Central Florida Irish dance academy celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with WESH 2
Sarah Costello Irish Dance Academy joins WESH 2 to honor Irish culture and heritage through traditional dance
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY. THIS IS A DAY FILLED WITH CELEBRATIONS HONORING IRELAND’S PATRON SAINT AND CENTURIES OF IRISH CULTURE, HERITAGE AND TRADITION. PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, ARE TAKING PART AND SHOWING THEIR PRIDE. AND WHAT YOU’RE SEEING IN THIS VIDEO THAT DANCING THE ART OF IT IS JUST ONE WAY TO DO THAT. JOINING ME NOW WE HAVE SARAH COSTELLO OF THE SARAH COSTELLO IRISH DANCE ACADEMY. GOOD TO SEE YOU, SARAH AND PATRICK. STAY HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY AND FREYA KELLY. GOOD MORNING FREYA. GOOD MORNING. OH, WE’RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE YOU ALL HERE. PLUS IN STUDIO WE HAVE DANCERS. THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG TREAT HERE ON SAINT PATRICK’S DAY. SO SARAH, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE ACADEMY AND THE WORK YOU’RE INSTILLING IN THESE YOUNG PEOPLE. SO I ACTUALLY CAME FROM IRELAND ABOUT 14 YEARS AGO. I WAS A PERFORMER AT DISNEY FOR A FEW YEARS. AND THEN WHEN I STOPPED PERFORMING AT DISNEY, I OPENED MY OWN DANCE SCHOOL. THIS WAS A DANCE SCHOOL FOR 13 YEARS, AND WE NOW HAVE TEN LOCATIONS ALL OVER CENTRAL FLORIDA. CONGRATULATIONS! OVER 150 STUDENTS, AND FREYA IS ONE OF OUR STUDENTS. AND SHE WAS ACTUALLY BORN IN IRELAND. YEAH. SO, FREYA TWO, YOU MOVED TO ORLANDO AND HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW? I’M 11. 11. AND SO YOU’RE ONE OF THE STUDENTS HERE. WHAT IS THIS JOURNEY BEEN LIKE COMING FROM IRELAND, MOVING TO AMERICA AND THEN NOW BEING PART OF THIS DANCE SCHOOL? IT’S BEEN AMAZING, REALLY. WHAT DO YOU LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT IRISH DANCE? I LOVE TRAVELING TO COMPETITIONS AND MEETING NEW PEOPLE. YEAH, WELL, WE’RE SO EXCITED THAT WE’RE CELEBRATING SAINT PATRICK’S DAY WITH DANCE. AND LET’S TALK SARAH ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS DANCE MAY LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN SOME OTHER STYLES. YOU KNOW, IT’S DIFFERENT AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE HIP HOP OR POP AND LOCK OR WHATEVER. AND THERE’S A LOT MORE THAT HAPPENS SORT OF BELOW THE SURFACE, RIGHT? KIND OF TALK ABOUT THAT. SO OUR ICE DANCE DATES BACK CENTURIES AND CENTURIES, AND THERE’S LIKE A FAIRY TALE MYTH THAT YOU DON’T MOVE YOUR ARMS BECAUSE WHEN THE ENGLAND ENGLISH WERE IN IRELAND, THEY USED TO HAVE HALF DOORS AND THE PEOPLE WOULD BE PARTYING WITH THEIR FEET. SO THEY SAY, THAT’S WHY WE DANCE WITH OUR LEGS AND OUR ARMS. AND IT’S EVOLVED OVER CENTURIES AND CENTURIES. YEAH, WELL, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL ART FORM. I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING RIVERDANCE AND TO, TO EXPERIENCE THIS, YOU, YOU ALL, AS FREYA MENTIONED, GO TO COMPETITIONS. YOU’RE TRAINING UP YOUNG PEOPLE. HOW HOW OLD IS THE YOUNGEST? LIKE, HOW OLD CAN YOU BE? MY DAUGHTER JUST TURNED THREE AND SHE’S BEEN IN THE CLASSROOM. SHE WAS SIX WEEKS OLD. OH, WHAT? SO BEFORE SHE’S EVEN REALLY CRAWLING AND DEFINITELY BEFORE WALKING, IF WE CAN GET THEM IN, WE’LL GET THEM IN. YEAH, WELL, YOU HAD AN EARLY WALKER AT SIX WEEKS, AND SO LET’S WE’RE GOING TO GET OVER TO OUR DANCERS BECAUSE WE WANT TO SEE YOU. YOU’RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF MUSIC. LET’S LET’S MAKE THAT MOVE OVER THERE. SARAH, PLEASE BE CAREFUL STEPPING UP. WE HAVE SOME STAIRS HERE. THEY’RE GOING TO MAKE THEIR WAY OVER TO OUR DANCERS. AND SARAH, IF YOU WANT TO SAY EVERYBODY’S FIRST NAME, YOU CAN INTRODUCE THEM. AND THEN I’M GOING TO LET YOU TAKE THIS AWAY, OKAY? NO PROBLEM. THIS IS HARPER. THIS IS MADDIE, AND THIS IS KIRSTEN. AND THIS IS AN IRISH DRUM, WHICH IS A BORON. AND WE SAY THAT IN IRISH MUSIC, THE BORON IS THE HEARTBEAT OF IRELAND. ALL RIGHT. OH, THIS IS SO COOL. I’M GONNA COME OVER HERE WITH YOU ALL.
Central Florida Irish dance academy celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with WESH 2
Sarah Costello Irish Dance Academy joins WESH 2 to honor Irish culture and heritage through traditional dance
Updated: 9:35 AM EDT Mar 17, 2026
Sarah Costello Irish Dance Academy joins WESH 2 to honor Irish culture and heritage through a traditional dance performance on St. Patrick’s Day. Click here to learn more.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Sarah Costello Irish Dance Academy joins WESH 2 to honor Irish culture and heritage through a traditional dance performance on St. Patrick’s Day.
Click here to learn more.