Rince Na Saor Irish Dancing

08/29/2026

Join the tradition at Rochester's Recreational Irish Dance School! Our unique curriculum was developed to meet the needs of the recreational dancer, including lower costs, a smaller time commitment, and a more relaxed learning pace.

Classes for children and adults start Friday, September 18.

Registration: http://rns.dance/Registration.html

Non-competitive Irish dancing lessons for children and adults in Rochester, New York

06/29/2026

Shoe The Donkey is a favorite 2-hand dance at Rince Na Saor. These donkeys are enjoying its accompanying tune!

06/16/2026

Rince Na Saor's annual Ceili Mor is this Saturday, June 20, featuring all of our dancers! Admission is free, and the performance lasts about 1 hour. Doors to the theater open at 2:30 p.m., and the show begins at 3 p.m.

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Join us immediately after the show for an Irish country dance. No experience needed!
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When: Saturday, June 20, 2026
Where: The Harley School in Brighton. The theater is straight ahead inside the main doors.
Time: Doors at 2:30 p.m., show starts at 3 p.m.

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Info and driving directions at this link:

http://www.rns.dance/Ceili%20Mor.html

06/14/2026

I've danced in airports, but never *on* the plane!

06/06/2026

☘️ Your Irish surname is not just a name. It is a sentence your ancestors wrote about themselves, and it has been waiting for you to read it.

The system of Irish surnames is one of the oldest in the western world, predating the Norman naming conventions that swept through England and Europe by centuries. The prefix "O" meant grandson or descendant of, while "Mac" meant son of. Together they created a living map of bloodlines, clan territories, and family honor that stretched back to the early medieval period. Names like O'Neill, O'Brien, and O'Sullivan were not invented casually. They were declarations of lineage, staked to specific land, specific kings, and specific ancestral identities that entire communities organized their lives around.

What makes Irish surnames even more remarkable is how much survived. The Tudor conquest, the Penal Laws, and centuries of anglicization all worked to strip Irish identity down to its roots, and yet the names held. Families that lost their land, their language, and their legal rights still passed the name forward. If you carry an Irish surname today, that name crossed coffin ships, survived famines, and outlasted empires. That is worth knowing. Drop your Irish surname in the comments and let us see the range of lineages gathered here. Follow The Irish Remembered for more stories written in your own blood. 🧬🍀

03/21/2026

Tonight!

Join us for a ST. PATRICK'S DAY COMMUNITY CÉILÍ!
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Round out your St. Patrick's Day celebrations with a Céilí dance! A Community Céilí features dances from all corners of the Irish social dance tradition, with plenty which are friendly to the new or occasional dancer. All dances will be taught and called. You don't need any prior experience to enjoy these dances, so bring your family and friends!
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WHEN: Saturday, March 21, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
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WHERE: The Well, 335 Helendale Road. Driving Directions can be found at: http://irishrochester.weebly.com/dance.html
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Refreshments and Raffle at the break.
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ADMISSION: $10/CCE members$8/Bring an item for the raffle $5. Children under 18 are free with a parent.
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SPONSORED BY: Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCE).

03/18/2026

I love this! A novel take on one of our most well known tunes, "St. Patrick's Day."

03/18/2026

Coming up this Saturday!

Join us for a ST. PATRICK'S DAY COMMUNITY CÉILÍ!
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Round out your St. Patrick's Day celebrations with a Céilí dance! A Community Céilí features dances from all corners of the Irish social dance tradition, with plenty which are friendly to the new or occasional dancer. All dances will be taught and called. You don't need any prior experience to enjoy these dances, so bring your family and friends!
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WHEN: Saturday, March 21, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
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WHERE: The Well, 335 Helendale Road. Driving Directions can be found at: http://irishrochester.weebly.com/dance.html
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Refreshments and Raffle at the break.
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ADMISSION: $10/CCE members$8/Bring an item for the raffle $5. Children under 18 are free with a parent.
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SPONSORED BY: Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCE).

03/15/2026

I'll be with the Rochester Irish Musicians' Association teaching some beginner friendly Irish social dances this afternoon! ☘️

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Penfield Library. 3-4 p.m.

*Registration is open* Sunday, March 15, 3:00-4:00 PM For Adults Welcome Rochester’s branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (literally, The Association of Musicians of Ireland)...