Kate Spanos Irish Dance

Monthly sean nós dance jam
2025-08-03 13:00 - 14:15, 2025-07-13 13:00 - 14:15, 2025-06-22 13:00 - 14:15 UTC | School of Musical Traditions, 7112 Willow Ave, Takoma Park, MD, 20912, United States
Join us for a monthly guided sean nós dance jam held at the School of Musical Traditions in Takoma Park, MD. These dancer-led sessions for Irish/percussive dancers and musicians offer a supportive environment to work on your footwork, share steps, improvise with live traditional music, and deepen your connection to this fun, uplifting tradition.
Kate Spanos will lead the session with a guided warm-up and some improvisational prompts and games to get everyone working together. Then we will open up the space for free improvisation and sharing rhythms with your fellow dancers. We will have 1-2 traditional Irish musicians playing live at each session, deepening our ability to connect not only to the music but also to the people playing it. So bring your shoes, your musicality, and your personal style!
All levels are welcome, as well as dancers from other styles of percussive dance.
We also hope you will join us after the jam to socialize at one of Takoma Park’s nearby restaurants/coffee bars. The idea is to not just dance together, but also get to know each other!

Event details:

Monthly on Sundays

Fall 2025 (second Sundays): Sep 14, Oct 12, Nov 9, Dec 14
Winter/Spring 2026 (second Sundays except May & June): Jan 11, Feb 8, Mar 8, Apr 12, May 3, Jun 7

1-2:15 p.m. (join us for a social hour afterward!)
All levels and ages are welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult
Leather-soled (non-stick) shoes or taps/hard shoes are recommended
$15 to participate
Location: School of Musical Traditions, 7112 Willow Ave, Takoma Park, MD
Free parking on site!

This program is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org)
Photo © Maryland State Arts Council 2022, MSAC.org

Summer 2025 Intensive: Irish Traditional Set Dances
2025-07-30 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-07-23 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-07-16 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-07-09 19:00 - 21:00 | University of Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, United States
Wednesdays, July 9, 16, 23, and 30, 7-9 p.m.
College Park, MD (exact location TBA)
$120 full session, $35 drop-in
This special summer intensive invites you to dedicate the month of July to learning eight traditional Irish set dances from both CLRG (An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha) and non-CLRG repertoire. These dances will allow you to experience diverse styles and rhythmic interpretations from various counties throughout Irish dance history, with some sets dating back as far as 1700 BC.
The schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, July 9: Maggie Pickie (Co. Donegal) & Priest And His Boots (Co. Clare)
Wednesday, July 16: Blackbird & St. Patrick’s Day by Jeremiah Molyneaux (Co. Kerry)
Wednesday, July 23: An Súisín Ban / The White Blanket (Co. Cork) & Humours of Bandon
Wednesday, July 30: Garden of Daisies (Co. Cork) & King of the Fairies (Co. Cork)

Classes will emphasize not only the steps but also the unique style of each set, so come ready to explore different techniques! By focusing on these historically significant dances, you will gain insight into the regional variations and cultural importance of each set dance.
Teaching will be fast-paced so this intensive is best for students with previous Irish hard shoe experience.
Classes offered in partnership with EducArte.

Carroll County Celtic Festival
2025-06-15 10:00 - 17:00 | Carroll County Agriculture Center, 706 Agriculture Drive, Westminster, MD, 21157, United States
Kate Spanos Irish Dance will perform at the Carroll County Celtic Festival on Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 11:15AM-12PM in the Shipley Arena. Kate will also teach a sean nós workshop for kids in the Blizzard Building at 2PM.
Learn more about the festival here: https://carrollcountycelticfestival.com/

Festival style Irish dance workshop - Comhaltas Brasil Féile 2025
2025-06-07 11:30 - 12:30 | Online
Kate Spanos will teach a festival style Irish dance workshop for Comhaltas Brasil’s annual Féile. The workshop will focus on foundational techniques in festival style, along with original choreography, for all levels. The workshop will be taught online in Brazilian Portuguese.
Details available on the Comhaltas Brasil website. Registration form available here.

