Culkin School News Blog

March Madness is upon us!

2010-03-07T15:21:13Z

Are you ready for the Culkin School's version of Irish Dance March Madness? It's on its way, with the kickoff starting this week and shifting into high gear next weekend with the Gaithersburg and DC parades.

The Culkin School marches in two parades, the Gaithersburg parade (3/13) and the DC parade (3/14). Download and information sheet below and

1) Sign up in class if you plan to attend the parade
2) Parents sign up to volunteer to help with the parades
3) Buy a Culkin crew-neck sweatshirt if you need one to wear in the parade! (The parade uniform is the Culkin sweatshirt, a white turtleneck, black pants and sneakers)

Also, be sure to check for the latest events on our calendar page. You can also download the spring calendar distributed in class for information on make-up classes and other important dates.

Join us at the Kennedy Center on March 16

2010-03-01T02:28:45Z

Get an early start to your St. Patrick's Day with a free performance by the Culkin School at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, March 16th.

Our 6 p.m. show is part of the Millennium Stage Series. And if you can't make it in person, you can watch it LIVE online.

Visit our Kennedy Center artist's page for more information.

Summer Camp Registration is Open!

2010-03-01T01:55:42Z

It is hard to think about summer when spring isn't even here yet, but our summer camp offerings at Glen Echo Park are now open for registration! We will be offering 3 different programs at Glen Echo, and their descriptions and links to the registration page are found below. We will also have camps this summer at Hughes UMC in Silver Spring; fliers regarding those camps will be distributed in classes in mid-February, and will be available on our website at www.culkinschool.com. We hope you can join us for one of these summer dance opportunities!

More details are after the jump....

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Glen Echo Camps:

Beginning Irish Dance: Footworks and Figures (Ages 6-10)

If you are currently enrolled in our school, this class would not be for you! But if you have a sibling or a friend who wants to try out Irish Dance, this is the class for them. It is an introductory class; through a series of figure (group) dances, students will learn the basics of Irish dance and music - no experience necessary! We will hold two sessions of this program, July 12-23, and July 26-Aug 6. The classes are from 10:00-12:00, Monday-Friday. The link for your siblings or friends to register for this is: http://www.glenechopark.org/class/classsectIndex.aspx?ctlgID=35&numberID=10-2-10-007-01&typeID=4&class=12137

Footworks and Figures: Advanced Irish Dance (Ages 6+)

All of our current students are welcome to sign up for these programs! This year these sessions will be one week in length, between July 12 – Aug10, from 10:00-12:00, Monday-Friday and you can take one session or several. The focus of these programs will be on learning fun group dances as well as fine-tuning Irish dance technique. It is designed for returning summer students, or for students who already know the basic footwork of Irish Dance. The link to register for these programs is: http://www.glenechopark.org/class/classsectIndex.aspx?ctlgID=35&numberID=10-2-10-003-01&typeID=4&class=12823

Hard Shoe Polish

If, by the end of this year, you have already started learning hard shoe dances, you are welcome to sign up for this program. It is geared toward the hard shoe dancer who wants to refine their style and learn traditional set pieces, hornpipes, and treble jigs. Like the Advanced Footworks and Figures classes, these sessions will be one week in length, between July 12 – Aug 10, from 1:00-3:00, Monday-Friday, and you can take one session or several. Many of our dancers take both classes, eat lunch together at the park, and make a day of it! The link to register for these programs is: http://www.glenechopark.org/class/classsectIndex.aspx?ctlgID=35&numberID=10-2-10-003-01&typeID=4&class=12826

Join us for the Culkin Dress Exchange

2010-02-15T02:16:30Z

Mark your calendars for the Culkin Dress Exchange to be held at Hughes Methodist Church on Sunday, February 28, 2010 from 1:30-4:30 pm.

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Selling:    Clean out those closets and drawers! You may bring your items for sale to the dress exchange, or to class the week of the sale. REMEMBER, it's important that your information is clearly marked, otherwise we cannot guarantee that you will receive the correct $ for your sale. Please label your item for sale with your name and phone number, your dancer's name and the class they are in, the item and the sale price. Please include a self addressed stamped envelope to hold the money due you for your sale.
What can you sell? Gently used Culkin gear, Beginner Costumes, skirts, CDs and other dance related items.

BUYING:

New Culkin Gear: t-shirts, shorts, sweatshirts! Remember March Madness and parades are just around the corner.....Get your sweatshirts now!!

Shoes (to buy or sell) : there will be tables with hard and soft shoes for sale

   IF you are interested in selling......place your shoes in a gallon size zip lock bag with an index card containing your name, contact information, telephone number and the sale price of the shoes. You may want to tag each shoe so that your shoes and information stay together.

