Celtic Motion

Celtic Motion Irish Dance Ensemble is an Indianapolis-based not-for-profit organization of adults dedicated to the enjoyment, perfection, and performance of traditional Irish step dancing with a progressive flair. Members focus on improving their own technique while sharing the craft with the community. 

Celtic Motion traces its beginnings to 1997. In response to the “Riverdance” craze of the mid-1990s, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) continuing education coordinator, Kitty Hughes, added Adult Irish Step Dance as a class in 1997. Dance instructor and choreographer Sherilyn Nott Foley led the course in the basement of Glendale Mall with an average of 30 students. A performing group—Foley’s Footworks—emerged from this group of student dancers after representatives of Circle Centre Mall requested the group perform at the entrance of Nordstrom department store in December of 1998. The show included a mix of Irish, tap, and jazz dances with about 12 adult performers. Within a year, the group had appeared at the Indiana Flower and Patio Show, the Indiana State Fair, and the Christmas Gift and Hobby Show.

Upon Sherilyn Nott Foley’s departure from the group in 2001, the dancers reorganized under the name Celtic Motion. Shelly Symmes helmed the organization, with Maureen McGovern MacDonald leading the dance instruction. The group continued to grow and thrive, adding performances at the National League of Cities event, the Mitchell Persimmon Festival Parade, and the International Festival. When the group’s affiliation with IUPUI ended, the group rented rehearsal space at Dance Creations in Indianapolis. The performers held their 10th-anniversary celebration at the Performing Arts Center in Carmel on March 1, 2008. The event served as both a celebration of Irish dance and a benefit for the American Cancer Society.  

In the years leading up to the group’s 20-year anniversary, rehearsals took place at locations such as the Northminster Presbyterian Church, the Starlite Ballroom, and the Riviera Club. Notable performances in those years included opening for nationally recognized Celtic musicians Emily Ann Thompson, Mother Grove, Pictus, and the globally known Indianapolis Céilí Band. Celtic Motion dancers also appeared as guest performers with The Indianapolis Céilí Band at the Indianapolis Irish Fest for multiple years. From 2013-2015, a small group of Celtic Motion dancers branched out into the world of dance competition, winning first and second place honors in the céilí dance category at the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil. Celtic Motion, which by this point had grown to a record 30 members, celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Frank and Katrina Basile Theater at the Indiana Historical Society on November 10, 2018. 

During the COVID pandemic, Celtic Motion temporarily pivoted to online rehearsals and virtual performances. A year-long celebration of Celtic Motion’s 25th anniversary filled 2023 with special events such as a professional photo shoot, an Alumni Day at the Indiana State Fair, special performances with the Circle City Cloggers, and a 25th Anniversary Holiday Showcase on December 3, 2023.