5 Places You Can Learn Irish Dance Online

Irish dance is a beautiful expression of the Celtic spirit in physical form, when we respond to and move to the songs and music of our culture.

But did you know there are many ways you can learn all kinds of Irish dance online, no matter what age you may be.

We have explored the history and origins of Irish dance and Irish music, and perhaps you have been inspired to pursue learning this unique form of dancing from the Emerald Isle.

You might not want to pursue Irish dance instruction in person. Remote Irish dance lessons can be amazing for multiple reasons:

• you don’t have to find a studio in your own area,
• you don’t have to leave the home at night,
• you don’t need to follow a dress code,
• you have a much lower risk of infection,
• you can go at your own pace,
• and you usually won’t have others watching you like you would in a group setting.

I’ve compiled a list of 5 places you can learn Irish dance online, and after each one I have the pros and cons of each option (although these might vary, based on your personal goals).

I hope you can find the place that’s best for you to learn a beautiful new skill!

Irish Dance Courses

There are 8 qualified Irish dance teachers on this website who have their own bios and dance history on their pages. You can learn Sean Nós dance, set dancing, two hand dance, old style Irish step dancing, modern Irish step dancing, and traditional Irish folk dances through their selection of Irish dance classes.

Through this site, you get unlimited access to all of their classes. You can pay $21.95 monthly or $219.54 annually. They also offer a free trial if you’d like to check everything out before paying the full price for a membership!

Unfortunately, there is not very much information on their website that is accessible before you start your free trial, but luckily you’ll be able to view everything before you make your own decision.

Pros:

• You can go at your own pace
• 8 different teachers
• Unlimited access to courses with membership

Cons:

• Not a lot of information accessible on the website before signing up.
• You don’t interact with others.

Learn To Dance

If you'd prefer to learn the basics of Irish dance to see if you like it before investing more money into it, Learn to Dance might be the option for you.

The website isn’t an Irish dance-specific platform, they offer a lot of different styles of dance. There is a free series of videos for people who want to start with the basic techniques of Irish step dance. If you’re interested in learning lots of different styles of dance at a basic level, this could be a fun website to check out!

The website features a lot of different compilations of YouTube videos that instructors uploaded online. When you click on a type of dancing, it brings up a lot of different free videos for beginner dancers.

Pros:

• Some of these courses are free.
• All the videos are available at your fingertips.
• These courses are designed to be beginner-friendly,

Cons:

• There's no personal help available.
• These are not comprehensive courses.
• Only for beginners

Aistear Mobile Irish Dance Academy

Aistear Mobile Irish Dance Academy has online lessons that will be delivered directly to your email inbox. There is a $25 registration fee, and a $25 monthly membership cost.

This is an email-based Irish dance course. Every Monday, an instructional video will come into your inbox, so if you're looking for weekly classes, this might be the best choice for you!

There is a trial lesson available on the website, so you can get a sense of whether you would enjoy being part of the academy.

Pros:

• New videos weekly
• More of a personal feel

Cons:

• Limited access to videos
• Not self-paced

Cabe Academy Irish Dance

Cabe Academy is a very professional Irish dance studio headquartered in Dublin whose goal is to spread the joy of Irish dance. Not only do they have many in-person branches, they have online dance classes featuring qualified instructors, and you can pay for them monthly or purchase lifetime access.

There is a welcome video on their online course’s homepage that will give you a bit of an introduction to who they are and what they do. If you’d like to see their frequently asked questions, you can see all the information on their website as well.

This option stuck out for me because they have options for new beginners who are interested in learning the basic steps, intermediate classes for students who have already taken beginner classes, and a third level for students who are ready for more advanced choreography.

Pros:

• Lifetime access option
• 3 different levels
• Professional vibe
• Direct link to Irish culture

Cons:

• Classes are sold out (at the time of publication)

Kieran Jordan

If the traditional structure of live group classes is more your thing, Kieran Jordan Dance offers Zoom classes!

This is a dance studio in Massachusetts that offers classes for adults and teenagers in person and online.

There are private lessons, instructional videos, and online workshops you can partake in.

There is also a range of time commitments, including a 6-week session, a 1-week session, and a one-time session, making it a very customizable experience for new students.

Pros:

• Live access to a teacher
• Interaction with others in the class
• Multiple levels of involvement

Cons:

• Not at your own pace
• Classes aren’t originally created to be online

Happy Irish Dancing

If you're planning to take some Irish dancing classes, I hope these options lead to an amazing experience for you as you pursue the dance tradition of our culture!

Before you know it you'll be dancing a few Irish jigs and reels.

Did you know that the reel may have originated in Scotland not Ireland? Here's a quick look at the origins of the Irish reel dance.

If you have any other favorite online classes, please share them below!