When Meghan Drake opened Drake Irish Dance School in Atlanta in 2013, she could count the number of dedicated Irish dance schools in Georgia on one hand. Today, that number has more than tripled. From Marietta to Savannah, studios are expanding classes, tournament stages are drawing larger crowds, and a new generation of dancers is stepping into a tradition that now feels firmly rooted in the Peach State.
This is not the country of Georgia, tucked between Europe and Asia, but the U.S. state in the American South—where Irish-American heritage runs deep and where, in 2024, Irish dance is experiencing its most vibrant chapter yet.
From a Handful of Studios to a Statewide Network
In 2024, at least eleven dedicated Irish dance schools operate across Georgia, up from roughly four just over a decade ago. Newer arrivals include O'Rourke Irish Dance in Athens and the McInerney School of Irish Dance in Savannah, both opened within the last five years. Longstanding institutions like the Teelin School of Irish Dance and Drake's Atlanta school have added satellite locations to meet demand.
The surge reflects several converging forces: the continued global reach of Riverdance—currently on its 30th-anniversary tour—the state's growing population of transplants from the Northeast and Midwest, and what teachers describe as a post-pandemic hunger for in-person, culturally rooted activities.
"Parents are looking for something with discipline and community," said Colleen O'Rourke, founder of the Athens school. "Irish dance offers both. And once a child sees those hard shoes on stage, they're hooked."
Classes now range from parent-toddler "pre-beginner" sessions to adult ceili social dancing. Many studios also host workshops with visiting teachers from Ireland, Canada, and the U.S. Northeast, exposing local dancers to styles and adjudicators they might otherwise never encounter.
Technology on the Studio Floor
The pandemic forced Georgia's Irish dance teachers online, and many never fully reverted. Remote private lessons and video replay analysis—where students record steps and receive frame-by-frame feedback—have become standard offerings. But some studios have gone further.
At Drake Irish Dance, virtual reality headsets allow dancers to practice stage spacing and performance presence in simulated competition halls. The technology, adopted in 2022, projects a detailed rendering of a feis auditorium complete with judges' tables and side-stage wings.
"It's one thing to drill steps in a mirror," said competitive dancer Sean Kelley, 16, who trains at Drake and travels nationally. "It's another to feel what it's like to walk on stage, spot the lights, and not freeze. The VR doesn't replace rehearsal, but it closes the gap."
The investment is not universal. Several studio owners estimate that only two or three Georgia schools currently use immersive technology, citing equipment costs and limited floor space. For most, innovation has meant simpler upgrades: online registration systems, livestreamed recitals, and digital libraries of step demonstrations students can access between classes.
Climbing the Ranks on the Competitive Circuit
Georgia's competitive scene has grown in parallel with its studio network. The Southern Regional Oireachtas, held annually in late November or early December, now draws hundreds of dancers from across the Southeast. Local feiseanna—smaller, single-day competitions—have increased from roughly three per year in Georgia during the early 2010s to six or seven in 2024, according to organizers.
The state is also producing dancers who place at the highest levels. At the 2024 World Irish Dance Championships in Glasgow, Georgia-based dancers claimed multiple podium spots across age groups, including a top-five finish in the Under 14 Boys category by Liam McCarthy of the Teelin School. At the North American Nationals in New Orleans that same year, dancers from Georgia medaled in both solo and team divisions.
These results have a feedback effect, teachers say. Success on Instagram and YouTube attracts new students. Parents who once assumed competitive Irish dance required relocating to Boston or Chicago now see a viable path staying in the South.
Community Beyond the Stage
For all the focus on competition and technology, dancers and teachers consistently point to community as the scene's defining feature.
In March, seven Atlanta-area studios collaborated on "Celtic Crossroads," a sold-out performance at the Earl Smith Strand Theatre in Marietta. The show featured over 120 dancers and raised $8,000 for a local arts education nonprofit. Similar joint fundraisers happen annually in Savannah and Athens.
Adult social groups, once rare, now meet monthly in several cities. The Atlanta Irish Dance Community, an informal network unaffiliated with any single school, organizes pub nights and ceili dances open to beginners.
"There's no gatekeeping," said Nora Fitzpatrick, a teacher at the McInerney School who began dancing in Savannah as an adult. "If you want to learn
