Workshops, Classes, Presentations
Sean-Nós and
Old-Style Irish Dance
PERFORMANCES, WORKSHOPS, CLASSES
Dance Steps
Rhythm, and Tunes
WORKSHOPS AND INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS
Traditional Arts at
the Cultural Crossroads
INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS, ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
The Gaelic Revival
and Irish Dance Masters
INTERACTIVE PRESENTATIONS, ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
Métis, Quebecois, & Other
Traditions on Turtle Island
PERFORMANCES, PRESENTATIONS, ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
"I listened and watched Danielle perform at the Irish Fair and was blown away by how she so quickly covered so much history and made so many connections. And then her performance was so masterful. Thank you - a true highlight of the day."
-MN Irish Fair 2021
Projects
Roundtable conversations on tradition with master artists
Sean-Nós and Old-Style Irish Step Dance
Sean-nós, or old-style Irish dance, predates the era of the Gaelic Revival when dancing in Ireland became more standardized. While sean-nós often refers to the style of dance from Connemara, there are many old-style dance traditions around Ireland. All of these dance forms are musical, improvisational, and invite self-expression.
In workshops and classes students dig into the structure of Irish dance tunes, and explore creating various rhythms. Work with basics steps like the Connemara step, the Clare battering step, and the Roscommon step. Danielle incorporates broader contexts into her classes which include histories and the relationships to European and North American step dance traditions.
The Cultural Crossroads and Traditional Arts
These workshops or interactive lectures tie history, cultural identity, social justice, and tradition together. The dance and music traditions of a people are powerful representations of many aspects of the human experience.
Topics:
Irish Nationalism and Dance During the Gaelic Revival: How Dance was Central to the Fight for Irish Independence
Inventors of Irish Dance - The Travelling Irish Dance Masters: their Steps and Stories
The Cultural Crossroads + North American Dance Forms and their European Cousins - From Baroque France, to Scotland, Ireland, and England, and North America/Turtle Mountain. Intercultural Connections through Traditional Dance and Music.
Métis, Quebecois, and Other Traditions on Turtle Island (N. America)
Taanshi! Bhoon Zhoor! Bonjour!
Danielle's family comes from Red River Métis, eastern mixed-blood, and French-Canadian people on her mother’s side, and Swedish people on her father’s side.
Her lifetime study of dance and fiddle have led her back to her roots. Both grandparents grew up with fiddling and step dancing from their respective cultures, and Danielle is honored to have the chance to return home through guidance from family, teachers, and elders.
Danielle plays French Canadian and Métis fiddle tunes, and dances the Métis and Quebecois steps.
Danielle's Métis ancestral names include Gagnon, Pelletier, Lapierre, and Cyr/Sayer. They come from St. Francois Xavier and Portage La Prairie in Manitoba.
Jane Peck, Natalie Pepin, Joseph Naytowhow, Pierre Chartrand, and Normand Legault have all been influential in helping Danielle reconnect to her family practices.
Dance Steps, Rhythm, and Tunes for Dancers and Musicians
For musicians interested in improving their rhythm, dancers interested in understanding the music they dance to, and for anyone interested in learning some basic Irish dance steps.
As a dancer, Danielle knows how vital it is that these tune types are played with *a* right swing and emphasis. These workshops begin to explore what that means.
Danielle will introduce a few tunes, discuss their phrasing, and teach some basic steps to practice to feel the nuance of the tune type in your body. Participants can dance with your feet, seated with your hands, or watch and learn.
In these workshops, Danielle introduces various rhythms including jigs, hornpipes, polkas, and slides. She looks at regional and individual variations in pulse or swing, and thinks about phrasing.
The Step Collective's first panel discussion on traditional dance from The Flurry Festival, February 2021. This conversation will be featured on the Tradical Podcast, and more conversations will be published through the Step Collective. Join the mailing list for more.
The featured artists discuss tradition, music, style, and history across their cultural practices. Pierre Chartrand - Quebecois dance, Yvonne Chartrand - Métis dance, Anne-Marie Gardette - Baroque dance, Nic Gareiss - percussive dance, Phil Jamison - Old time banjo, flatfooting, squaredance, Kieran Jordan - Sean-nós and old style Irish step, dance Evie Ladin - Old time music and percussive dance, Liam Scanlon - Sean-nós dance, Sophie Stephenson - Scottish step dance, Jane Peck - Baroque dance and French traditions in North America, Laurel Premo - Old-time fiddle, Catherine Turocy - Baroque dance.