Student Profile

Name: Nic Gareiss, Study Abroad 2007-2008
Home College: Central Michigan University, MI
Major: Anthropology/Music

"My time at the University of Limerick was enhanced by my studies at the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance. Here, in a laboratory-styled environment of inquiry and exploration, I was encouraged and challenged both as a performer and as a scholar of Irish Music & Dance. The amazing faculty of singers, dancers, musicians and ethnomusicologists is simply unrivalled in any other institution. There is no other place in the world where you can study Irish music and dance the way you can here: both as a practitioner, with some of the finest players on the scene (the likes of Niall Keegan, Colin Dunne, Siobhan Peoples) and also the finest minds who are deconstructing and analyzing this music. The library has a HUGE selection of titles on traditional music and dance from collections to master theses. The program at the academy is incredibly holistic. Dancers like myself follow a course pattern of private lessons in your primary dance focus (for me this was Irish dancing) but are also exposed to many different forms of dance. During the nine months I spent at the IWAMD, I was able to participate in weekly modern dance, yoga and Cape Breton step dance classes as well has having master classes in West African dance, English clog-dancing, Irish sean-nos, and American tap. Not only was I challenged as a dancer, I also developed musically. At the IWAMD, there is a strong emphasis upon the connections between musicians and dancers. For me this meant taking weekly lessons on the Irish bouzouki. For musicians and singers, there are dance and song classes for the whole year to participate in. This contributes to a strong sense of community amongst all the students at the academy as we all play, sing and dance together.
During my year at the Irish World Academy, I was given opportunities to dance with The Chieftains, Mick Donegan, and former leads from Riverdance, making valuable contacts in the world of music performance, giving me opportunities I never would have imagined. My year performed at the European Intercultural Festival in Rouen, France, allowing me the opportunity to showcase my work on the international stage. For anyone considering a career or even just furthering your knowledge of Irish music & dance, studying abroad at the Irish World Academy at the University of Limerick is something I would highly recommend"