Beginning in 1994 with twenty-five students,
Scoil na dTrí (pronounced skull-na-dree) has grown into the premier
Twin Cities’ Irish Dance Academy. Our Gaelic name literally means
“school of three.” Originally signifying the three founding
teachers Brenda Buckley, TCRG, Joe Richter TMRF, Gillian Osborn, its meaning
now captures
Who we are
Dancers, Teachers, Parents
What we do
Classes, Competitions, Performances
What we achieve
Excellence, Creativity, Community
Brenda Buckley, TCRG is a master teacher and one of the original three founders of Scoil na dTrí Irish Dance Academy. A native of Minnesota, she began dancing in 1987, worked her way up competitively to the Open Championship level, and earned her TCRG in 1999. Brenda is registered with An Coimisiúm in Dublin, Ireland and the Dance Teachers' Association of North America. The high achievements of the school’s dancers are a reflection of the commitment and expertise of Brenda and her fellow teachers.
The TCRG is a teacher's certification from An Comisiun. The exam is very demanding; candidates must demonstrate an ability to dance at a high level, knowledge of the 30 ceili dances and traditional dance tunes, and show that they can teach both ceili and solo steps to dancers of varying levels. Only dancers studying under a TCRG can compete at feiseanna.
The TMRF is another teacher's certification from An Comisun. Similar to the TCRG, the focus is strictly on knowing and teaching the 30 ceili dances.