Westwood hosts Irish stepdancing

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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter

The Greene-O’Leary School of Dance is the longest running Irish dancing school in New England. Established in Glasgow in 1940, they relocated to Boston in 1962. On Wednesday, the school gave a presentation at the Westwood Public Library, spreading the joy of Irish dance to all those who came. “In March, we go all different places,” Brianna Sullivan said. A student of the school, Brianna has been dancing since she was 4. Now, at 18, she is still an avid student, and lover of the art.

The Greene-O’Leary School provides classes for students who wish to compete, as well as those who simply wish to dance recreationally. While both options are available, students of the school have won awards at all levels. One of the most amazing stories is of Brianna’s brother, Daniel Sullivan. Daniel won the first place solo title at the National Championships for the fifth time this year. “My brother started dancing when he was two. He could basically dance before he could walk,” Brianna said. Despite her presentation of this fact as seemingly normal, Daniel’s dancing is exceptional, and seems far beyond his years.

March is a busy month for the school, with St. Patrick’s Day on the 17. “On Saturday, we’ll be at Patriots Place to perform, so we travel all over during March,” Brianna explained. “Pretty much everyone at our school is Irish. There’s some people from other cultures, but it’s mostly Irish,” she said.

Despite being performed by mostly those of Irish descent, the performances are enjoyed by those of all backgrounds. “It’s so fun! I would tell anyone to do it. You make so many friends. It’s really awesome,” Brianna said.

After fourteen years of dance, Brianna’s opinion is one to be trusted.