Coast Life: Irish culture celebrated year-round with dance

D’IBERVILLE, Miss. (WLOX) - St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Irish culture, and a group that meets in D’Iberville celebrates the Irish all year long with dance.

“Everyone can imitate what an Irish jig looks like, but there’s a whole world that people aren’t aware of,” said Amy Bowman, Irish dancer and instructor. “There’s competitive Irish dance where thousands of dancers from around the world gather. It’s this whole universe you wouldn’t know unless you’re in it, but it’s really special.”

Amy Bowman’s been in the world of Irish dancing since she was a child. She now leads classes at the Niall O’Leary School of Irish Dance, giving her the chance to share her love of dance and Irish culture with others.

”I have Irish ancestry,” Bowman said. “There were Irish immigrants here in Biloxi, but that culture isn’t that well represented. There’s not a lot of Irish festivals, live music, or dance, so I’m very passionate about bringing that to the people here on the Coast.”

Emma Moore is a middle school student in Ocean Springs. She started dancing after seeing a performance in person.

”I saw a group, and they were like, ‘Come on up if you want to try it.’ I was like okay, hopped up, and here I am,” Moore said.

Cynthia Young is already hooked on dancing, and she’s only six.

“We do all kinds of Irish dancing steps, my favorite one is two hands,” Young said.

It’s an activity Mariyka Anderson and her nine-year-old daughter Ariya do together.

“One of the best things about Irish dance is anyone at any age can join,” Anderson said. “It’s great for adults and families. That’s just the best part of Irish Dance.”

Anderson’s dancing journey started unexpectedly with an invite from her daughter’s instructor.

“I said, ‘Hey, can I sit in your class?’ She said, ‘Nope, but you can try it,’” Anderson said.

She tried it, and four years later, Anderson is still doing it with her daughter.

”We both are learning the same thing at the same time,” Anderson said. “It’s a lot of fun to go back and forth, practice with each other, and bounce off ideas.”

St. Patrick’s Day brings a full schedule of performances, even though these performers can bring the spirit of green anytime.

“People think you’re Irish dancers, you Irish dance at St. Patrick’s Day, we actually do it throughout the year,” Moore said.

When dancing, it’s easy to feel a connection to the Emerald Isle’s centuries-old legacy.

”Some people start out thinking they’re just taking a dance class, but you quickly learn the steps are tied to the music,” Bowman said. “The music has different rhythms, the tunes have history, and the steps have history. Some of the dances we do are hundreds of years old, so there’s a whole background to the stuff we do, and it opens the door to learning about Ireland and its culture.”

If you’re thinking about taking up Irish Dance, visit the dance school’s website.

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