Audition

AUDITION IN-PERSON 

Sign up here for a rare on site audition at the 2025 NORTH AMERICAN NATIONALS in National Harbor, Maryland!

Saturday, July 5th – Residence Inn (Time TBA)

Sunday, July 6th- Residence Inn (Time TBA)

AUDITION ONLINE 

Scroll down to submit your online audition.

Join the movement!

Casting now for a 2025 summer intensive, 2025/2026 USA Tour Dates, 2026 Japan tour, the creation of new work, and more!

Being a member of TIDC is a lifestyle. Our main company model allows you to balance being a high-profile performing artist with a full-time job or being a full-time student.

NEW: TIDC’s newest production ‘JIG’ opens up possibilities for increased international casting. Now accepting auditions for a winter 2026 tour of ‘JIG’.

Our current company members range in age from 19 to 36, emanating from Ireland, Mexico, Canada, and throughout the United States. We like to start conversations with dancers as young as 15-17 about their futures.

“I feel lucky to be part of a platform that values integrity, puts people first, and honors the importance of Irish Dance as an art form.”

Ali Doughty
Artistic Associate / solo World Champion
McDade Cara and The Academy – Philadelphia, PA

Trinity Irish Dance Company members are passionate individuals who elevate the people around them. Experience with other dance forms, a background in theater, leadership, humor, empathy, and a strong sense of commitment are qualities that matter far more to us than competitive achievements. 

That said, many of our best company members only grew up with competitive Irish dance experience. Some struggled to make it onto regional podiums and some have won world solo titles. The Trinity Irish Dance Company celebrates individuals and their differences. We are looking for a diverse group of people with strong character and passion.  

If you want to be a part of a cutting-edge company that is making an impact, both within our art form and within the greater performing arts industry, create and perform art with meaning, connect with audiences and artists on an international scale, do minimal touring, and stay in top dancing shape … while balancing full-time school or a full-time job, you may be interested in the Trinity Irish Dance Company! If you’ve auditioned in the past, please do not hesitate to do so again!

The Chicago/Milwaukee based Trinity Irish Dance Company emerged in the early 90’s to great critical acclaim. Our work has been celebrated in distinguished performing arts venues, from the Chicago Theater and Washington’s Kennedy Center, to New York’s Joyce Theater and Tokyo’s Orchard Hall. 

Not to be confused with the competitive school, Trinity Academy of Irish Dance, the Trinity Irish Dance Company is an independent, nonprofit professional repertory company that exists as a forum for dancers to explore the endless potential of Irish dance, connect with other passionate artists, utilize dance as their voice in greater social conversations, engage with communities around the world and create formative new work. TIDC’s style is progressive, without losing touch with tradition and entertaining while putting a premium on integrity. Female empowerment and consistently presenting males and females on equal footing is a critical part of our mission. TIDC members have come from a wide range of Irish dance schools across North America, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.

Tour: A typical season includes 6-8 weekend tours throughout the US over the winter and spring, and a 2-3 week summer tour abroad. Our minimal touring schedule makes it possible to balance being a TIDC member with being a full-time student or having a full-time job. Weekend tours typically involve flying into a city on a Thursday or Friday night, performing, and returning on Sunday.

Rehearse: The full company rehearses in Chicago generally one full weekend a month. Chicago-based dancers rehearse together twice a week, largely centered around the creation of new work – as well as attend dance galas, events, and performances. Dancers are responsible for rehearsing individually on a consistent basis.

Create: TIDC members are welcomed into  the creative process and often play small or significant roles in the creation of new works each year under the direction of artistic director and choreographer,  Mark Howard. Local company members are engaged in creative rehearsals on a weekly basis.

We occasionally invite renowned guest choreographers from various disciplines to collaborate with us to expand our movement vocabulary.

Engage: Company members use TIDC as an effective platform to engage in social conversations. A crucial part of our mission is empowering females. Since its inception, TIDC has celebrated the strength, poise and resilience of female artists, consistently presenting males and females on equal footing. Through intentional casting, choreography and costumes, we utilize our artistic platform to call attention to the objectification of women that sometimes permeates commercial Irish dance shows, providing powerful representations of “women that bring the thunder.”

“In the Trinity Irish Dance Company, we aren’t just allowed to make noise. We are expected to make noise.”

Chelsea Hoy
Associate Artistic Director
Wick School – Denver, CO

“TIDC is an incredible community of artists. The atmosphere is perfect for ambitious and creative dancers.”

Michael Gardiner
former TIDC member / Riverdance lead / Gardiner Bros.
Hession School – Galway, Ireland

“This is a strong family rooted in admirable values and an honest mission”

Patrick Grant
TIDC member / solo World Champion
Michaela Hinds Academy – Toronto, Canada

Who we are looking for:

We are looking for individuals who:

  • Are committed artists and athletes who demonstrate humility, empathy, and a deep appreciation for the art form and its possibilities
  • Want to pursue their love of Irish dance through a unique, performing arts lens
  • Are driven to change the dialogue within Irish dance – to celebrate its traditions, explore its possibilities in a meaningful way, to celebrate work that presents males and females on equal footing
  • Want to be a part of our mission to save Irish dance from the commercialized box it is stuck in
  • Go out of their way to reach out to connect and uplift everyone around them
  • are versatile dancers who aspire to realize their potential as great part-time performing artists

Dancers age 18+: We are looking to cast male and female dancers of high school senior, college or post-college age for a 2025 summer training, 2025/2026 USA weekend touring, and a 2026 summer tour of Japan

Dancers age 15-17: Eligible to audition and join TIDC’s newest training company! We would like to meet and start dialogues with high school-age dancers along with their parents about potentially attending college in Chicago to join TIDC’s mission.

AUDITION ONLINE:

Name(Required)
Upload photo(Required)
Accepted file types: jpg, jpeg, png, gif.
YouTube links work best. Must include: -32 bars of soft-shoe (Reel or Slip Jig) -32 bars of hard-shoe (Hornpipe or Treble Jig) -16 bars of a treble reel: danced TWICE, once with music and once without music. STUDIO FOOTAGE is required, competition or performance footage may be included as supplemental.
YouTube links work best. This video is VERY important to the audition process! Please speak into the camera and keep it informal – does not need to be polished or scripted! What is it that appeals to you about Trinity Irish Dance Company? How would you elevate TIDC? What are your hopes and dreams for your future with Irish Dance? What makes you an artist?:
How did you hear about TIDC auditions?

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