Workshops

Sean-nós Northwest offers enriching, hands-on workshops on the Saturday and Sunday of the festival. Registration is required for the weekend overall, but registrants can choose independently which workshops to attend. On each days there are two AM workshop blocks of roughly 1.5 hours each (punctuated by a tea break and then longer lunch break) followed by one PM workshop block (also roughly 1.5 hours). During these blocks of time, there will be at least one workshop in each of the following cultural practices:

Sean-nós singing (amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós)
Sean-nós and vernacular dancing (damhsa ar an sean-nós agus damhsa dúchasach)
Irish language* (An Ghaeilge)
Traditional instrumental music (both performance techniques and tunes)

There is also at least one workshop in each of these blocks that is appropriate for beginners. We encourage participants new to SNNW to explore as many of the cultural practices on offer as one can in order to gain foundational knowledge. However, you may choose to focus on one practice that particularly speaks to your heart. Masterclasses for participants with advanced skills may also be offered. Further information on these masterclasses will be provided at the event itself.

*The Irish language is given special reverence at SNNW as it is the root of many of the cultural practices showcased at our festival. For this reason, there will be a small block of time in the morning for Irish language workshops focused on speaking, building skill, or gaining context for the language. This block of time pairs participants’ capacity for learning with a celebration of the language. We invite you to engage with the language at a level that feels comfortable to you.

Emma O’Sullivan teaches a dance class (photo by Angeline LeLeux)

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Thursday night - Community event

Community Concert (featuring our musical guests, session to follow)

If you can’t participate during the weekend, please consider attending the community concert. The workshop instructors perform on Thursday evening, demonstrating their respective areas of expertise. It is a wonderful opportunity to see and hear some of the best traditional dancing, music, singing, and storytelling around!

Friday night - community event

All-Sets Community Céilí (called set dances with live music and session to follow)

SATURDAY & SUNDAY - WORKSHOPS & COMMUNITY EVENTS

Barrel-dancing and half-door dancing exhibitions, sessions, and singing circles to be held in our most revered institutions including Kells Restaurant and Bar in Downtown Portland and T. C. O’Leary’s Pub in the Alberta Street Arts District.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

What Should I Bring And Wear?

This is a casual festival, therefore, dress for comfort. However, since it is May in the Pacific Northwest, we recommend you wear layers to account for the ever-changing weather. We also recommend that you bring paper and a writing implement, an audio/video recording device, a refillable water bottle, and snacks to accommodate your nutritional needs between workshops . If you're enrolled in dance workshops, please bring non-marking, low-heeled, slick-bottomed shoes (e.g. character shoes, leather or plastic-soled dress shoes). No metal taps or fiberglass-tipped Irish step-dancing shoes. The shoe types suggested really do make a difference to your learning experience, so take these suggestions into serious consideration, please.

What About Lunch?

SNNW does not provide lunch to participants. However, feel free to bring your own lunch with you but be aware there may not be amenities to reheat or cook food at the festival venue. The venue is conveniently located, so you may choose to head out on foot to the many eateries and food carts in the neighborhood.

health note!

Singing, dancing, and playing wind instruments are all high-transmission activities related to COVID-19. To avoid a superspreading event, we ask all attendees to acknowledge their personal responsibility regarding public health and best practices utilized to keep everyone safe. These practices include vaccination against COVID-19, not attending the event if feeling unwell, testing before the event to assure a non-positive COVID-19 result, and wearing a mask to protect oneself against transmission of disease - especially if you are particularly vulnerable to disease. Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine!

DAILY SCHEDULE

  Saturday Schedule
  
    9:00 am - 9:30 am
    Check-in - all attendees please come to the lobby to pick up your registration packet
  
    9:30 am - 10:00 am
    Welcome and Building Orientation
   
	10:00 am - 11:15 am
    Workshop 1
 
    Gaeilge: 

Singing: 

Dance: 

Music: 

    11:15 am - 12:30 pm
    Workshop 2

    Gaeilge: 

Singing: 

Dance: 

Music: 

  12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
  Lunch on your own
  
  2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
  Workshop 3

    Gaeilge: 

Singing: 

Dance: 

Music: 

  3:15 pm - 3:45 pm
  Tea and Treats - Lobby

  3:45 pm - 5:00 pm
  Halfdoor & Barrel Dancing Exhibition 

    Kells Irish Restaurant SW 2nd

  5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
  Dinner on your own

  7:00 pm - 9:15 pm
  Craic, ceol, is damhsa -

  Sunday Schedule
      9:00 am - 9:30 am
    Check-in - all attendees please come to the lobby to pick up your registration packet
  
    9:30 am - 10:00 am
    Welcome and Building Orientation
   
    10:00 am - 11:15 am
    Workshop 4
 
      Gaeilge: 

Singing: 

Dance: 

Music: 

    11:15 am - 12:30 pm
  Workshop 5

    Gaeilge: 

Singing: 

Dance: 

Music: 

    12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
    Lunch on your own    
    
  2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
  Workshop 6

    Gaeilge: 

Singing: 

Dance: 

Music: 

  3:15 pm - 3:45 pm
  Tea and Treats - Lobby

  3:45 pm - 5:00 pm
The Big Sing

    T.C. O'Leary's Pub 2926 NE Alberta St.

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
  Dinner on your own
  6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
  Craic, ceol, is damhsa agus slán abhaile!