FOLLOWING the success of its children’s classes, a prestigious Irish dancing school is set to step out into the adult session market.

Kingswinford therapist Sue Hollick launched the Gallagher O'Connor Irish Dance Academy for children earlier this year, but is now inviting the area’s adults to join the group.

The first sessions for adults will take place between 7pm and 8.30pm on Wednesday January 13 at Chawn Hill Church.

Mrs Hollick said: “After the Stourbridge News ran an article about our new children’s classes back in August, I received an awful lot of people asking about adult classes.

“There is currently no Irish dancing classes for adults within 30 miles of Stourbridge, so it only seemed like sense that we would open to adults.

“To begin with, we will only be able to have about 10 to 15 people in the sessions, but if the demand is there, like it was with the children’s classes, we will look at expanding further.”

The sessions will run every Wednesday at the same time and same venue, but will differ slightly from the classes for youngsters.

Mrs Hollick added: “Unlike the classes we do for children where they dance individually, the adults will focus on Ceili which is a form of group dancing.

“We’ve already had a number of people interested in the group so hopefully it can be as much of a success as our children’s classes.

“We now run two groups at the Royal British Legion in Amblecote; one from 10am until noon on Saturdays and the other at 5.30pm until 7pm on Thursdays.”

The academy has already found major success when, in November, eight children travelled to Athlone to be part of the World Irish Dance Championships.

All eight of the girls placed in the top four in their relative age groups, with two girls taking the top place in the under eight and under ten age groups, therefore being crowned world champions.

For more information about either the child or adult classes, call Sue Hollick on 07951 248851 or 07951 248888, or email gallagher.midlands@aol.co.uk