McNulty School of Irish Dance

McNulty School of Irish Dance offers Irish dance lessons where dancers learn both solo and team dances. Students begin learning in Irish soft dance shoes and then progress to heavy shoe dances over time. The school also provides performances for concerts, corporate events, traditional shows, weddings, and educational programs.

• Ages: 3–18 years old

The McNulty School of Irish Dance was founded by Barbara McNulty T.C.R.G. in 1971 in Naperville, Illinois. The leadership team includes Barbara McNulty T.C.R.G, Kaija Bole T.C.R.G, Heather Dusek, Shailagh Gibbons, and Emily Allen. The school is recognized by An Coimisiun (the Irish Dance Commission in Dublin, Ireland) and the North American and Mid-American Irish Dance Teachers Associations. The McNulty School offers pre-school, youth, teen, and adult classes, and all students have the opportunity to perform and compete. The school offers Irish dance lessons throughout the Chicago suburban area, in Rockford, Illinois, Dubuque, Iowa, and Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The mission of the program states that Irish dance is viewed as an art form to be cherished, passed on to children, and shared with the world, and that the program strives to support and encourage dancers by providing praise, discipline, and the opportunity to perform.

Last updated February 5, 2026.