We are a small, vibrant community of sean-nós dancers in the Puget Sound area. We host weekly classes for beginners and intermediate dancers in Seattle. We've also organized dance workshops 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.
Tom King dancing some lovely sean-nós steps in the 70s.
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!
Have questions? E-mail Alicia Guinn at seannosseattle@gmail.com.
Máire Áine Ní Iarnáin
Máire Áine Ní Iarnáin from Connemara dancing to tunes played by John O'Halloran.
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.
Hey thanks for the add and request it's a pitty your not here this weekend for the Kilfenora Ceili Band celebrations it's going down a bomb except for the rain, but there is no need for me to explanin to someone from Seattle about rain!!!
Thanks for the add! I wish I had found you just a couple weeks earlier - I would have LOVED to join your Beginners' Jig series. I only hope you add another beginners' series soon!
Hey Alicia!! How's life? I remember you, your cool house and lovable kitten. A friend of mine from cyber-space is based in Seattle and just released a humorous robot related vid on you-tube. Saskia Delores. Check it out. Yeah I'm using this for my own personal messages!!! Thanks for accepting our friend request. Next time you're in Ireland come up to Limerick :) All the best, Joanne (Maldon's friend wot visited you)
To Sean Nos Seattle We are playing Seattle this week. Not trad, but we have one Hanz Araki in the band. Cmon out if you like. cheers, Casey
THURSDAY July 24th - SEATTLE, WA The Sunset Tavern 9pm (we are in the middle slot of 3 bands). 5433 Ballard Avenue $6 www. sunsettavern. com Casey Neill & the Norway Rats with Kasey Anderson Band
Thanks Alicia- you guys were certainly kickin' it Folklife too- twas a grand night for all- see you in Seattle on the next go around or you can always come visit us in Pdx!