!!!SOLD OUT!!!
17. - 18.1. 2026
Festival dance workshop
with Lauren Smyth
The workshop is sold out. If you’d like to be added to the waiting list, please email info@inspiraldance.net. We can’t guarantee a spot, but if one becomes available, we’ll offer it based on the order of requests received.
Discover the unique depth of the Festival tradition of Irish dance. Connect with your music & learn how to dance with poise, elegance, strength & control. This is about so much more than just dancing. Perform & connect & feel every ounce of what you're doing.
Venue
Ballet school Terpsichore
Budečská 35
Prague 2 - Vinohrady
(Maceška Palace)
Contact
(+420) 604 704 538
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Workshop Programme
Technique
(60 min)
Strengthen your technique & build on those strong foundations that
are essential to take your Festival dancing to the next level. Enjoy the
specific drills tailored to help you & set you up for dramatic choreography & tougher movements.
Tips & tricks
(120 min)
Bring focused attention to all of those moves that might seem
overwhelming. Enjoy tailored drills to help you enjoy
practicing these tough moves. The perfect stepping stone before adding
these moves to choreography.
Learning steps
(90 min)
Put your technique drills into action! Learn how to present and show off your choreography with strength & control. Be challenged with lifts, spins, swoops and more in these steps.
Steps & performance
(150 min)
Let's embrace everything we've learned this weekend. We'll bring an extra layer of performance to the steps we're dancing; working on stage presence & even adding in some arm & slight head movements to heighten our performance.
Talk session
(60 min)
Gain an insight into how the Festival tradition helped to create Lauren's strength of identity as a dancer, how it helped her hold on to her individuality within the principal role in Riverdance & how it helps her today when it comes to creating.
Always an inspiring & uplifting listen. Ask lots of questions!
Preliminary timetable
Saturday 17.1.
9:30 - 10:30
10:30-12:00
13:00-14:00
14:00-16:00
Technique
Learning steps
Talk session
Tips & tricks
Sunday 18.1.
9:30 - 12:00
Steps & Performance
REGISTRATION
NOV 1-30
Fee: €145
The workshop is sold out. If you’d like to be added to the waiting list, please email info@inspiraldance.net. We can’t guarantee a spot, but if one becomes available, we’ll offer it based on the order of requests received.
The fee includes 8 hours of dance classes over the full weekend. It is not possible to register for only one day of the workshop. Level of participants is set to primary and up.
Maximum capacity is 25 participants. If the workshop becomes fully booked, additional applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
To secure your spot, payment in full must be completed within 7 days after registration. If the payment is not received within this period, the reservation will be automatically canceled and offered to the next person on the waiting list.
Lauren Smyth
Lauren Smyth has dedicated over three decades to the art of Irish dance. Her journey began at the age of four within the Festival tradition of Irish dance, a style deeply rooted in Northern Ireland that emphasizes purposeful movement and emotional expression. These foundational qualities shaped her identity as both a performer and teacher.
Inspired by the groundbreaking debut of Riverdance in 1994, Lauren set her sights on touring the world as a professional dancer. Her competitive career was driven by a singular goal: to become a lead dancer with Riverdance. Despite facing setbacks—including an initial unsuccessful audition in 2006—her unwavering belief in her vision propelled her forward.
Determined to gain experience and build confidence, Lauren joined Rhythm of the Dance, where she performed the lead role and toured internationally for three years. This period proved invaluable, both artistically and personally. In 2009, she reapplied to Riverdance and was accepted, fulfilling her lifelong ambition. She went on to become the first female principal dancer from the Festival tradition to lead the Riverdance troupe, touring globally for seven years.
Throughout her career, Lauren has remained committed to authenticity, growth, and making a lasting impact on the Irish dance community. Her passion for sharing knowledge and nurturing creativity led her to launch the Lauren Smyth Academy in 2021—an online platform offering over 200 classes designed to teach and celebrate Irish dance culture. The academy has attracted a global membership, with dancers from China, Japan, the United States, and across Europe.
Lauren continues to contribute to the world of dance through choreography for productions such as Rhythm of the Dance, and remains active in a variety of corporate and creative events. Her focus and commitment remains that of resilience, innovation, and a deep love for the cultural richness of Irish dance.