How to Book JID
To book JID’s performance group for a festival, fundraiser, school or church event, or other occasion, email Maggie (maggie@jacksonirishdancers.org) or call 601-291-3378. In addition to a dance performance and a brief discussion about the history and context for Irish dancing, we can arrange for musicians to accompany us and provide live music and songs, if you like. We also want to get you up and dancing, so ask us about workshops, audience-participation dances, and calling a céilí for your group of four to 400. It’s a great ice-breaker for your event, a fun and educational cultural experience for kids and adults, and a way to involve everyone, whether a large or small group.
What We Need
We need a flat, level, stable dance floor or stage, meaning an area at least 12’ x 12’. We prefer wood or a similarly “forgiving” surface – hard surfaces like concrete and linoleum tend to cause shin splints, and carpet isn’t ideal – but we can work with what you’ve got, within reason. We prefer to dance with live music, which adds a lot to the performance; so we are happy to help arrange for a band. If that’s not possible, we’ll use CDs or an MP3 player – in which case, we’d love a sound system, but at a minimum, we need electricity.
When to Book Us
Our group is comprised mainly of full-time students and adults with day jobs, so it’s easier for us to put together a performance on weekends and in the evenings. We have very limited availability during business hours. Please give us as much advance notice as you can.
What We Cost
JID is a non-profit, and money we make from performances goes into the group’s fund to pay for visiting instructors, publicity, and other expenses, as well as to support Irish dance and music in the Jackson area. Our fees are somewhat flexible, depending on how many dancers can attend and depending on the size of your event and what you want us to do. As a guideline, we typically charge non-profit groups $100 for a half-hour performance. If you’re not a non-profit, a typical fee is $200 for a half-hour performance. Additional fees apply when we have live musicians, for longer performances, and for out-of-town trips. All that said, the whole point here is to dance, so don’t hesitate to call us to discuss your event and see if we can make something work.
See you on the dance floor!