Coyle School of Irish Dance: About Us

The Coyle School of Irish Dance strives to instill in each student a respect for Irish culture by teaching various aspects of traditional Irish dancing. The school is committed to promoting teamwork among its students which in turn helps foster a family atmosphere within the school. Above all, it is important that each student enjoys his or her experiences with Irish dancing. Currently, the school has two chapters with five certified dance teachers, three of which are certified adjudicators, who conduct recreational and competition classes for over 250 students in seven locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

The Coyle School's roots can be traced back to 1971 in Philadelphia when Mr. and Mrs. Edward Coyle enrolled their daughters, Grace Ann and Eileen in Irish dance classes taught by Mr. Peter Dougherty originally of Co. Derry, Ireland. Mr. and Mrs. Coyle also hail from Ireland - "Eddie" from Carrigart, Co. Donegal, and "Peg" from Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. Their wish was to allow their daughters to experience and appreciate their Irish heritage. After Mr. Dougherty's resignation, two of his students, Ms. Bridie Logue Norquist and Mr. Michael Barlow took over teaching his classes. Three years later, the youngest Coyle sister, Colleen, began Irish dance lessons at age four. For the next several years the three sisters took part in numerous competitions throughout the Eastern U.S. and performed at many public and private events. In 1981 Grace Ann Coyle the "oldest" student was asked to lead the school. It was then that the school was officially "adopted" by the Coyle Family. Today the school is proud to have classes in seven locations taught by five certified teachers, three being certified adjudicators. Mr. and Mrs. Coyle could never have guessed in 1971 that their daughters would become so instrumental in spreading Irish culture through its dance.

Curled hair, polished dancing shoes, embroidered dresses, practiced steps, and butterflied nerves . . . these are the essentials for a feis (fesh), an Irish dancing competition. I know this first hand since I have been a "Feis Mom" for the past thirty years. I must say, my role as a "Feis Mom" has gone through many transformations over the past thirty years as has Irish Dancing itself.

My career as a "Feis Mom" began in 1972 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Roxborough, Philadelphia. This was the first competition my two older daughters, Grace Ann and Eileen, attended. At the time, I thought the competition was a wonderful way for the girls to show their talents in Irish dancing. That day the girls were awarded small medals and certificates of merit for a job well done. But as a family, that first competition gave us so much more. We quickly found ourselves traveling the feis circuit from Gaelic Park in the Bronx, NY, to Glen Echo State Park in VA. Our youngest daughter, Colleen, soon joined the family dancing tradition and so our trips to competitions truly became family experiences.

After my daughters "retired" from their competing careers, my role as a "Feis Mom" actually grew. All three daughters took the necessary exams and became certified Irish dance teachers through An Cuimision le Rince Gaelica, the official Irish dancing commission. Grace Ann and Eileen were certified to teach in 1990 and began the Coyle School of Irish Dance. Colleen passed her exam in 1993 and joined her sisters teaching in the school. Of course the girls wanted to share their positive feis experiences and so they encouraged their students to participate in competitions. At competitions I then became a "Feis Mom" to well over 100 children and adults. I began to get quite familiar with the students and their families. I enjoyed encouraging my daughtersą students in their competing efforts and I got just as nervous for them as I did for my own three daughters. Although the steps have changed and the costumes have become more ornate, I feel that I have much to pass on to my daughtersą dancing families through our own familyąs feis experiences.

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