Sean-nós Seattle profile picture

Sean-nós Seattle

Damhsa Traidisiúnta - Traditional Irish Dance

About Me


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What is Sean-nós Dancing?

Sean-nós, which means 'old style' or 'old way' in Irish Gaelic, is a fun, easy form of old-style Irish step dancing. The strongest tradition persists in the Connemara, a rural Irish-speaking area in County Galway on the West Coast of Ireland .

Sean-nós dancing is a lifelong pursuit perfect for all ages. Unlike competitive Modern Irish Step Dancing, sean-nós dancing is easier on your body. If you've ever had the urge to dance a jig (or a reel), sean-nós dancing is for you!

Tom King dancing some lovely sean-nós steps in the 70s. This is the real deal -- silliness and all.

Characteristics of Sean-nós Dancing:

- Rhythmic, percussive steps
- Improvisation
- Self-expression
- Relaxed arms and upper body
- Steps danced close to the floor
- Relationship to the music

Have questions? E-mail Alicia Guinn at [email protected].

Máirtín Beag Ó Gríofa

A clip from a documentary about Western Ireland's cultural links with Spain and North Africa featuring the dancing of Máirtín Beag Ó Gríofa, a well-known sean-nós dancer of the previous generation.

Steppin' It Out

Emma O'Sullivan, a sean-nós dancer from Co. Galway, dancing a few steps at the Plough and Stars pub in San Francisco, California.

Why the Irish Dance that Way

A short film featuring sean-nós dancers Maire Áine Ní Iarnáin and Edwina Guckian. Choreography by Ronan Regan.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 9/9/2006
Band Website: Questions? E-mail [email protected]
Band Members:

About Sean-nós Seattle

We are a small, vibrant community of sean-nós dancers in the Seattle area. We meet up on a weekly basis to dance and learn more! We’ve also hosted workshops for the Irish dance community at large with prominent teachers like Patrick O’Dea, Ronan Regan, Kieran Jordan, and Maldon Meehan. It’s rare treat to find sean-nós dancing anywhere outside of Ireland. Come join us!

About Alicia Guinn

Alicia Guinn currently teaches sean-nós, set, and céilí dancing in the Seattle area. She is one of only a handful of dancers teaching sean-nós dancing in America.

Alicia started dancing as an adult while living in Northern Ireland in 1997. Since then, she has studied set and sean-nós dancing in Galway, Ireland, taught Irish dance workshops for festivals across the United States, and had the honor of dancing on stage with traditional musicians like Johnny B. Connolly, and Liz Carroll and John Doyle.
Her sean-nós style incorporates steps learned directly from Galway dancers including Pádraig Ó hOibicín, Róisín Ní Mhainín, Máire Áine Ní Iarnáin, Rónán Regan, and Seosamh Ó Neachtain.


Influences: Tunes from Galway and Clare: Johnny Connolly, John O'Halloran, Paddy Canny, the Tulla Ceili Band, and the session in the Crane Bar in Galway City.
Record Label: unsigned
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Seosamh Ó Neachtain

In this short documentary from TG4, the Irish language TV station, Connemara sean-nós dancer Joe Neachtain travels to New York to investigate the links between sean-nós and tap dancing! ...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:55:00 PST

Irish Language Workshop -- Seattle!

The Irish language (Gaeilge) is integral to the communities that have preserved and promoted sean-nós dancing. Here's a chance to get a taste of the language from an expert!Brían Ó hAirt, a musician,...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:55:00 PST

Summer Break!

Sean-nós Seattle classes are officially on summer break! Enjoy your free time on Sunday afternoons in the park or at the beach. Weekly classes will be back in August or September. Coming this fall,...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:10:00 PST

Post-Folklife Report

Just a note to say that the Sean-nos Seattle dancers rocked Folklife! Maldon Meehan's sean-nos dancing workshop on Saturday opened with a choreographed performance featuring intermediate dancers fr...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Fri, 30 May 2008 11:29:00 PST

Sean-nós Dancing in the Washington Post

Let These Old Irish Rhythms Move You Friday, May 9, 2008; Page WE40Had your fill of the flash and dazzle of "Riverdance," with its regiment of high-kicking Irish step dancers shoehorned into a Vegas-l...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Thu, 15 May 2008 10:58:00 PST

An Damhsa Show

Sept 6 2008 - 2:00P at Friendly House, Portland, OregonAn exciting upcoming project! Maldon Meehan, a sean-nós dancer in Portland, Oregon, is bringing together an all-star crew to produce a show feat...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Thu, 08 May 2008 10:23:00 PST

Sean-nós Seattle at Folklife!

Folklife here we come! Local Northwest sean-nós dancers from Seattle and Portland will be joining Maldon Meehan at the Northwest's premier folk festival -- Northwest Folklife. Come support the sean-nó...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Thu, 08 May 2008 10:04:00 PST

Videos - Sean-nós Jigs

Reels definitely dominate the sean-nós dancing tradition. However, jigs exist and are becoming more prevalent thanks to the Comórtas Damhsa Chóilín Sheáin Dharach, an annual competition and workshop ...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Thu, 08 May 2008 09:59:00 PST

Videos - The Ó Dubhain Family

The Ó Dubhains are a sean-nós dancing family from Carna, Connemara in Co. Galway headed up by their father Séamus Ó Dubhain. Check out their lovely, old school steps! Pádraig and Gearóid Ó D...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Tue, 06 May 2008 02:29:00 PST

The Search for Shoes

For your first class, you can dance in any comfortable shoes. However, you’ll find that leather soled shoes -- whether they’re from your closet, a dance shop, or a thrift store -- help yo...
Posted by Sean-nós Seattle on Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:31:00 PST