Studio Information & Guidelines

We aim to share the love of Irish dance with both Irish and non-Irish students alike in a family-oriented environment where each student creates goals for themselves and learns how to achieve those goals through discipline and hard work.

Studio

The Hester Academy of Irish Dance opened its doors in September, 2014. Our school is fully certified and registered with An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha (A.D.C.R.G.) and the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America.

The Hester Academy of Irish Dance is owned by J.J. Hester.

The Hester Academy of Irish Dance studio is located at The Ice House. 200 Southern Blvd. Wyoming, DE, 19934.

Guidelines

Dress Code: Students should be covered and dressed modestly. Dress code will be enforced. Students are required to wear any combination of Hester Academy logo wear with black shorts or capris (which do not have to be the logo wear). Shorts must be fingertip length with their arms to their side, short shorts are not permitted. Dancers are required to wear Irish dance socks with the correct Irish dance shoes (soft shoes or hard shoes). In the colder months, dancers are permitted to wear black sweatpants that they will not trip over. Upon registration, each dancer receives a free Hester Academy t-shirt to wear to class.

Arrival: Classes will begin promptly at their designated start time. Please arrive at the studio early enough to ensure you have your Irish dance shoes on and that you are ready to go.

Parents/Guardians: Please do not sit in the studio area during class as this can be distracting for the dancers. Chairs are provided for you in the waiting room.

About J.J. Hester

A.D.C.R.G., T.C.R.G.

J.J. Hester

Owner, Instructor, Adjudicator

In 2011 J.J. Hester passed the rigorous T.C.R.G. exam to become a fully certified Irish Dance teacher, registered with An Coimisiun Le Rinci Gaelacha, the Irish Dance Commission in Dublin, Ireland. In 2017, J.J. passed the extensive A.D.C.R.G. exam to become a fully certified Irish Dance adjudicator.

Since becoming certified, he has taught students who have won numerous regional, national, and international competitions. He attributes a great deal of his success in Irish Dance to the support he has received from his family and all of his dancing instructors.

J.J. started dancing for the Peter Smith School of Irish Dance in 2001 at age 16. Accolades during his competitive career include: numerous solo and team awards throughout local, regional, national, and world competitions; three-time First Place Mid-Atlantic Regional Oireachtas champion; three-time top five placement at the North American Championships including 2nd place in 2006; 6th at the World Championships of Irish Dance in 2005,

making him a world medalist. In addition to his competitive career, J.J. performed in concert with the Chieftains and Eileen Ivers. In 2005 he was accepted into Riverdance.