Stepdance for Beginners with Keri: 03 April 2023

Stepdance is a traditional percussive dance form where you use sound from your feet to make rhythms to accompany music, and where better to dance than in the heart of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig?

This course will focus on beginner level covering primarily strathspey & reel steps, & some basic jig steps. You will work towards a solid foundation of basic steps & movements which will give you the building blocks to progress quickly towards intermediate level in the future. Classes will include techniques & tips, attention to rhythm & timing, with room for developing your own personal style.

Please bring comfy, hard-soled shoes which will make a sound, with flexible soles if possible.

About Keri

Keri has been stepdancing for over 30 years, learning originally on one of our own Sabhal Mòr Ostaig short courses under the tuition of Harvey Beaton from Cape Breton. She has taught extensively including numerous courses here at the college.

Keri is renowned for her patience, enthusiasm and encouraging teaching style. The course will be taught with live fiddle music to dance to from Skye’s own Ronan Martin, with daily short Gaelic taster sessions to learn a few phrases over the week. 

Get your shoes laced up, and let’s get started!

About Ronan 

Ronan Martin is one of Scotland’s finest fiddlers. Brought up in a musical family on the Isle of Skye and with a fiddle in his hands by the age of three, he plays the classic dance music of the north and west with toe-tapping energy and an uplifting and joyful style.

Playing for step-dancing has been a strong feature of Ronan’s playing having worked with many Scottish step-dancers and groups including Dannsa, Fred Morrison’s Ceòlas, the Scottish Stepdance Company and Sophie Stevenson. He has taught fiddle on the traditional music course at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and for many years played for their summer step-dance classes working with dancers Harvey Beaton (Cape Breton) and Keri (Scotland).

In 2018, Ronan performed alongside concertina player Frances Wilkins in Quebec for dancers Caroline Reagh (Scotland) and Mac Morin (Cape Breton) at the 350 year celebrations of the Cree community of Waskaganish. In 2008 Ronan released his debut solo album to great critical acclaim. The album was a celebration of Highland traditional fiddle music and featured the fantastic playing of Jonny Hardie from Old Blind Dogs on guitar. Fiddler Magazine (USA) called it “astonishingly crisp and powerful” and “a masterful work of splendour that will endure”.