We enjoy teaching the skills and techniques of the variety of dance styles we offer. We want our dancers to experience the joy of this art form that we love so much.
Miss Colleen is the owner, director and instructor at Prophetstown Dance Company.
At PDC we offer classes in:
Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Clogging
as well as Irish Step Dance and Scottish Sword Dance
Colleen has had an extensive dance career in performance, competition, and as a dance instructor and choreographer for over 30 years. She has choreographed and directed her dancers in five Walt Disney World performances. Colleen's students have traveled all over the United States performing with the band Switchback, toured with the band across Ireland performing before a packed house at Castlebar's Linenhall Performing Arts Center, in Westport at Matt Malloy's Pub and at Fitzpatrick Castle in Killiney, Ireland. Her dancers have also headlined with the Canadian band Searson at the Quad Cities Celtic Festival and have been featured on KWQC TV6 Fran Riley Features. Colleen's students have taken top honors in regional and national dance competitions along with receiving Most Entertaining, Most Memorable, Judges Choice Award and Highest Scoring Group Performance awards. Colleen has won numerous Competition Top Teacher and Choreography awards. She has also choreographed fourteen high school and community theater musicals as well as taught classes at Jennifer's Dance Center in Morrison, IL. Colleen loves teaching clogging at national workshops and is a judge for regional and national dance competitions across the United States. Colleen directs the C3 Dance Team made up of the Celtic Rhythm Dancers and American Rhythm Cloggers.
At PDC we offer the classic and fun dance styles of BALLET, JAZZ and TAP that help build the foundation of dance technique and skills.
WHAT IS IT?: Dancers use their feet as an instrument to make rhythmic and percussive sounds to accompany the music. A unique aspect of clogging is its sound. Where tap shoes have a single tap, clogging shoes have 2 taps or double taps that are riveted together on the toe and heel giving the dance a louder and unique "jingle" sound.
HISTORY: Clogging roots come from the combined folk dances of the Irish, English, Scottish, and Dutch Germans who settled in the Appalachian Mountains in the mid 1700s. Clogging is the folk dance of the United States.
FUN FACT: Clogging was featured in the 2002 Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Salt Lake City, Utah.
WHAT IS IT?: Irish Step Dance combines artistry, grace, and physical ability. Irish soft shoe focuses on footwork and staying high up on your toes with lots of movement across the stage
HISTORY: The Irish Dance Masters of the 18th Century began teaching Irish dance to children traveling from village to village to keep this dancing tradition alive that had been suppressed for centuries by the English. The Dance Masters also began the first dance schools in Ireland, the best know being from the counties of Kerry, Cork, and Limerick
FUN FACT: "The Book of Kells" is an ancient manuscript which is the source for many Celtic designs used in Irish dance costumes today.
WHAT IS IT?: A combination of strength, agility, movement and music. The dancer jumps over and around two crossed swords to the rhythm of the music.
HISTORY: Tradition has it that in the 9th Century a Scottish Prince after victory in battle took his sword and crossed it over the sword of his defeated opponent and dance triumphantly over them. This dance became tradition among the highland warriors, and in subsequent battles clansmen would cross their swords and dance around them in the same way.
FUN FACT: One study showed that 30 minutes of Scottish dancing is equal to playing a full game of soccer.