Atlanta dance teacher Erin Connolly pushes forward tradition of authentic Irish dance

September 26th, 2023

Atlanta dancer Erin Connolly, who is also a co-founder and teacher at Atlanta Irish Dance. (Courtesy of Erin Connolly)

Atlanta’s dance scene is vibrant and eclectic, and we are honored to highlight some of the many local dancers that move us with their movements in our ongoing series “Speaking of Dance.”

This edition highlights Atlanta dancer Erin Connolly, who is also a co-founder and teacher at Atlanta Irish Dance. Connolly is certified to teach Irish dance and also certified to judge Irish dance competitions both nationally and internationally.

In this segment, Erin Connolly is dancing to “The Countess Cathleen/Women of Sidhe” from “Riverdance.”

Irish dance is known for its intricate footwork and not using the arms. Soft shoes, similar to ballet, are used along with hard shoes that are more rhythmic and loud on the floor.

“Irish dance is great because you can dance it in a social setting, but you can also do more formal performances, and then you can also compete in Irish dance,” says Connolly.

You can see Erin perform at the Candler Park Fall Fest this weekend, the Irish Fest in November, as well as regularly at the dance school Atlanta Irish Dance. You can find out more about the movement artist here.