Rince na Chroi (pronounced Rink-a na Cree) is Gaelic for “dance of the heart.” Katie Stephens founded the St. Paul-based Irish dance school in February of 2003 after 15 years of Irish dancing and teaching experience in Milwaukee, Chicago and St. Paul.

At Rince na Chroi, we strive to help students get the most out of their Irish dancing experience, whether that means simply learning a few steps or training to become an advanced Irish dancer.  We have Irish dancers as young as three years old, up through adults. 

Since Rince na Chroi opened its doors, we have grown from about 15 Irish dancers to over 150.  In the past few years, the group has performed all over the Twin Cities, including appearances in places like the Landmark Center, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts and the Guthrie Theater.  Recent appearances have included the Kare 11 news, the Metrodome at Twins’ Irish Heritage Night and the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival.  We have also performed with well-known musicians like Natalie MacMaster, Gaelic Storm and Eileen Ivers.  Locally, we participate in numerous Irish cultural events and perform with groups such as 5 Mile Chase, Clairseach and the Minnesota Police Pipe Band.

Rince na Chroi encourages open communication between dancers, parents and the teaching staff. Our purpose is to provide a positive, fun learning atmosphere for all of our students.  Our students are friends, both in and out of the classroom.  We strive to instill a sense of belonging, school spirit and confidence in each and every Rince na Chroi Irish dancer.