Naperville Irish dance school still going strong

Back when Barbara McNulty founded the McNulty School of Irish Dance in the basement of a Naperville home in 1971, the reels and jigs of the Emerald Isle weren't nearly as well-known as they are today.

"If we did five shows around St. Patrick's Day, that was huge," McNulty recalled.

The popularity of Irish dance along with the McNulty School of Irish Dance has grown by leaps and bounds - or jumps and kicks - since then.

McNulty Irish Dancers have 114 shows booked for March alone. The school that began with 20 to 25 students now offers classes in nearly 20 locations in Illinois and Iowa, including Arlington Heights, Aurora, Glen Ellyn, Libertyville, Naperville and Villa Park.

Enrollment stands at about 300, a leveling down since the show "Riverdance" boosted the popularity of Irish dance in the 1990s and a reflection of current economic concerns, McNulty said.

But interest in Irish dance has broadened. No longer are most students the children of Irish immigrants trying to maintain a connection to the culture of their homeland, McNulty said.

"Today, it's every background," she said. "Mostly for the love of dance."

Students range in age from 3 to adults. Girls outnumber boys 25 to 1. Most say they are in it for fun and the challenge of learning something new.

Kaija Bole, a 14-year-old who describes herself as "0 percent Irish," said she started taking Irish dance nine years ago after watching it on TV. The North Riverside teen travels to Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn on Friday evenings to take a class with McNulty.

"I stuck with it. I have so many friends," she said. "This is my life, half of it - eat, sleep and dance."

Bole will travel with eight other McNulty dancers to the World Irish Dance Championships in Philadelphia from April 5 to 12 for the first time the competition is held in the United States.

Three students with McNulty recently returned from Ireland where they participated in the All-Ireland Dancing Championships.

Erin Mauren, 13, of Aurora, a six-year student, recalled an earlier trip she took to Ireland with the dance school as a lot of fun. But she said she enjoys "everything" about Irish dance, including performing in shows.

"It's really nice to see the people's faces," she said. "Irish dance is a great activity."

Lauren Callahan, 17, of Oak Park took up Irish dance at the age of 2 after she saw a McNulty show and couldn't stop dancing. She's not ready to quit yet.

"I honestly love it," she said. "I would recommend it to anyone just because it's a lot of fun. You get to learn something new."

McNulty said Irish dancers learn discipline, poise and leadership. Senior dancers are put in charge of shows and learn public speaking skills by making announcements.

Even the youngest of dancers are exhorted to smile while they practice their footwork.

"Now people might actually want to watch you," McNulty tells them.

Students with mild learning disabilities benefit from the repetitiveness of Irish dance and improve their memory skills, McNulty said. Others build on learning abilities they already possess.

"Quite a few of our dancers have been valedictorians. Some have gone on to Fulbright scholarships at colleges," she said.

The students learn five soft-shoe dances before they advance to hard shoes. Fiberglass tips on the toes and heels amplify the sound.

"I can't hear you. Pound it out," McNulty tells a class. "There's no strength in those toes."

Students learn solo dancing, team dancing in groups up to 20 and ceili dancing, a traditional group dance similar to American square dance.

The rapid foot movements of Irish dance might seem a challenge, but McNulty said it's not as hard as it looks.

"People think it's so hard, they don't want to try it," she said. "If we can convince them to get on the floor, they find it doable."

People also may assume Irish dancing is more expensive than it is, McNulty said. While some extravagant costumes can range up to $2,000, they don't have to, she said. The school rents first costumes for dancers at $50 a year with an additional $48 for the shoes and $8 for the socks.

"We have a lot of families who make their own solo costumes," McNulty said.

Irish dancers always have worn their hair in ringlets, but the wigs are for convenience, she said.

"Everyone used to set their own hair," McNulty said of her own days as an Irish dance student. "Because the dancers perform so much, it's easier to have the wigs."

Lessons cost $12 for one hour and $6 for a half-hour. Classes run for three-month sessions with a six-week summer session.

McNulty, who was performing with other Irish dance students at the time a Naperville family tapped her to teach their four daughters, said she's never had time to look back.

"I have a job I absolutely love doing," she said.

For details on McNulty School of Irish Dance, contact mcnultyirishdancers.com or (847) 698-4434.

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