McGrathIrishDance.com
Title
McGrath Academy of Irish Dance
Description
The Academy Director is Lauren McGrath Dutton, TCRG, who is an accredited Irish Dance Teacher with An Coimisiun (the Irish Dance Commission), in Dublin , Ireland . The McGrath Academy was originally founded in Northern Virginia in 1976 by Lauren's mother, Jeanne McGrath. Lauren and her 3 siblings, John, Patrick and Kathleen have all achieved Championship Dancer status, with Lauren, John and Patrick all achieving a status of World Championship Dancers.
The Academy has produced many prizewinner and champion dancers, as well as excellent performers. Over the years, McGrath Academy students have performed for Senator Ted Kennedy on Capitol Hill, at Vienna 's Wolf Trap Farm Park , the Rose of Tralee Pageant sponsored by Pat Troy, the Manassas St. Patrick 's Day Parade, the Warrenton Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser, and numerous other Washington D.C. functions. In Atlanta, the students have participated in such events as the St. Pat's Parade, the Cherry Blossom Festival in Conyers, at the Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta, and at the Art of the Season for the Scottish Rite & Children's Hospital fundraiser, to mention a few.
Lauren McGrath Dutton began Irish Step-Dancing at the age of two under the instruction of her mother, Jeanne McGrath Pearson. Jeanne ran the McGrath Academy of Irish Dance in the Northern Virginia area for approximately 10 years in the 70's and 80's. Lauren danced competitively as a solo and figure (group) dancer winning hundreds of trophies and medals, ultimately progressing to the Open Championship competition category. Her most recent achievements include qualifying for and dancing in the World Irish Dance Championships in 2003. Lauren has studied Irish Dance with Reagan Wicke, Pauline Malone, Jacky Kennedy, Liam Harney, and of course, Jeanne McGrath Pearson.
