Current offerings:
- Beginning Irish Dance lessons in Kearney, NE
- Workshops for private events or dance schools
- Hosting/producing Celtic music radio show
- Available to perform for festivals, concerts, schools &
other events
- Live Irish sessions (music jam sessions)
- Promoting the Celtic fine and performing arts
Feel free to take a look around the site to see what fun opportunities we may have for you. Also, don't forget to check out our Twitter and Facebook pages for the most up-to-date happenings in the realm of the Thunder on the Plains Project. We'd love to hear from you!
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About the Founder and Executive Director:
Cassandra has been Irish Dancing for over 13 years - her primary focus in the past has been on Ceili Dancing (Irish Social Dancing). However, over the past decade she has begun furthering her education on Irish Step Dancing, studying in workshop and classroom settings under Catherine Shearer-Bishop, Jenny Carroll & Colin Dunne, former lead dancer from Riverdance. Cassandra currently trains in Traditional Irish Dance under Noreen Northrop with the Corry Academy of Irish Dance in Andover, KS, and Modern Irish dance under Adrian Murphy of London, England.
Her enthusiasm towards dance and Irish Music is contagious, as is her joy of sharing it with others.
About our Administrative Director:
Susan has been Irish Dancing for over 6 years - originally with the Lincoln Irish Dancers. Susan's background from Lincoln is rich with Step Dance and Sean Nós flavorings and a pinch of Ceili for fun. She too attended workshop and classroom settings under Catherine Shearer-Bishop, Máirtín de Cógáin & Colin Dunne, former lead dancer from Riverdance. She also is an active member of the Celtic music community, and plays pennywhistle, flute and guitar, among other instruments (5-gallon water bucket, anyone?). With Cassandra, Susan also trains with the Corry Academy of Irish Dance and Adrian Murphy.
Susan is our diligent task-master and queen of positive attitudes. She keeps the smiles coming and the beats consistent.
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Thunder Craic (pronounced "crack") is an elite performance troupe of Irish dancers and musicians.
Our dancers have performed onstage with popular Celtic bands such as Gaelic Storm, the Elders, Young Dubliners, and Miles from Dublin. We have training in Irish softshoe and hardshoe, and also have experience with Sean Nos dance. By incorporating a retinue of Irish instruments, Thunder Craic is able to provide performances for a multitude of audiences and venues. Because of this, we are able to be much more flexible with our performing and pricing, and provide you with quality personal contact prior to each performance.
Above all, we want to make sure your needs are fully met for whatever event you are planning. We are able to incorporate more music/dance colleagues should your needs require them. If you give us your idea, and we are unable to fulfill your plans with our resources, we will be honest with you and gladly refer you to another organization in our network that may serve you better.
So, whether you are looking for a five-minute cameo at your gas station, or a 30-minute non-stop dancing storm at your wedding, consider Thunder Craic to get the hooley happening!
Thunder Craic
A Céilidh or céilí (pronounced "kay-lee") is a social event, typically with Celtic music and dancing. The word céilidh is Scottish Gaelic for 'visit', denoting the event's origin as an informal, home gathering. The music is cheerful and lively, and the basic steps can be learned easily; a short instructional session is often provided for new dancers before the start of the dance itself.
This is also a form of dancing in Ireland: e. g. the "Siege of Ennis", "The Walls of Limerick" and "The Stack of Barley" being the most popular dances in this genre; some of the céilidh dance formations are named after famous historical battles and events, others after items of daily rural life as the last three examples show.
Stepdancing as a modern form is descended directly from Sean-Nós stepdancing. Irish stepdancing is primarily done in competitions, public performances or other formal settings and falls into two broad categories based on the shoes worn: hard shoe and soft shoe dances.
Soft shoe dances include the reel, slip jig, light jig, and single jig. Hard shoe dances include the hornpipe, in 2/4 time, the treble jig, in a slow 6/8, the treble reel, and traditional sets, which are a group of 36 dances with set music and steps. There are also more advanced "non-traditional sets" done by advanced dancers. These have set music, but not steps.
Set dances are folk dances of Ireland based on French quadrilles. Most are done in square sets of four couples and consist of several "figures" each of which has a number of parts. The sets themselves come from various parts of Ireland are often named for their place of origin, such as the Corofin Plain Set or the Clare Lancers Set. The music used can be reels, jigs, slides or polkas.
This is an old style traditional form of dancing that originated in the Connemara region (west coast of Ireland). This is a low to ground stepping out to the music, very relaxed, similar to tap dance. Sean Nos dancing is a very impromptu, rhythmic, and low key accompaniment to a lively traditional Irish band. These are typically done as a solo performer or in very small groups and are well suited to all ages. (Often times the best sean nos dancers are the old timers in the dark corners of the pub.)
