About

More Than A Magazine

We are proud to be the voice of the Irish Dancing industry – We INSPIRE. We EDUCATE. We MOTIVATE. WE ARE IDM.

Our Story Our History

How It All Began

In September 1997, UK dance mums Mary Wilson and Gail Franx brainstormed the idea of launching a magazine dedicated to Irish Dancing. With guidance from renowned Irish Dance historian Dr. John Cullinane and other top executives, they brought this vision to life. The timing was perfect, with the explosive success of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance inspiring many boys and girls to take up Irish Dance. There was a growing need to connect the worldwide dance community with a trusted publication.

The Team back in 1998 including Mary Wilson and Gail Franx - the original founders

The Early Years

IDM’s first issue, Vol 1, Issue 1, debuted in January/February 1998, selling for £2.20 and featuring 32 pages. The cover showcased Joanne Doyle from Riverdance. Alongside the print magazine, we launched our website, www.irishdancing.com.

In 1998, IDM ran a six-part series on the life of Michael Flatley. Over the years, he graced five IDM covers, with his shows and dancers appearing on many more. Without the influence of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, Irish Dancing Magazine might never have existed. Cheers to the creative minds behind these iconic shows!

Initially, subscriptions for Irish Dancing Magazine were taken at events or mailed in, as online ordering was not common. Today, over 97% of IDM’s subscriptions are ordered online. Over the years, the magazine’s business has become much more complicated with the onset of social media platforms and other products and projects developed by the magazine.

The People Behind IDM Today

In 2004, Denise Keane joined as a minor partner, helping to expand the magazine's reach in North America. Despite being based in Chicago, Denise’s love for Irish arts, including Irish Dance and traditional Irish music, was nurtured from a young age by her parents, who hail from counties Kerry and Clare.

In 2010, the original owners sold their remaining shares of Irish Dancing Magazine to Denise. Other key executives on the team, both then and now, include Teri Horan, Cameron Carey, and Mary O’Connor, all of whom have been instrumental in keeping this beautiful magazine alive through the ups and downs of the economy, pandemic, and the digital age.

Teri, Mo, Mary, and Denise - the core team at the IDM's Chicago office

The Evolving Look of IDM

Over the years, IDM experimented with six different logos and four name changes to find the best formula for longevity and appeal. Today, we are officially Irish Dancing & Culture, but we often call ourselves Irish Dancing Magazine or IDM.

Our most successful redesign came in 2006, featuring regular news from Ireland, the UK, North America, and Australia, along with competition results and a monthly Dancer of the Month interview. Each issue has a special theme, such as Show Specials, Fashion Issues, Competition Countdowns, and more, keeping IDM fresh and informative for dancers and teachers alike.

In 2020, we brought the magazine into the digital world with an online version. All print magazine customers automatically receive access to the digital issue at no additional cost. The digital version of IDM includes bonus content and links that dancers and their families find helpful. In 2020, the magazine launched and sold a new online resource titled WINNING AT THE FEIS, which remains exceptionally popular for dancers wanting to learn more about the judging process at competitions.

More Than a Magazine

In 2008, IDM embraced social media, launching a Facebook page and soon after, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok. Managing these platforms alongside the print magazine became a balancing act, leading us to bring on talented young dancers to assist in creating content for the magazine’s social channels.

In honor of our 20th anniversary in 2018, we launched an 8-day, 7-night tour of Ireland for dancers and their families, and we continue to run one tour each year to Ireland. This project ties together our love of Ireland and the opportunity to travel with fans of the magazine to share our many years of knowledge about the land we love so well.

We are proud to be the voice of the Irish Dancing industry – We INSPIRE. We EDUCATE. We MOTIVATE. WE ARE IDM.