New Beginner costumes, skirts, shawls , and tights: available for sale

Culkin Dresses   We are so fortunate that BJ Mason and Alison Mrohs can come and help us that day. There will be used dresses to try on.

Solo Dresses: if you have a solo dress for sale you may want to check the "dance again" web site, www.dance-again.com   to get an idea of pricing your dress.

Miscellaneous gear: wigs, CDs, DVDs, used Culkin gear and beginner costumes...

Bake sale items: what's a gathering without food? Please bake or donate something for the bake sale table.

Volunteer:   Help us set up (1-1:30 p.m.), clean up (4:30-5 pm) or staff a table (anytime in the middle). Bake something for the bakesale!    email me at johnandmaryomalley@yahoo.com   to volunteer

SHOPPERS!!! Don’t forget bring small $ bills for the bake sale items and your checkbook with plenty of checks for other items like shoes, dresses, and gear

Registration Open for Adult Spring Semester Classes

2010-01-01T18:10:40Z

Just a reminder that the fall/winter term for the Culkin School adult classes wraps up at the end of January. Registration for all classes is open now for the Spring term, which begins the first week of February.

Go to http://www.glenechopark.org/class/classclassIndex.aspx?ctlgID=34&ctgyID=65&typeID=3 to sign up for classes now!

And stay tuned for information on Open Gym and Ceili Camps for this summer....

Registration Open for Spring 2010 Mini-mesters

2010-01-01T16:57:52Z

Each year, the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance offers introductory "mini-mesters" to new students. These courses are a great introduction to Irish dancing for you and your child. The "mini-mesters" fill up fast and are a lot of fun.

If you know any boy or girl, 5-years-old or older, who is interested in trying Irish Dance on for size, please be sure to tell them about these classes. Concepts covered include beginner reel and jig steps and a fun introduction to ceili dances. No special shoes are required for this class.

Kensington Mini-mester: This session will be held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 10401 Armory Avenue, Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:15 pm beginning April 15 to June 10. (9 weeks, $90) ~ No classes April 9 or 16, 2009

Download a Mini-mester Registration Form here (Word Format)

Help Send the Culkin Adults to All Irelands

2010-01-01T16:56:25Z

The first day of the new year... and 50 days until the ceili club competition in Killarney at All Irelands. And we're hoping you might be able to help us get there.

To help defray some of the cost of sending our ladies to the All Irelands, the Culkin Adult Irish Dancers have created a 2010 calendar and notecards available for purchase online. $5 from the sale of each calendar will help us get to Killarney and back.

Check out the calendar and cards at http://www.cafepress.com/shopirishdance/6973766

Best part is that you get something too -- beautiful photography, together with inspiring dance quotes to get you through the year. And while the Culkin ladies were the models, it's great for all ages of dancers!

Congratulations to our World Qualifiers and Oireachtas Champions!

2010-01-01T16:48:22Z

Belated congratulations to all the Culkin School dancers who represented us at the 2009 Southern Region Oireachtas in Dallas, Texas in December.

Among our solo and team dancers, we're honored to have a number of World Qualifiers and another regional championship title. Moira R, Samantha D, Margot W, Matthew L and Patrick A all qualified for the 2010 World Championships. And the Ladies 4-Hand, made up this year of Tammy L, Kate P, Lynne H and Angela H, won their 6th straight championship title. A number of other dancers qualified for the 2010 North American Championships in Orlando this coming July.

Great job by everyone!

Sign ups available for four upcoming shows

2009-09-23T23:17:44Z

Nothing like starting out the dance year with a bang! After the jump are 4 upcoming performances we hope will fit into your schedule. Please follow the link to the Yahoo! Group database to sign your dancer up for the shows. If you are having issues with Yahoo! (a few of you are, however, we've had many new Culkin families sign up in the last week, so thank you!), please email Nicki at nicki ~at~ culkinschool.com (replace the ~at~ with @) directly. If you are unsure of which troupe you are in, below is a description of material your dancer needs to have mastered for each troupe. Sean & Nicki will update the class assignments on the web in the next few weeks.

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Liffey Troupe:
This troupe requires that all dancers know the entire beginner reel. The dancer must have mastered all 3 steps of St. Patrick’s Day (hardshoe) before advancing to the next troupe.

Shannon Troupe:
This troupe is required to know all 3 steps of St. Patrick’s Day and will advance to the next troupe once they know 2 steps of slow hornpipe.

Moy Troupe:
This troupe is required to be able to dance 2 slow hornpipe steps and will advance once closer to the championship level at their teacher's discretion.