Click for information about our performance troupe.
Lessons/Workshops
Susan and Cassandra are both available to teach workshops or Irish dance lessons. Please contact us for more details.
There are many opportunities to learn Irish dance in your area; please contact us if you need help finding one.
Definitions thanks to Hoiland's, Duffy School of Irish Dance
andreference.com.
Sessions
The Thunder on the Plains Project hosts Irish music sessions the first Tuesday of every month at Crescent Moon Coffee, 8th & P St., in Lincoln, Nebraska. If you are in the region and would like to participate, please contact us at thunderontheplains_yahoo.com or (402) 215-7354.
Irish traditional music sessions are mostly informal gatherings at which people play Irish traditional music. The objective in a session is not to provide music for an audience of passive listeners; although people often come for the express purpose of listening, the music is most of all for the musicians themselves.
Sessions are usually held in public meeting places, such as pubs or coffee houses, are a great way to socialize, and a perfect setting for beginning musicians to practice in a group setting.
Concerts
Check out our Events calendar for Celtic music opportunities around the area. If you know of an event not yet listed, please let us know and we will gladly add it! Also, check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for the most up-to-date info on shows and concerts happening through the Midwest.
Performing
If you are Celtic musician looking for a place to perform in the Great Plains region, please contact us for assistance in locating a venue, from a small house concert to a city-wide block party!
Listen to Thunder on the Plains,
our Celtic music radio show
every Sunday from 6:00pm-7:00pm
and Tuesday from 1:00pm-2:00pm.
We are found on Lincoln, Nebraska's first and only community radio station, KZUM. Tune in to 89.3FM (if you're in the Lincoln area), or streaming LIVE on www.kzum.org.
We are always looking for new Celtic music, as well as news about events happening throughout the region. If you have any specific music requests, or know of any upcoming events to share with our listeners, please email us at thunderontheplains_yahoo.com.
If you are a Celtic musician looking for some airtime, please contact us! We are always on the lookout for great new tunes and artists to feature - and interview - on our show. We have listeners from all over the world, so your sound will get plenty of exposure! Email us or contact us via our Facebook page, "The Thunder on the Plains Project".
From house concerts to Irish festivals, from wedding planning to Ceilis, we are able to assist with whatever Celtic event you have planned. Contact us with your idea and we will help you make it happen!
thunderontheplains_yahoo.com
(402) 215-7354 (Office)
In brush dance action! Photo courtesy of Nebraska Outback. 2/4/2011
Photo courtesy of Nebraska Outback. 2/4/2011
Dancing for Ken O'Malley at Nebraska Outback House Concert, October 20, 2010. Photo courtesy of Nebraska Outback.
Weston Irish Fest - 2008
Lady Cassandra performs onstage with Brigid's Cross.
Ladies Susan and Cassandra prepare to dance as instructors as guests of the Brennan Irish Dancers.
Lady Susan onstage with Ellis Island
Lady Susan jams in a session with members of Wild Clover Band at Raglan Road.
Lady Susan dances with the Lincoln Irish Dancers in a custom show for Homestead National Monument in Beatrice, NE.
Ladies Susan and Sandra perform their two-hand reel as part of the Lincoln Irish Dancers.
Thunder Craic performs with the Elders in Red Oak, IA.
We love Buzz... and dancing to Buzz's Jig!
Thunder Craic with Keith of the Young Dubliners.
Members of the Lincoln Irish Dancers after a 2-day workshop with the great Colin Dunne, of Riverdance fame.
Ladies Susan and Cassandra dance for Tim & the Animal on 104.1 the Blaze.
Lady Susan performs the Brush Dance.
Please take a minute and visit some of our friends.
The Lincoln Irish Dancers
Colin Dunne
Contra Dance in Lincoln, NE
Corry Academy of Irish Dance
Ellis Island
The Elders
Rowan
Terrence Keefe
Miles from Dublin
Wee Brazen Hussies
Gaelic Storm
Young Dubliners
Enter the Haggis
Beoga
The Fuchsia Band
Searson
POGEY
KZUM
'Thunder on the Plains' Radio Show
Greeley Irish Festival
Weston Irish Festival
Kansas City Irish Festival
Dakota Irish Fair
The Brazenhead Irish Pub
Crescent Moon Coffee
T. Marni Voss
The Lincoln Sessions
The Thunder on the Plains on YouTube
Phone: 402-215-7354
Copyright 2007-2010. The Thunder On The Plains Project, LLC. All rights reserved.
