BIDC News:

SANTE FE—Back this month from impressive competition wins in the CRN North American Open Championships, Belisama Irish Dance Company (BIDC) presents the 8th incarnation of its Rhythm of Fire performance.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in style with this high energy show featuring award winning Irish dancers and young up-and-coming performers in a family friendly, foot stomping performance of traditional and contemporary Irish dancing. 

Performances are 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 14 at the James A. Little Theatre in Santa Fe. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, and $10 for children under 12 at ticketssantafe.org or 505.988.1234. The theater is at the New Mexico School for the Deaf, 1060 Cerrillos Road.

This year’s Rhythm of Fire features live music with fiddling and singing by Maria Jones, Adrienne Bellis and Lisa Carman. Audiences will also enjoy both new and well-loved favorite choreography by company directors Adrienne Bellis and Celia Kessler, champion dancers Maria Jones and Shannon Kossmann, and former Riverdance lead Michael Patrick Gallagher.

Belisama Irish Dance features local dancers from Los Alamos, Santa Fe and Rio Rancho, and has been honored with numerous past and present national and regional championship awards. The dancers have performed alongside renowned artists including Trinity Irish Dance Company, Lúnasa, Natalie MacMaster, Gaelic Storm, Michael Patrick Gallagher, and Eileen Ivers. With small class sizes, the Belisama School of Dance instructs committed dancers of all ages in Irish technique and choreography as well as performance opportunities.

View full the schedule of classes online at www.belisamadance.com. 

Belisama (bel-i-SAH-ma) is a Celtic goddess recognized in Romano-Gaulish inscriptions which equate her with Roman goddess Minerva. The name translates as summer bright. Belisama’s consort Belenus is God of the Sun, and she shares many attributes with him. Belisama is also associated with wisdom, healing, forge and craft.