Cormac O Sé
Cormac was born in Dublin into an Irish Dancing family. His parents Aine and Seamus O’Sé had him growing up in the heart of Ireland’s dance, music, and cultural scene. He began taking accordion lessons from Gerry Nulty, a well known accordion player from Dublin at the age of 6. He both played and danced in numerous music shows, in corporate and concert events in Ireland, in Folk Festivals across Europe, and in travelling the US, doing Master Classes and Workshops with his family.
Cormac had a great Irish Dancing Career, placing at many World and All-Ireland Championships and winning several World and All-Ireland Ceilis. He was a dancer in the original performance of Riverdance with Michael Flatley and Jean Butler on worldwide television in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 and went on to add 6 years touring the world with Riverdance – The Show, giving more than 2000 performances, across four continents to over two million people. He can be seen in the original film, Riverdance, The Show; in Riverdance at Radio City; in Riverdance, A Journey; and in The Best of Riverdance.
Cormac became a T.C.R.G in 2006 and now lives in Minneapolis, MN as director of O’Shea Irish Dance – a 300 student strong dance school where he prepares students for competitive dancing and just for fun. He is furthermore excited to be carrying on the tradition of sharing the culture, having founded a cultural center in St. Paul, MN for the Celtic Arts of dance, music, arts and language, called The Celtic Junction. The center features rehearsal space and a concert venue primarily for traditional and acoustic music. It is also home to the Center for Irish Music and Irish Fair of MN.
He has been playing for feiseanna across the US and Canada including the National American Championships. His sound engineering and stage experience has led him to produce numerous public, corporate and private music and dance events in both Ireland and the US, many of which are the The Celtic Junction Arts Center.
Natalie O'Shea
Natalie is owner of The Celtic Junction , a center for traditional arts in Saint Paul and Executive Director of the Celtic Junction Arts Center, a 501c3 non-profit that is housed in The Celtic Junction and includes the Eoin McKiernan Library.
She is a co-founder of O'Shea Irish Dance, teaches actively with her husband Cormac, whom she met while touring internationally with Riverdance. She is also founding Vice President of The Center for Irish Music, St. Paul, MN and of Theater M, New York, NY. She is currently creating a youth program for acting & the creation of original theatrical works with Julia Carey at The Celtic Junction.
Writer and Director at Stepping Stone Theater for Kickin' It Irish & for Get Up Your Irish, (Story of an Immigrant Boy) both original works featuring music, dance & local history. Assistant Director to Julia Carey, for multiple works at Guildford School of Acting, London, & NY School for Film and Television as well as for productions in NY's Off-Broadway at the John Houseman Theater, Judith Anderson Theater, The Theaters at 45 Bleeker Street, Circle Repertory Theater and The Mint Theater. She has extensive design experience, having served 6 years as Scenic & Lighting Resident Designer of the Theater Exchange, Minneapolis & Theater M, NY; spanned Manhattan doing corporate and headliner events for Mariah Carey, Jamiroquoi, Take That and with See Factor, NY & has a dozen local Twin Cities Theater lighting designs to her credit, including The Ordway, for Carmel Quinn in Concert and other productions at The Theater Garage, Park Square Theater, Teatro del Pueblo, The Southern, Teatro Latino, The Illusion Theater and Theater de la June Lune. A Field Rep for Vari*light, London, England she trained in WholeHog & WYSIWYG; Assistant Production Director for the Minnesota Opera Company; Assistant Lighting Designer for the Guthrie Theater; B.A. Graduate of Theater from St. Olaf College. Teaching experience includes Dance, Art, Creative Dramatics and Character Study.
Natalie had early dance Training in ballet, tap & jazz at Pat Peare School of Dance & for musical theater training. She continued her training with the St. Olaf College Dance Department; Ballet with Susan Bauer, Modern Dance with Judith Rock & Sherri Saterstrom; Tap with Toni Rizzo; Renaissance & International Folk Dance with Anne Von Bibra. She continued with additional Ballet training at Minnesota Dance Theater and Irish Dance Training with Scoil Rince Uí Shé & Cormac O'Sé.
Sarah Ann Weaver
Sarah has a decade of teaching experience and nearly three decades of dancing experience. This includes intensive study of ballet and modern dance. She has danced with Oregon Festival Ballet Children's Company, Macalester's Dance Ensemble, appeared in Glass Opus and Sharon Varosh's choreography at various Twin City venues. Sarah currently teaches ballet, creative movement, and lyrical at 5 Star Dance Studio. She is a licensed classroom science teacher and works part-time for both Saint Paul Public Schools and the University of Minnesota. Sarah is thrilled to share the joy of movement and Irish tradition with your family.
Becky Bollinger
Becky spent her 5th birthday in ballet class and has been involved in dance or performing ever since. She took ballet classes for 10 years, first through Community Ed, then with Classical Ballet Academy. She discovered Irish dance at the “young” age of 19 when a friend asked her if she wanted to take free classes at a neighboring college. Becky loved it so much that she began performing and competing with Scoil na d’Tri Irish Dance Academy working her way up to Preliminary Championship, then teaching the adult classes and assisting in other classes. When Scoil na d’Tri closed in 2009, Becky began taking classes with O’Shea Irish Dance. Becky currently teaches pre-beginner, beginner, and adult classes. She works as a behavior specialist for a group home company. In her spare time, she takes whistle and harp classes with Center for Irish Music and dances with Knocknagow Irish Dancers and Mooncoin Ceili Dancers.
Evan Lowe
Evan is a competitive Irish dancer training under Cormac O’Sé and the 2014 National Champion for U19 Men! After winning 1st place in his age group at Chicago’s Mid American Regional Competition in 2010, he has continued to compete successfully at the regional, national, and world levels. While Evan loves the thrill of competition his love for dance is even stronger.
Evan has studied both Irish and Japanese dance, has done the Ring of Kerry at various venues with Cherish The Ladies, and has performed with the Duluth Symphony Orchestra at the Duluth Symphony Hall. His performance credits include the leading role of Padraic in the play "Get Up Your Irish" which debuted at Steppingstone Theatre March of 2011.
Evan is patient and caring with our young dancers modeling both discipline and heart.