Easkey Troupe:
This is our championship level dancer troupe

PERFORMANCES:
Saturday, September 26: Hughes Funfest @ 12noon-12:30pm.
Liffey, Shannon & Moy Troupes invited.
Hughes United Methodist Church, 10700 Georgia Ave, Wheaton MD: Directions: http://www.culkinschool.com/directions_silverspring.htm

Please arrive at 11:15am for a 12pm performance. Duration is 30 minutes. Girls wear: Beginner costumes/school dress, black tights, hair in buns. Boys wear: black pants, black button down shirt, white tie & Culkin vest if you have one. Nicki coordinating.

To sign up for this show click here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/culkinschool/database?method=reportRows&tbl=112

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Saturday, September 26--1pm-1:40pm: CCE Celtic Festival:
Easkey Troupe + their siblings invited

The Auld Shebeen Irish Pub, 3971 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
informational link: http://www.theauldshebeenva.com/content/2009IrishFestival.pdf

Please arrive at 12pm for a 1pm start. We are recommending bringing/wearing your school dresses because this is a pub. Girls wear: school dress, black tights hair in buns. Boys wear: black pants, black button down shirt, white tie & Culkin vest if you have one. Denise O coordinating.

To sign up for this show click here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/culkinschool/database?method=reportRows&tbl=113

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Thursday, October 1: 1pm-2pm: Corp for National & Community Service Diversity Day:

Homeschool dancers invited

Corporation for National & Community Service 1201 New York Ave, Washington DC informational link: http://www.nationalservice.gov/

Please arrive at 12pm for a 1pm hour performance. Girls wear: beginner costume/school dress, black tights, hair in buns. Boys wear: black pants, black button down shirt, white tie & Culkin vest if you have one. Sean coordinating.

To sign up for this show click here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/culkinschool/database?method=reportRows&tbl=114

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Sunday, October 4: 1:30pm-2pm: St. Bernadette's Fall Festival:
past & present St. B's dancers of all levels invited

St. Bernadette School-- 80 University BLVD East, Silver Spring 20901
Show to be held in the Monsignor Ricker Room

Opened to past & present St. B's dancers of all levels! Please arrive at 12:30pm for a 1:30pm start. Duration approximately 30 minutes. Girls please wear: beginner costume/school dress or Solo dress if you have one, black tights, hair in buns. Boys wear: black pants, black button down shirt, white tie & Culkin vest if you have one. Show to be held in the Monsignor Stricker Room.

To sign up for this show click here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/culkinschool/database?method=reportRows&tbl=115

Did you know you can find us on Facebook and Twitter?

2009-09-07T03:13:27Z

Keep up with the Culkin School online using today's technology. We have a new Twitter feed -- follow us @culkinschool and become a fan of our Facebook page.

Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance on Facebook

Congratulations!

2009-08-12T21:18:53Z

Congratulations are in order for a couple of Culkin School dancers:

Moira R received her second 1st place in Preliminary Championships at the Delaware Feis, which qualifies her for Open Championships. Way to go, Moira!
Lynne H has been announced as the winner of the 2009 Peggy O'Neill Cup, which goes to the adult dancer receiving the highest number of points at the Nation's Capital Feis. Congratulations, Lynne!

A request for your thoughts and prayers

2009-07-26T05:24:15Z

We are asking members of the Culkin School to please keep the Ross family in your thoughts and prayers. Information on services is available via the Yahoo! Groups. You may add to the online guest book by following this link or view the Washington Post announcement by following this link.

We also want to express our sincerest condolences to the Rice family. Michelle was such a joy and loving part of our adult dance program and we will miss her very much. You may see and add to her online guest book by following this link.

And we also ask for your continued thoughts for the Rosewag and Bayhurst families on their recent losses.

Baltimore Feis Registration Open

2009-07-19T02:09:23Z

Registration for the Baltimore Feis, to be held Saturday, September 19, is now open on eFeis.com.

Congratulations to our National Champions!

2009-07-07T03:03:31Z

Congratulations are in order for a very talented group of adult dancers who traveled to Nashville this weekend. The Adult Ladies jig team placed 1st in their competition, winning the national championship title.

Seventeen of our adult dancers went to Nashville for the competition, including Alexandra W, Amy T-W, Bonnie Z, Catherine M, Debbie K, Ellen B, Erica B, Erin S, Julie D, KC F, Lynne H, Melissa de B, Mo M, Pam L, Shaneene L, Shauna L and Tammy L.

Members of the championship team included Alexandra, Amy, Debbie, Erin, Julie, KC, Melissa and Tammy.

Congrats to all of our adult dancers on representing the school so well! Hard work and perseverance pays off!

Congratulations!

2009-07-07T03:00:55Z

Congratulations to Matthew L who recently won his final 1st place at the Celtic Fling Feis nd qualified for Preliminary Championships. Good luck to you Matthew and keep up the hard work!