The Aherne Sheehan School of Irish Dance embraces tradition and innovation – training dancers in the beauty and grace of the traditional forms while keeping step with the modern, urban pace of our world today.

Our dance classes foster a fun, positive learning environment where students bring out the best in themselves and each other.

Betty Sheehan has been dancing since she learned to walk. Early on, she showed an affinity for percussive dance, much to the chagrin of her mother, who long lamented her much-scuffed kitchen floor. Betty studied Irish Dancing with Marie Moore, TCRG/ADCRG, in New York, and competed at the local, regional, and national levels during her competitive career. In 2005, she sat and passed the rigorous TCRG examination, and is now a registered teacher with An Coimisiun in Ireland.


John Aherne began dancing at the age of 7 under the instruction of Cyril McNiff, TCRG/ADCRG, in Queens, New York. Under Mr. McNiff's instruction, and later, with the Marie Moore School, John competed in regional, national, and world championships. He co-choreographed and danced in a critically acclaimed off-Broadway production of Arrah-na-Pogue; his work was praised in the New York Times, Variety, Time Out New York, and Newsday. In 2008, he passed the rigorous TCRG examination, and is now a registered teacher with An Coimisiun in Ireland.