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MCCONNELL IRISH DANCE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST IRISH DANCE SCHOOLS IN CANADA

THREE GENERATIONS OF IRISH DANCE

McConnell Irish Dancers are one of the oldest Irish dance troupes in North America. Founded in Ireland over 100 years ago, the school was established in Winnipeg, Canada in 1947.  Well into it’s third generation, the McConnell Irish Dance is under the direction of accomplished dancer and choreographer Shayleen McConnell Finucan (ODCRN) with Wendy Havens (TMCRN) and a team of dedicated teaching assistants.

McConnell Irish Dance is the largest and longest established Irish Dance school in Manitoba with locations in Winnipeg and Brandon.  Offering the highest quality of Irish dance classes for all ages and abilities from preschool to adult.  McConnell School of Dance has instructed thousands of students in Manitoba spanning over 100 years and three generations of Irish dance excellence.

McConnell Dancers are recognised for their high calibre, energetic performances which encompasses both traditional and contemporary forms of Irish Dance.  

National and International award-winning McConnell Dancers compete at the highest levels including the North American and World Irish Dance Championships in Ireland, hosted by Cumann Rince Náisiúnta (CRN).  

WORLD CALIBRE PERFORMANCE AND COMPETITIVE IRISH DANCE

McConnell Irish Dancers have travelled the world to represent Canada and Ireland in CIOFF International Festivals, Peru (2007), Costa Rica (2009), Bulgaria (2011)), North Carolina (2017).   In 2012, McConnell Irish Dancers performed at Walt Disney World, Florida at the American Celtic Irish Dance Festival and in 2013 they were honoured to be the only Canadian Irish dance troupe to be invite to perform in Ireland as part of the Gathering 2013.
 
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
McConnell Dancers are a member of C.I.O.F.F International and have performed all over the world, promoting Celtic Culture.
2007 - Peru
2009 - Costa Rica
2011 - Bulgaria
2012 - Walt Disney World Florida
2013 - Ireland (Limerick & Dublin)
2016 - Peru
2017 - North Carolina, USA

McConnell Irish Dancers have performed with the Chieftains, Irish Descendants, Irish Rovers, and Tommy Makem.  The group has performed with the  Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 1998, 2009, and 2016.  The dancers perform with the very talented Traditional Irish musicians from the Barefoot Ceili Band and Enaid.
 
50 YEARS OF FOLKLORAMA
Sam McConnell was one of the founding members of the Folk Art Council of Winnipeg. The McConnell Dancers have performed at the Ireland-Irish Pavilion, the Emerald Isle pavilion and the school ran the "Isle of the Shamrock" pavilion from 1996 - 2003, and currently sponsor the United Kingdom Pavilion