Bronx Kids March To An Irish Beat

We all know that on St. Patrick's Day, everybody's Irish. But this rings especially true for the kids of Keltic Dreams, an Irish dance troupe from PS 59 in the Bronx, featured in today's New York Times. When Dublin-born music teacher Caroline Duggan's mostly black and Hispanic students started asking questions about her funny accent and Riverdance poster, she started teaching them about Irish culture, and step dancing. Soon, dozens of her seven- to twelve-year old devotees were stepping sprightly in time to the Irish tunes, performing at venues around the city.

Last May, Duggan raised enough money to take 32 of the dancers to Ireland where they performed for the president, and filmed a documentary which will air on Irish TV this St. Patrick's Day. Those lucky Irish! Well guess what? New Yorkers will get to see the kids perform in person, because on Monday, Keltic Dreams will take their place in the long line of green-clad politicians and pipe bands, as they march up Fifth Avenue in New York City's St. Patrick's Day Parade. Until then, you can watch this video of them dancing:

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Celeste Sunderland in Arts and Events on March 14, 2008 12:02 PM

Comments [rss]

nkjall398

I watched their little movie on Showtime and had to watch it a second time. Even though they aren't mind,I was so proud of them. There should be more folk dancing in New York City schools.

yippee1999

This story just warmed the cockles of me heart! It was such a beautiful story that it made me cry! This is what makes NYC such an amazing city...Ms. Duggan had it exactly right...that it's so wonderful how she can bring what she knows to the kids, and they bring what they know to Irish Step! And what a great way to introduce the kids to another culture. And how many of these kids would have gotten the opportunity otherwise to travel outside the U.S. ...to Europe.... especially at so young an age?

likesrudylikesbooty

Where are the lil' guys? I only see one or two. C'mon, don't let Michael Flatley scare you!

Karen

Great work!

AHT

That makes me really happy.

babyhitler

we need more inner city youths involved in celtic dancing. We need less knife fights and more riverdance.

Jen Chung

I love this story too! Seeing the parents and kids thrilled with the dancing in the video, and the part in the article about how Duggan worked so hard to help get passports for the kids... really great story.

famdoc

their website shows a scheduled Late Night with David Letterman appearance in late May. incredible.

atmanone

this makes me very happy

Fritzdecat

Finally some good News

zodak

OMG! this is the kewlest story ever.

seriously. i

MikeTrainor

Gotta love that old-school chubby Roger Clark.

tnturner

@ Rocknrope-

"I came to get down. I came to get down. So get out yer seat and jump around! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP AROUND! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! ..."

famdoc

Last night, when the video of this story appeared on nytimes.com, we watched it twice, each time, with the perspective of Spitzergate in our minds, saying "this is really cool," relieved that we could savor the talent of some young New Yorkers, not one named Kristen.