IRISH STEPDANCE Classes at the 214 Community Arts Center.
BRIMS offers Irish stepdance classes for all ages at the 214 Community Arts Center on Thursday evenings.
Beginner (age 6-teen) 3:30-4:30pm, Adv Beginner 4:30-5:30pm, Intermediate 5:30-6:30pm and Advanced 6:30-7:30pm
Advanced beginner class for children is held on Fridays 3:00-4:30 Instructor: Lori Madden
Fees are due monthly. $10/class for BRIMS members (non-BRIMS pay $15/class)
Please contact Lori Madden for class placement, fees and more information at her office: 434-409-9631 or email:lorima@juno.com.

The Blue Ridge Irish Music School will be starting a new monthly program for those interested in IRISH CÉILÍ BAND music and instruction.
For more information and to register (class size will be limited and BRIMS members will be given priority), please email CarolLash@aol.com.
The BRIMS ceili band class, led by Carol Lash and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, will meet the 3rd Wed. evening each month 7:30 p.m. (starting Sep. 19) to prepare to play from 7 to 8 pm at the BRIMS ceili on the first Sunday of the following month. (From 8 to 9:30 p.m. at each ceili a "featured band of the month" provides the dance music.) The class and the ceili will be at 214 Rugby Rd. Charlottesville (214 Community Arts Center) Class cost would be $3 for BRIMS members and $5 for nonmembers to cover facility rental. A list of tunes would be available a few weeks before the Wed. class for participants to practice before coming to class. These would be commonly-played Irish session tunes appropriate for the dances to be taught at the ceili. Participants may choose to play along with any or all of the tunes on the list. Sources for tunes will be suggested (both recordings and printed music) but a goal will be to perform without printed music. Chord progressions will be pre-determined so that accompaniment players mesh well. A tune list might include about 5 jigs, 5 reels, 5 polkas, a waltz, perhaps some slides and hornpipes. Formats of tune medleys will be discussed at class. Tempos will be moderately-fast, about 120 bpm for jigs and polkas and about 100 bpm for reels. Typical instruments include fiddles, flutes, whistles, accordions, bouzoukis, banjos, guitars, one piano, and a few drums. Other instruments can work OK too.

The Blue Ridge Irish Music School will be presenting a monthly Irish CÉILÍ (social dance party) with live music and instruction, on first Sundays, October through May, at the 214 Community Arts Center, 214 Rugby Rd in Charlottesville. Beginner instruction and family friendly dancing for all ages 4:00 to 6:00. Non-alcoholic beverages and snacks for sale. Everyone welcome including spectators. $7 adults, $4 under age 16 (BRIMS members pay $5/$2) at the door. For more information, please call 434-409-9631 or email to brimstunes@yahoo.com
BRIMS holds special event céilís several times during the year, with coveted callers and musicians from far away (Timmy "The Brit" McCarthy is a regular visitor and caller/musician).

Irish Stepdance Classes in Harrisonburg
Contact Emily Oleson at olesonek@hotmail.com.

Piano and Fiddle Classes with Cleek Schrey:
Cleek Schrey will be offering private classes in Irish fiddle or Irish piano accompaniment. For more information e-mail to cleekschrey@gmail.com or call 434-409-5409.

DADGAD Guitar Lessons with Ryan McGiver:
Offering lessons in open DADGAD tuning for Irish accompaniment, flatpicking and fingerstyle guitar. Lessons emphasize theory, accompaniment, melody and counterpoint in the Irish and American folk traditions. Learn how to properly back songs, tunes and play melodies on the guitar in this brilliant tuning.

Ryan McGiver is a sought after traditional Irish music accompanist on both sides of the Atlantic. Specializing in open string tunings, Ryan plays fingerstyle guitar in an evocative harp-like and piping manner. His music has been showcased on national Irish radio and he has toured throughout the United States, Europe, Australia and Asia.