Member Article

New era for Doherty Petri School of Irish Dance and Eire Designs

The Doherty Petri School of Irish Dance and Eire Designs have launched their new state of the art premises in Boucher Way, Belfast, representing a significant investment and funding by Invest NI and Ulster Bank.

The new 8,000sq ft premises includes two dance studios, a costume design studio and manufacturing facilities and comes as a result of increasing demand for Irish dancing classes at one of the world’s leading schools, which has been responsible for producing in excess of 37 world champion dancers over the last 14 years.

Gavin Doherty, director, Doherty Petri School of Irish Dance and Eire Designs explains why the move was so important. “We needed to move to a central location in order to open ourselves up to a growing audience and meet the requirement for more classes. The new premises also offered the opportunity to incorporate our successful design studio and manufacturing facility, which currently employs 30 and pave the way for expansion. Our aim is to create 15 new jobs in the next 18 months.”

Speaking about the new premises Seaneen O’Neill, director, Doherty Petri School of Irish Dance said “The new premises are not only an investment in our company, but the children and athletes we are working with every day. Irish dancing is a great form of exercise for both the mind and the body and offers an opportunity to travel the world and experience different cultures while competing against the very best dancers globally. We are hoping that the new premises will assist us in taking on additional students in 2015 and further growing the school – and sport – in Ireland.”

The Doherty Petri School of Irish Dance formed in 2013 as a result of the on-going success of both the Doherty School of Irish Dancing, Ireland, and Petri School of Irish Dance in New York. The dance studios in Ireland and New York are headed up by the Doherty family including Gavin, Doherty and sisters Seaneen O’Neill and Caoimhe Doherty and Lisa and Karen Petri who collectively have 70 years’ experience in the sport. Working hand in hand, both studios offer pupils a dynamic range of training, Irish dancing classes and unrivalled support, resulting in world class dancers every year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ursula .