Inside Somerset City's Irish Dance Boom: Where to Train, Compete, and Connect in 2024

At 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday, the second floor of Celtic Rhythm Studio rattles with the synchronized thunder of hard shoes. A class of twelve advanced dancers drills through a treble jig, their feet moving too fast for an untrained eye to follow. Down the hall, a group of adult beginners in sneakers and socks practices their first skip-two-threes.

This is now a typical weeknight in Somerset City, where Irish dance has shifted from niche heritage activity to full-blown scene. Over the past five years, enrollment at the city's three major Irish dance schools has more than doubled. The Somerset Feis, once a regional competition, drew competitors from 14 countries last spring. And for the first time in 2024, two Somerset-trained dancers will compete at the World Irish Dancing Championships.

So what changed? And if you want to join—whether you're lacing up ghillies for the first time or returning to the competitive circuit—where do you actually start?

Why Somerset City Now

The spike is not accidental. In 2019, the Somerset Irish Festival expanded from a weekend street fair to a three-day event with master classes and adjudicated performances. That same year, Emerald Isle Academy hired a former Riverdance troupe member as its director of adult programming. Then came the pandemic-era surprise: while many arts programs shrank, Irish dance schools here pivoted to outdoor ceilis and virtual solo competitions—and retained students who might otherwise have dropped out.

"We went from a school of 80 dancers to 210 in four years," says Maeve Kearney, founder of Lively Steps School of Dance. "It's partly the festival bringing in guest teachers, partly parents seeing Irish dance on TikTok. But I think the real draw is that we've built something here that works for competitors and for people who just want to move on a Friday night."

Where to Train: A Studio-by-Studio Breakdown

Choosing a school depends heavily on your goals, age, and availability. Here is how the three main studios compare.

Celtic Rhythm Studio

Best for: Serious competitors and dancers pursuing graded exams

Celtic Rhythm operates out of a converted warehouse near the riverfront, with two studios: one featuring a sprung maple floor and wall-to-wall mirrors, the other reserved for solo practice and video submissions. The school runs a structured syllabus tied to An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha, the global Irish dance commission.

• Beginners: Six-week intro sessions ($180) start every month; no special shoes required for the first two weeks.
• Advanced: Open classes Tuesday and Thursday evenings, with private lesson slots available Wednesday afternoons.
• Notable detail: Celtic Rhythm sends roughly 15 dancers to the North American Nationals annually and has produced three Oireachtas qualifiers in the past two years.

Emerald Isle Academy

Best for: Families, adult beginners, and dancers prioritizing community over competition

Housed in a former church hall in the West End, Emerald Isle leans into tradition. Classes open with Irish language greetings. The annual showcase in December sells out a 400-seat theater and features both solo performances and group céilí dances.

• Beginners: Mixed-age sessions on Saturday mornings; parent-child classes available for ages 4–7.
• Adults: A dedicated "Late Starters" program meets Monday nights, capped at 16 students and currently running a waitlist.
• Notable detail: The academy does not require feis participation. Roughly 40% of its dancers never compete.

Lively Steps School of Dance

Best for: Dancers interested in cross-training and contemporary fusion

Lively Steps, founded in 2016, is the youngest and fastest-growing of the three schools. Kearney and her staff integrate ballet conditioning and contemporary choreography into the Irish technique, a combination that appeals to dancers with jazz or modern backgrounds.

• Beginners: "Irish Dance 101" drop-in classes ($22 each) on Friday evenings; no monthly commitment required.
• Advanced: Weekly workshops with rotating guest choreographers. Past visitors include former Lord of the Dance lead dancer Colin Dunne and Broadway-movement coach Tara O'Grady.
• Notable detail: The school's YouTube channel, which posts choreography breakdowns, has over 80,000 subscribers—driving inquiries from prospective students as far away as Singapore.

The 2024 Calendar: Key Dates for Dancers