Go Kids

Shindig Festival:The popularity of sean nós dancing with a whole new generation will come as no surprise to anyone who watches RTÉ's All-Ireland Talent Show.

Several groups of young dancers turned up to audition before Christmas and the group that made it through, the super talented and very cute looking Sean Nós ar an tSionann, which looks to be mostly made up of primary school-age children, came in in first place last week.

This weekend, the annual and wonderfully named Shindig Festival takes place in Ballyroe Heights Hotel, Ardfert Road, Tralee, Co Kerry. The weekend consists of a series of workshops on all aspects of traditional Irish set dancing.

Open to anyone from complete novices to experienced dancers, workshop participants can learn a range of skills from the basic steps, movements and styles to the advanced battering steps used for the west Clare style of dancing.

Local children will already be prepped for the festival as part of the Shindig Festival Outreach Programme, which has seen dancer teachers Carolyn and Paddy Hanafin touring local schools to introduce pupils to traditional Irish music and set dancing.

Workshops begin today and tomorrow in the hotel at 11am.

* Shindig Festival, 066-7126810, shindigfestival.com