Western North Carolina is the type of place that inspires imagination and creativity. The city of Asheville is surrounded by the tallest mountains east of the Mississippi River. There are thousands of miles of hiking trails to explore throughout those mountains and the adjacent valleys. 

We have the highest concentration of waterfalls on the east coast, often connected to cold mountain swimming holes. You can go backpacking for days and weeks without walking the same path twice, or you can drive along one of the most famous roadways in the Southeast - The Blue Ridge Parkway. 

How does the natural beauty of our area inspire you? Does it ever make you want to dance? 

If the mountains make you want to dance, it could be part of your heritage. 

The southern Appalachians are home to one of the largest populations of the people known as Scots-Irish. Much of our music and culture has been influenced by the Scots-Irish heritage that dates back to the 18th century. 

With the rise in popularity of Riverdance, many have become fascinated with learning how to dance like the Irish. Asheville Performing Arts Academy can help you get moving with Irish Dance. 

Carpenter Academy of Irish Dance (CAID) 

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy partners with the Carpenter School of Irish Dance to provide fun and creative Irish Dance classes. Our classes range from beginners to competitive dancers. In Asheville, director Heather Gallagher leads children to love and appreciate Irish Dance. A fan of musical theater and Irish dance, Heather adds her own theatrical imagination to the Carpenter Academy. Her theatrical background enables pupils to express themselves via dance in creative ways while remaining true to traditional Irish dance.

From Beginners to Competition Dance Lessons

Regardless of where you are in your Irish Dance journey, APAA offers a class for you. 

Beginner Classes: The Beginner Class is meant to expose new students to Irish Dance's unique style. Basic skills and step work will be taught to the students.

Advanced Beginner Class: Dancers with prior Irish Dance experience should take the Advanced Beginner Class. These dancers will continue to improve their soft shoe technique and step work while also learning fundamental hard shoe moves.

Novie - Champ Class: This class is for Novice, Prizewinner, Preliminary Champion, and Open Champion Level dancers and emphasizes technique, style, and fitness in order to assist dancers in reaching their competitive goals.

Each dancer is evaluated by our certified staff to determine their class placement. 

Asheville Performing Arts Academy serves western North Carolina families by helping instill a passion for the arts for each student. From theater to dance, we have programs for children through teenagers. We would love to answer your questions about our Irish Dance lessons and help you get started pursuing your passion. Contact APAA today for more information about our school.