Crossroad Concerts: Irish & Brazilian Samba Fusion
2025-05-29 19:00 - 21:00 | New York Irish Center, 1040 Jackson Ave, Long Island City, NY, 11101, United States
Kate Spanos will perform at the Irish & Brazilian Samba Fusion as part of the series, Crossroads Concerts, at New York Irish Center in Queens, NY.

Irish step dance class
2025-05-21 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-05-14 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-05-07 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-04-30 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-04-23 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-04-16 19:30 - 21:00 | CityDance at Parklawn, 11711 Parklawn Dr B, Rockville, MD, 20852, United States
Deepen your skills in Irish dance with Kate Spanos! These Irish step dance classes will focus primarily on festival style technique, with an emphasis on strength, control, musicality, and stage presence. In a fun and non-competitive environment, you will learn new steps and choreographies that draw from various Irish step dance styles.
The goal of the class series is to promote a holistic understanding of Irish dance and develop strong performers, well-informed traditional dancers, and inspired creators.
The class is geared toward intermediate/advanced Irish dancers (ages 13+) and will include both soft shoe and hard shoe dancing. New choreography will be introduced every 2-3 weeks. If you are not sure if this level is right for you, please talk to Kate.
Semester registration is encouraged but drop-ins are welcome. 2-class packages are also available for those wishing to take both sean nós and step dance classes.

Class details

Dates: Wednesdays, Jan 15 – May 21 (18 classes; no class Mar 19)
Time: 7:30-9 p.m.
Location: CityDance at Parklawn in Rockville, MD
Cost: $342 semester registration for 18 classes (family discounts available; contact Kate), $24 drop-in

Classes offered in partnership with EducArte.

Sean nós dance class
2025-05-21 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-05-14 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-05-07 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-04-30 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-04-23 18:30 - 19:30, 2025-04-16 18:30 - 19:30 | CityDance at Parklawn, 11711 Parklawn Dr B, Rockville, MD, 20852, United States
Deepen your musicality and make some noise with Kate Spanos! This sean nós dance class for beginner dancers (all are welcome!) introduces this musical and expressive Irish dance style. Sean nós, meaning “old style” in Irish, originates from the Connemara region of Ireland and is characterized by its improvisational nature and close connection to the music. In this class, students will learn:

The fundamental techniques of sean nós, including close-to-the-floor stepping and relaxed upper body
Basic improvisation skills to develop one’s own style and percussive voice
How to develop a playful and creative conversation with the music, musicians, and other dancers through this form

The class is geared toward beginner dancers (ages 13+). Leather-soled (non-stick) shoes are recommended. If you are not sure if this class is right for you, please talk to Kate.
Semester registration is encouraged but drop-ins are welcome.

Class details

Dates: Wednesdays, Jan 15 – May 21 (18 classes; no class Mar 19)
Time: 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Location: CityDance at Parklawn in Rockville, MD
Cost: $342 semester registration for 18 classes (family discounts available; contact Kate), $24 drop-in

Classes offered in partnership with EducArte.

International Dance Experience
2025-05-18 16:00 - 18:00 | Prince George’s Publick Playhouse, 5445 Landover Rd, Hyattsville, MD, 20784, United States
Kate Spanos Irish Dance will perform original choreography, “Ballymackaldrick,” at Prince George’s County’s 2025 International Dance Experience.
About the festival:
Dancers representing countries from across the globe get together to showcase their talent in this interactive and immersive dance experience. Enjoy a live DJ spinning the latest international dance tracks and learn a few new moves to celebrate diversity in our community. Space is limited; advance registration is recommended.

