Teams from Rince Nua Irish Dance Studio in Maple Grove traveled to Ireland this summer to compete in the World Irish Dance Championship, a competition hosted by Cumann Rince Naisiunta—Ireland’s national dance association.
Erin Cooney opened Rince Nua (pronounced ring-keh nua) two years ago, after 10 years of teaching Irish classes at other dance studios and traveling to Ireland to complete a teacher training test. The dance studio has about 90 students total, ranging from 3-year-olds to 50-year-olds. Most of the students, however, are between 7 and 16.
At the World Irish Dance Championship this year, Rince Nua’s figure team, which performed choreography based on an Irish folktale, took third place. The studio’s freestyle dance team took fifth place. Three soloists placed as well: Irelandrose Langer tied for 10th place in the under-14 division, Alyssah O’Neill took fifth place in the under-17 division, and Alexandra Hartlein took 10th place in the under-17 division. Maith go leor!
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Rince Nua welcomes dancers of all ages and backgrounds. For more information, visit rincenua.com.
