Dancers

CHRIS ARMSTRONG

…is a recent graduate from Hunter College and holds a B.A. in Dance. He is trained in Modern, Irish, Ballet and West African dance. He received his Initial training in Irish step dance from Darrah Carr and Niall O'Leary and has Performed in numerous venues throughout East coast including performances at Town Hall theater production of Irish dance show “STYLE“, ModErin at 42nd Street Duke Theatre, Schermerhorn Performing Arts Theatre at the University of Pennsylvania, and JFK Library in Boston.

LOUISE CORRIGAN

…hails from County Kildare and danced professionally for Dublin-based dance company ‘Celtic Rhythm' from 2001 through 2008, performing regularly in Dublin City and throughout Ireland and Europe at weddings, festivals and corporate events. Based in New York City since August 2008, Corrigan, a certified Irish dance instructor, teaches for the Niall O'Leary School of Irish Dance and performs Darrah Carr Dance, Emerald Fire Dance, and the Niall O'Leary Irish Dance Troupe.

BRIGID GILLIS

…a native Long Islander, started her formal dance training in competitive Irish dance and later explored her passion for modern dance at The College of Brockport SUNY, where she acquired her BFA. While at Brockport, she had the privilege of performing in various works choreographed by artists including Bill Evans, Edie Murphy, Dianne McIntyre, Larry Keigwin, and Monica Bill Barnes. Brigid has performed in dances for film under the direction of Kristi Faulkner, Alex Springer, and Xan Burley. Gillis has performed in various professional venues in New York City with Zehnder Dance and Darrah Carr Dance.

ERIN HAYES

… holds a BA in Dance Science from Manhattanville College and an MSC in Dance Science from the Trinity Laban. She has toured the world as an Irish dancer through Star Entertainment and has worked as a physical and exercise therapist. 

TIMOTHY KOCHKA (AEA, AFTRA)

… began dancing at the Davis Academy of Irish Dance when he was thirteen years old. He has the distinction of winning the World Irish Dance Championships two times, the All Ireland Championships three times and the North American Irish Dance Championships three times. He had been named one of Irish America Magazine's “Top 100 Irish Americans of the Year“ on two separate occasions. Tim has performed in the Broadway shows Riverdance and The Pirate Queen. He has also toured extensively throughout North America and Asia with Riverdance. He has performed at Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Pantages Theater, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and Hershey Park Television appearances include, The View, Good Morning America, The Ellen Show and Dancing with the Stars. In the fall of 2005, Tim passed his T.C.R.G. examination, the certification to teach Irish Dance and is on the faculty at The Davis Academy of Irish Dance. Recently, Tim has been seen performing with Graham II, Darrah Carr Dance, Maxine Steinman and Dancers and Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company. Tim graduated with honors from the BFA Dance program at Montclair State University in 2009.

RYAN MCCARTHY

… is from Uniondale, NY and this is his fourth season with the Darrah Carr Dance Company. Ryan has been dancing since the age of eleven and has done very well in Irish dance competitions achieving first place in the Regionals, North American Nationals, All-Irelands, and the World Championships. He performed in the show Riverdance from 2007-2011 and has traveled all over the world with the show including the United States, Canada, Ireland, China, Lebanon, and South Korea. In 2007, he was named one of the “Top 100 Irish Americans“ by Irish America Magazine. He became a certified Irish dance teacher in 2010. This year he performed a lead role in the show Celtic Fyre in Busch Gardens, Williamsburg, VA.

 

CAITLIN MCNEILL

… is currently a graduate student in Speech Pathology at Long Island University. She received her initial training from the Niall O'Leary School of Irish Dance and achieved championship level status. Caitlin has been a guest dancer with the Trinity Irish Dance Company as well as on Mick Moloney's Greenfields of America Tour. She has also toured with the Andy Cooney Band. Caitlin has recently appeared on Fox and Friends, the Today Show, and the CBS morning show. This is her sixth year dancing with Darrah Carr Dance.


LAURA NEESE

…is a contemporary dance artist, hailing from Staten Island, New York where she developed a love of dance under the mentorship of Rosemary Cappozalo, and studied Irish dance with Niall O'Leary. She holds a BFA in Dance and a BA in English Literature from the University at Buffalo, with additional study at the University of Chichester, UK. Laura is certified in the Simonson Method. She currently collaborates with the KitchenSink Collective, presents her own solo and interdisciplinary work in Buffalo and NYC, and teaches dance and tutors academics throughout the greater NYC area.

ALEXANDRA WILLIAMSON

…is a graduate of Montclair State University. She holds a BFA in Dance and a minor in Musical Theater. Alexandra is a recipient of Dean's List honors and the Dance and Theatre Department Service Award. At the age of 10, Alexandra began her adventure as a dancer with Irish Step Dancing. At 12, she started performing in the annual Frank Patterson Concerts at NJPAC and Carnegie Hall. Happy to be in her first season with Darrah Carr Dance, she also dances with moe-tion dance theater, DiMuaro Dance Company, and Kristina Berger and Dancers. Alexandra has a certification in Pilates and teaches in New York and New Jersey. She is also on staff a Union County College.