Welcome to Rince Na Saor, Rochester's recreational Irish dance school! Since 1997, Rince Na Saor ("rinka na sayer") has provided an alternative to the typical competition-based Irish dance school, offering children and adults the opportunity to learn traditional Irish dance in an environment focused exclusively on recreational students. Rince Na Saor's unique curriculum was developed specifically to meet the needs of the recreational student, which include lower costs, a smaller time commitment, and a more relaxed learning pace.

Rince Na Saor offers a full range of Irish dancing, including hard shoe and soft shoe stepdancing, ceili and figure dances, traditional and contemporary set dances, family dances, and dance dramas. The links below will tell you more about us, and you can contact me at kathyw[at]rns.dance with any questions you may have.

Current Announcements

• I am delighted to announce that Sean Nós dancing is coming to Rochester in the fall! Sean Nós is "old style" Irish dancing, low to the floor and with a relaxed upper body. Search "Sean Nós dancing" on YouTube to see what it looks like.
  
  We'll start in September with a Sean Nós workshop hosted by Rochester Irish Arts with Rebecca McGowan. Rebecca visited in June of 2016, and we're delighted to have her back! Following in October will be Rochester's first Sean Nós classes at Rince Na Saor. Stay tuned for exact dates!
  
  
• Rince Na Saor is accepting registrations for fall classes, which start September 15, 2017. The standard lesson package is for 8 lessons, and there is a 4 week Beginner package (one for children, one for adults) offered in the fall through Greece Continuing Education and Gates Continuing Education. Check the Continuing Ed brochures for dates.
  
  
  Print Registration Form
  
  
  
• Our Ceili Mor on June 17 was a huge success! Heartfelt thanks go out to all of our wonderful dancers and their supportive families, the fantastic audience who supported us so enthusiastically and joined us for a 2-hand dance (Peeler and the Goat) after the show, and David from Dance Biz for giving us a home.
  
  DVD's are still available. Classes are over for the summer, so use the mailing address on the form.
  
  DVD Order Form



• I've received several queries about how old is "too old" to start learning Irish dance, so I'd like to clear up a few myths:
  
  1) I have taught students from age 7 to those in their 60's. There is no one "right age" for anyone to start.
  
  2) It is not necessary to have had any prior Irish dance instruction, or indeed any prior dance instruction; Rince Na Saor's Level I classes assume no dance instruction of any kind.
  
  3) Irish dancing is not "too hard", for adults or anyone. Keep in mind that when you're watching Riverdance or Lord of the Dance, you're watching champion dancers. They're fabulous to watch, but not everyone dances at that level, just like all people who like to ski don't ski at an Olympic level (or give up skiing altogether because they can't ski at an Olympic level). Irish dance is a vast discipline, and there is plenty of dancing to be enjoyed at lower levels, plus Irish dance is great exercise!