We Can Irish Dance Because We Are Free

Every year around Independence Day, I find myself reflecting on something that extends far beyond fireworks, parades, and backyard barbecues. I think about opportunity.

As the owner of McGovern Irish Dance, I have the incredible privilege of spending every day teaching a tradition that began thousands of miles away. Irish dance has its roots in Ireland, but today it flourishes here in America because this country has always been enriched by the cultures, traditions, and dreams of people who came from somewhere else.

That is something worth celebrating.

One of the greatest strengths of the United States is that we don't have to choose just one heritage to honor. We celebrate them all. We can enjoy an Italian festival one weekend, a Greek festival the next, attend an Oktoberfest in the fall, celebrate Lunar New Year, experience Hispanic Heritage celebrations, enjoy Juneteenth festivities, and then spend a weekend immersed in Irish music and dance.

Here in the Miami Valley, we're especially fortunate to have events that bring those traditions together. Every spring, Dayton's beloved A World A'Fair reminds us just how beautiful cultural diversity can be. Walking through the fair, you can hear music from every corner of the globe, watch traditional performances, meet people proudly sharing their heritage, and discover that while our traditions may be different, our love for family, community, and celebration is remarkably the same.

Our own dancers have been honored to represent Irish culture at A World A'Fair, sharing the stage alongside performers from dozens of countries. It's one of my favorite weekends of the year because it reminds our students that Irish dance is part of something much bigger—a worldwide celebration of culture.

Throughout the year, we're also proud to perform at events like the Dayton Celtic Festival, Celtic Fest Ohio, and community celebrations across Ohio and Indiana. Whether we're dancing in Dayton, Troy, Lafayette, or Fort Wayne, we're continually reminded how welcoming our communities are to traditions from around the world.

On a personal level, Independence Day carries another meaning for me.

As a woman, a business owner, and an educator, I recognize that the opportunity to build a company, lead a team, and create a career doing what I love is a privilege. I have the freedom to dream big, to grow a business, to mentor young dancers, and to introduce thousands of children to a tradition that has become part of their own story. That opportunity isn't something I take lightly.

Every time I watch a new dancer tie on their first soft shoes, every time I see friendships form between families from different backgrounds, and every time our students step confidently onto a stage, I'm reminded that culture has an amazing way of bringing people together.

Irish dance teaches discipline.

It teaches perseverance.

It teaches respect for history.

But perhaps most importantly, it teaches us that preserving one culture doesn't diminish another—it enriches all of us.

Our dancers come from many different backgrounds, yet together they learn the same steps, clap to the same music, encourage one another, and celebrate each other's successes. That's a wonderful reflection of what America can be.

This Fourth of July, I'm grateful not only for the freedoms we enjoy, but for the opportunity to celebrate cultures from around the world—including the one that has captured my heart.

Because in America...

We can Irish dance because we are free.

From all of us at McGovern Irish Dance, Happy Independence Day. May we continue celebrating the traditions that make each of us unique while remembering that together, they make our communities stronger.