Enrollment in Irish dance classes across Lower Lake City has doubled since 2019, according to the Lower Lake Arts Council. What was once a niche offering in the region has become a genuine surge in demand, with four established schools now vying for the attention of prospective dancers—and their parents.
But "top" means different things to different families. For some, it's championship trophies. For others, it's a welcoming studio where a shy four-year-old can find their footing. Here's what each of Lower Lake City's Irish dance schools actually offers, who they serve best, and how to choose.
For Competitive Dancers: Emerald Isle Academy and RiverDance Conservatory
Emerald Isle Academy
Founded in 2001 by two-time World Champion Deirdre Mullen, Emerald Isle Academy sits in Lower Lake City's historic district and has built its reputation on producing podium finishers without burning students out.
The academy fields fifteen dancers at this year's regional championships and runs classes for ages four to sixty-four. Its annual Celtic Nights showcase, held each March at the Orpheum Theater, draws roughly 800 attendees and doubles as a fundraiser for the Lower Lake Arts Council.
"We had a grandfather and granddaughter compete in the same recital last spring," Mullen says. "That's not uncommon here."
Class structure splits cleanly between recreational tracks (one to two sessions weekly) and competitive tracks (three to four sessions plus weekend workshops). Competitive dancers are required to cross-train in ceilí, or team dancing, which Mullen credits for the school's strong ensemble results. Fall registration opens August 15; trial classes run $25.
RiverDance Conservatory
Note: The conservatory confirmed it operates under a licensed partnership with the Riverdance touring production.
If Emerald Isle balances rigor with accessibility, the RiverDance Conservatory leans fully into intensity. The school occupies a 12,000-square-foot facility near the waterfront, with sprung floors, video analysis rooms, and on-site physical therapy.
The conservatory has placed dancers on the Riverdance touring roster, the Lord of the Dance cruise residency, and the podium at multiple North American championships. Its hallmark is a year-round guest workshop series: in 2024 alone, instructors included Dublin-based choreographer Colin Dunne and former An Coimisiún adjudicator Síofra Mulcahy.
Admission runs through an annual audition held each June, with a limited number of walk-in spots for advanced transfer students. Tuition starts at $4,200 annually for the pre-professional track. This is not a drop-in studio—it is, by design, for dancers who want a shot at professional or elite competitive careers.
For Beginners and Families: Claddagh School of Dance
Not every parent wants to commit to a multi-year competitive pipeline. The Claddagh School of Dance, operating out of a converted church hall on Mill Street, has made its name on flexibility and warmth.
Director Tomas Brennan opened the school in 2008 after moving from Galway. Classes run in eight-week sessions rather than academic-year contracts, and adult beginners comprise roughly 30 percent of enrollment—one of the highest ratios in the region.
"We get a lot of parents who say, 'I always wanted to try this,'" Brennan says. "So we built a schedule that lets them learn alongside their kids, or drop in after work."
The school's Feis at the Lake, held each September at Brennan Park, is a beginner-friendly competition that draws roughly 200 dancers from three states. Medals are awarded for effort as well as placement in the youngest divisions, a format that has made it popular with first-time families. Drop-in trial classes are $20; session packages start at $180.
For Performance and Cultural Preservation: Celtic Cross Dancers
Where the other three schools operate primarily as training studios, Celtic Cross Dancers functions more like a repertory company with an open-door school attached.
Founded in 2014 by choreographer Áine Reilly, the group fuses traditional sean-nós (old-style) footwork with contemporary stage movement. Their performances at the Lower Lake Folk Festival, St. Patrick's Day parade, and local nursing homes emphasize narrative—each piece is built around a specific Irish myth, historical event, or emigration story.
Students are expected to perform, not just compete. The school maintains a rigorous outreach schedule: in 2023, Celtic Cross Dancers logged forty-two community performances. Reilly also leads an annual summer intensive in County Cork, open to advanced students.
"We're not building champions. We're building storytellers," Reilly says. "If you want to understand why your feet are doing what they're doing, this is the place."
Enrollment is smaller—roughly sixty students across all levels—and Reilly personally reviews all new applications. Trial classes are free; the Cork intensive runs $2,400 including lodging.
