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“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking.”

……..~Agnes De Mille

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Danielle’s interests as a dancer span many genres. From modern dance to salsa, hip hop to ballet, contact improvisation to Appalachian clogging and her latest endeavor and love, the American vernacular, Lindy Hop (swing dancing), her interests continue to expand and morph. Throughout the years and various studies, though, Irish dance has been her central focus. Dancing competitively for many years, Danielle honed the precision and technique that is the foundation of modern Irish step dancing; and, having spent much of her childhood at ceilis and sessions, she was given a strong sense of the tradition, community and soul behind the culture. Stepping away from the competitive world in her teenage years, Danielle went on to spend a year studying Irish music at University College Cork, in Ireland, where she earned a Diploma in Traditional Irish Music and studied under musicians including Connie O’Connell, Bobby Gardner and Matt Cranitch. It was during this year that she was reintroduced to Irish dancing, but this time in the form of old style step dancing, set dancing and sean nós (old style) dancing. In Cork Danielle had the pleasure of learning to dance the polka and slide sets of Sliabh Luachra from the legendary Peggy McTeggert as well as the old step dancing from Peggy’s childhood. An interest was sparked, and Danielle’s focus moved away from the modern step dancing and towards set dancing and sean nós dancing, and then on to other percussive forms of dance such as Cape Breton step dancing, American tap, Appalachian clogging and Quebecois step dancing..

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Danielle’s current focus as both a performer and teacher includes all of these similar yet distinctly different traditions. Her latest collaboration with Boston-based choreographer Kieran Jordan is an appropriate example of this. The Sole Mates present a performance steeped in the various traditions and expand into more abstract movement and concepts with influence from modern dance. “Honoring traditions while continuing to probe them” as Kieran puts it, is a basis of this show and a basis of Danielle’s personal journey as a dancer. Other previous and current performances and collaborations include step dancing with Riverdance singer, Katie McMahon’s Christmas tour, sean nós dancing with Liz Carroll and Daíthí Sproule, sean nós and Cape Breton step dancing with Scottish singer, Julie Fowlis, as well as mixtures of the various traditions with the Brock Mcguire Band and numerous Twin Cities musicians.

Like her work as a performer, Danielle’s instruction also spans traditions and experience. As both a musician and a dancer, she focuses on creating a dynamic learning environment, altering instruction to best fit the needs of the student. Bringing historical perspective, musicality and movement to her lessons, Danielle aims to create a comfortable, knowledgeable and fun energy in the classroom. In addition to 8 years as an instructor, Danielle continues to seek out new approaches and methods through various experiences in education. Danielle received an education fellowship from the University of Minnesota in 2009 which allowed her to work closely with a school teacher in Berlin for a month. Her continued work with the youth development non-profit, Project Success, has led Danielle through a rich and varied path of experience and interactions with youth of all ages. Danielle’s experience as an educator, dancer and musician lend themselves to classes and workshops that meet individual needs and provide a comprehensive education...

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Danielle currently teaches Irish Step Dancing at the O’Shea School of Irish Dance in St. Paul and fiddle at the Center for Irish Music. She offers private and group lessons for adults and children and offers summer camps and workshops throughout the year. Some past and current offerings include monthly sean nós workshops at the Twin Cities venue, The Celtic Junction, workshops in Irish step dancing, sean nós dancing, musicality and Cape Breton step dancing throughout the country, interactive performances and demonstrations (fiddle and dance) for children at festivals, schools and summer camps, and entertainment and/or instruction for private events.

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