Join Kate for a special community event to learn Festival style Irish step dance at District Irish Dance Academy (DIDA)!

In this workshop, we will work on some of the movements and techniques that are typical of this style’s “slow” slip jig and learn a short piece of choreography. Festival style Irish dance is from the Belfast area of Northern Ireland and was developed by Patricia Mulholland (or “Miss Mulholland”) in the 1950s to draw the focus of Irish dance away from the “pageantry” of feis style and more towards individual expression. The costumes are simpler and dancers do not wear wigs. Festival slip jigs and set dances are much slower than their feis style counterparts, and dancers pay particular attention to expressing “light and shade” in the music. Grace, elegance, and control are key features of Festival style, and one of its distinctive motifs is the “burl” or turn/spin.

DIDA Tappy Hour is designed with community in mind. This event is open to everyone, including dancers from any Irish dance school or style. Footwear: Soft shoes, socks, or light/non-stick sneakers.

Here is a video of Kate performing a festival slip jig at the Maryland Irish Festival in November 2022: