Teelin Irish Dance Company is known for performances that accentuate the energy of Irish dance with cutting edge choreography. From the graceful beauty of jigs and reels, to the thundering beat of percussive dance, a performance by this company leaves audience members at the edge of their seats, wishing for more!
Based in Columbia, Maryland, the Teelin Irish Dance Company has graced stages locally, nationally, and internationally since 2001. Some of these stages include The Kennedy Center, Lyric Opera House, Meyerhoff, Weinberg, Carrol County Arts Center, Turning Stone Resort and Casino in New York, and Jacobs Pillow. They have also performed alongside many other artists including The Young Irelanders, Cherish the Ladies, Gaelic Storm, and Eileen Ivers. In addition to numerous performances at public, private and corporate events, Teelin Irish Dance Company is also well known for its original productions of feature-length stage shows: Portraits of Ireland (2006-2011), StepDance (2012-2013), Sláinte (2014), and Celtic Storm (2016-2019).
Whether interested in tradition or innovation, the high energy of a performance by the Teelin Irish Dance Company is sure to capture any audience.
Maureen Berry, BFA, TCRG, Director
Maureen is the Director of the Teelin Irish Dance Company and Owner/Director of the Teelin School of Irish Dance. In addition to Irish Step, her extensive dance training ranges from modern, ballet, tap and jazz to salsa and Appalachian clogging. After attending a performing arts high school in New Jersey, Maureen received her BFA degree in Dance Performance from Towson University.
Highlights of Maureen’s career include full-time performer with Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble and choreographer/performer in a John Paul Jones music video for the music group Uncle Earl in 2007. In 2009, Maureen was the top recipient of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) Individual Artist Award for Dance Choreography. Maureen produced, choreographed and starred in the highly successful productions of Portraits of Ireland (2006 – 2011), StepDance (2012-2013), and Sláinte (2014).
Maureen is on a mission to become the world’s coolest accordion playing paddleboard champion.
Ben Koolbeck, Rehearsal Captain
Ben has been Irish dancing since 2005, currently competes as an Open Champion, and is a longtime member of the Teelin Irish Dance Company. Having started at Teelin as a beginner student himself, Ben enjoys the opportunity to assist in the training of Irish dancers who are also working their way through Teelin School’s program. Outside of Teelin, Ben is a student at UMBC pursuing a degree in Computer Science.
Katie Miskelly, Kerry Troupe Director
Katie began her dance career in ballet, then started Irish dancing at the age of 7, and she has been dancing with Teelin ever since. She actively competes at the Open Champion Level and has competed at the World and All-Ireland Championships. Katie joined the Teelin Irish Dance Company at 9 years old and is currently the Director of the TIDC Kerry Troupe. She is pursuing a degree in Business Administration and is also working through the requirements necessary to take her TCRG exams to become a certified Irish dancing teacher.