Eden Prairie Irish dance studio leaps into St. Patrick’s Day celebrations

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, maybe you want to try your hand (or feet) at the Irish jig. How about the slip jig? Or the hornpipe?

These are among the main traditional Irish folk dances. You can learn how to do them at any time of year at Onórach Mulhern Geraghty (OMG) School of Irish Dance in Eden Prairie.

Samantha Martin is a TCRG-certified instructor at OMG, which was established in Minnesota in 2007 and is part of a parent operation in Chicago, founded in 2001.

Martin received her certification from An Coimisiún le Rinci Gaelacha, or CLRG, in Ireland. The TCRG credential, which stands for Teagascóir Coimisiún le Rinci Gaelacha, affirms that Martin is proficient in the traditions and history of Irish step dance and is qualified to teach it.

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“In 2020, the U.S. studios merged with Geraghty in Dublin, Ireland,” said Martin, who works full-time as a senior buyer for Target.

Martin, who is nearly entirely of Irish descent, graduated from the University of Notre Dame, fittingly known as the home of the Fighting Irish.

“I grew up as a ballet and tap dancer,” she said. “Then, when I was 11, a neighbor introduced me to Irish folk dancing.” 

Martin said Irish folk dancing has been growing in popularity in the United States since the 1990s. Today, there are competitions at the local, national, and international levels.

There are five basic dances: the jig, slip jig, hornpipe, treble jig, and reel. What separates each dance is the type of dance shoe required. Irish folk dance requires two basic types of footwear for performances and competitions: the soft shoe, similar to a traditional ballet shoe or slipper, and a hard shoe.

“The jig, reel and slip jig are performed in soft shoes with hornpipe and treble in hard shoes,” Martin added. “The slip jig is only performed by females.”

Irish folk dancing often embodies historical events from the culture’s past, with the hard shoe representing ancient warriors heading off to battle.

Martin said there are about 40 students at any one time taking classes at the OMG studio, which is located at 14500 Martin Drive, in a facility shared with Dance Esteem, a traditional dance studio.

The OMG Irish dancers will be busy leading up to St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. They will be performing:

• Sunday, March 10: Eden Prairie Center (just outside the entrance to Von Maur) at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
• Friday, March 15: Enki Brewing in Victoria at 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 16: Landmark Center St. Paul (Main Stage) at 12:20 p.m.; Eden Prairie Center (just outside the entrance to Von Maur) at 2:30 p.m.; Schram Haus Brewery in Chaska at 5 p.m.; Minneapolis St. Patrick’s Day Association Party, Murzyn Hall in Columbia Heights at 7 p.m.
• Sunday, March 17: Landmark Center, Irish Arts Minnesota Day of Irish Dance at 2:30 p.m.; Bear Cave Brewing in Hopkins at 5 p.m.

More information can be found on the Onórach Mulhern Geraghty (OMG) School of Irish Dance website.