Mactír means “wolf” in the Irish language, representing our director & founder, Emily Wolff & our philosophy - everyone is welcome in our community, and all are supported in times of triumph & in times of stress.

Mactír is more than Irish dance - We develop skills in our studio that will help us in every area of our lives, for the rest of our lives. Through the vehicle of Irish dance we learn & develop countless values & qualities.

• to have patience & respect for ourselves & each other while learning & perfecting challenging material & choreography

• to set goals & that when we work hard & persevere, we can reach our goals & perform our best

• to navigate through & learn from challenging experiences, developing resiliency & poise

Mactir's coaches exemplify the enduring value of commitment & engagement with Irish dance & the Irish community - their lives have been shaped by experiences & opportunities throughout their Irish dance careers.

They grew to embrace challenges & develop drive & focus, ultimately leading them to dedicate themselves to what has given their lives meaning and purpose, lifelong friendships & support systems, & ongoing opportunities to uplift others.

Our coaches strive to ensure that each dancer experiences Irish dance in these same impactful ways, through encouragement & coaching that challenges & inspires creativity, spirit, & drive.

• Inspire dancers to strive for excellence both in and out of the dance studio

• Spread the joy and beautiful tradition of Irish step dancing

• Use dance as a vehicle to build confidence, poise, and create lifelong friendships

• Mactír Academy of Irish Dance offers both competitive- and performance-based classes with a focus on precision, teamwork, and grace

• Mactír strives to be the premiere team-based competition school in Minnesota, where dancers and families choose their own journey - whether that is going to a couple feiseanna (competitions) a year, performing with local and international bands, or competing in the Irish Dance World Championships

• Our dancers celebrate this exquisite art form in a variety of settings and spread the joy of Irish dance to everyone they encounter