Sean nós workshop with Rebecca McGowan
2025-05-17 15:00 - 16:30 | University of Maryland, University of Maryland, College Park, 20742, United States
Sean-nós (“old style”) Irish dance is improvised, rhythmic, and expressive step dancing, closely tied to traditional music. The class will start with a warmup and then learn and play with basic steps. The focus is on making great rhythm! For more experienced dancers, develop fluidity and fine-tune your ear with some new step ideas and lots of play in a fun and low-pressure setting.
The workshop will take place at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, Dance Studio 1, on the University of Maryland campus in College Park. Registrants will receive specific directions to the studio before the workshop. Parking in Lot 1 is free on Saturdays.
This workshop is geared toward advanced beginner to intermediate level dancers. If you are not sure if this is the right level for you, please contact Kate.
About Rebecca:
From Boston, Rebecca McGowan is a traditional and old-style Irish dancer, with particular interest in step dancing as music and making Irish dance lyrical and approachable. She has been on the faculty of the Catskills Irish Arts Week, ReJigged, Pinewoods, O’Flaherty Retreat, and others. She released a unique visual album From the Floor (2019) and a quartet album Eight Feet Tall (2023) together with duet partner Jackie O’Riley. Rebecca has been recognized as a co-recipient of a Massachusetts Cultural Council Choreography Fellowship (2022), Somerville Artist Fellowships, and the Boston Foundation, and she directs a non-competitive step dancing school for adults.
Workshop offered in partnership with EducArte.

Irish step dance class
2025-05-14 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-05-07 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-04-30 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-04-23 19:30 - 21:00, 2025-04-16 19:30 - 21:00 | MD
Deepen your skills in Irish dance with Kate Spanos! These Irish step dance classes focus primarily on festival style technique, with an emphasis on strength, control, musicality, and stage presence. In a fun and non-competitive environment, you will learn new steps and choreographies that draw from various Irish step dance styles.
The goal of the class series is to promote a holistic understanding of Irish dance and develop strong performers, well-informed traditional dancers, and inspired creators.
The class is geared toward intermediate/advanced Irish dancers (ages 13+) and includes both soft shoe and hard shoe dancing. New choreography will be introduced every 2-3 weeks. If you are not sure if this level is right for you, please talk to Kate.
Semester registration is encouraged, but drop-ins are welcome. A 15% discount is also available for those wishing to take both sean nós and step dance classes (contact Kate).

Class details

Dates: Wednesdays, September 3 – December 17 (15 classes; no class November 26)
Time: 7:30-9 p.m.
Location: Rockville, MD (exact location TBD)
Cost: $300 semester registration for 15 classes, $24 drop-in

Classes offered in partnership with EducArte.
Registration fees are non-refundable.

Southern Maryland Celtic Festival
2025-04-26 08:00 - 17:00 | Jefferson Patterson Park, 10515 Mackall Road, St. Leonard, MD, 20685, United States
Kate Spanos Irish Dance will perform two showcases on the Dance Pavilion stage:

11 a.m. – 12 p.m.: Sean nós and old style Irish step dance
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Festival style and contemporary Irish step dance with special guest Abbie Palmer on harp

About the festival:
On the banks of the Patuxent River at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, in beautiful Southern Maryland, you will find on a cheery Saturday in late April, the sound of the bagpipes calling you home. Whether it be the music, food, dance or other Celtic attractions, there is something for everyone—join in celebrating the spirit of the 7 Celtic Nations in the 46th Annual Southern Maryland Celtic Festival on April 26th!
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Enjoy the sounds of internationally known Celtic bands performing on multiple entertainment stages throughout the grounds, offering continuous music, dance, and jam sessions throughout the day! Check out Clan Row, where more than 50 clans and societies have information to share with you about your Celtic heritage! Watch Scottish/Irish country dance performances, and listen to harp and Scottish fiddling all while storytellers weave tales alongside historical displays, craft demonstrations, and living history reenactments. Stop by the Celtic Marketplace for a wide selection of traditional and non-traditional Celtic foods and gifts providing an old-world atmosphere. Be sure to check out the Celtic Kids’ Activities and the all-day competitions taking place throughout the Park including Pipers, Drummers, Pipe Bands, Highland Dancers, Highland Athletics, and Rugby games!
