have gotten together to perform every year for the NESD Celtic Faire and Games since its inception, and look forward to collectively choreographing new pieces each and every year for the performances.
Danielle Enblom
Danielle’s interests as a dancer span many genres. From modern dance to salsa, hip hop to ballet, contact improvisation to Appalachian clogging and her latest endeavor and love, the American vernacular, Lindy Hop (swing dancing), her interests continue to expand and morph. Throughout the years and various studies, though, Irish dance has been her central focus. Dancing competitively for many years, Danielle honed the precision and technique that is the foundation of modern Irish step dancing; and, having spent much of her childhood at ceilis and sessions, she was given a strong sense of the tradition, community and soul behind the culture. Stepping away from the competitive world in her teenage years, Danielle went on to spend a year studying Irish music at University College Cork, in Ireland, where she earned a Diploma in Traditional Irish Music and studied under musicians including Connie O’Connell, Bobby Gardner and Matt Cranitch. It was during this year that she was reintroduced to Irish dancing, but this time in the form of old style step dancing, set dancing and sean nós (old style) dancing. In Cork Danielle had the pleasure of learning to dance the polka and slide sets of Sliabh Luachra from the legendary Peggy McTeggert as well as the old step dancing from Peggy’s childhood. An interest was sparked, and Danielle’s focus moved away from the modern step dancing and towards set dancing and sean nós dancing, and then on to other percussive forms of dance such as Cape Breton step dancing, American tap, Appalachian clogging and Quebecois step dancing.
In addition to her performances, Danielle will be teaching several workshops, on Saturday she’ll be doing Sean Nos Dance, and on Sunday “House Dances of Donegal”. Please take a look at the schedule for times and locations of these demonstrations/workshops.
Guthrie School of Dance
The Guthrie School of Dance returns for a fourth straight year and will share the beauty of Highland dance and lend its colorful tartans to the 2011 NESD Celtic Faire. A workshop for beginners will be presented for those who would like to give Scottish dancing a try.
Highland Dance is an ancient art form originating in the highlands of Scotland and can be seen today at Highland Games and Scottish celebrations throughout the year.
The Highland Fling and the Sword Dance are among the most famous Highland dances, but did you know there are a number of other dances ranging from reels and jigs to tributes of some of the most interesting characters of Scottish history?
Make sure to take some time and watch this great performance at the 2011 NESD Celtic Faire!
O’Shea Irish Dancers
The O’Shea Irish Dancers, under the direction of Cormac O’Se, inspires students to celebrate and perpetuate the rich tradition of Irish Dance while building character, confidence and a sense of community. Cormac was born in Dublin, Ireland, into a family where Irish dancing is a way of life. His professional career began in 1994 when he was chosen by Michael Flatley to be part of the team of dancers that stunned Europe in the original performance of Riverdance at the Eurovision Song Contest. While working on the first American tour of Riverdance, The Show, in February, 1997, he met his future wife, Natalie. They married in June, 2001, and set up home in Ireland… but Cormac had fallen in love with America and Natalie was happy to return home. They relocated permanently in November, 2002 and live in Minneapolis with their three children, Adrienne, Liam and Ciara.