Tap into two ways to keep rhythm in the Irish tradition: with a drum and with your feet. Gain an introduction to playing the bodhrán, including basic techniques, positioning, strokes, and rhythms. Alongside, try your feet at the improvised, percussive style of Sean-nós dancing, all to live fiddle music provided by musician Margaret Graham. All levels welcome.

None

Cara Wildman is an experienced and well-respected percussionist, pianist, and bodhrán player from Dorchester, TX. Cara has performed in a variety of musical ensembles and genres around the world. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in music education from Texas Christian University, and a second master's in Irish traditional music performance from the University of Limerick in Ireland. Cara has studied with bodhrán greats Jim Higgins, Eamon Murray, Martin O'Neil, Cormac Byrne, Colm Murphy, Colm Phelan, and Junior Davey, among others. Cara's playing has garnered international accolades including winning the 2016, 2018, and 2019 Senior Bodhrán Champion for the Limerick and Midwest Fleadhanna, and placing 3rd at the 2019 All-Ireland fleadh in Drogheda, Ireland, being the first American ever to place in this category.

Margaret Graham grew up playing classical violin from an early age in Petersburg, VA. She would go on to explore a variety of other genres, winning accolades such as the 2014 Virginia state bluegrass fiddle champion, before finding her way into the Irish traditional music community. Since then, she has performed at numerous concert venues and festivals across the United States, Canada, and Ireland. Margaret teaches in collaboration with the Music Orchard to provide free private lessons to inner-city elementary schoolers. Currently based out of Davis, CA, Margaret has more recently assisted Cara Wildman with clinics at universities across the nation with the goal of exposing a wider audience to traditional Irish music.