Rochester Irish Connection and the Motor City Irish Dance Company

The Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce held a Ribbon Cutting on October 4, welcoming the Rochester Irish Connection to their new and permanent home in Rochester Hills. David Walker, with Brookview Realty and board director with the chamber, offered a welcome describing them as an “all-encompassing performing arts, recreational and entertainment hub.”

The Rochester Irish Connection is home of Motor City Irish Dance Company which offers Irish dance training and performance opportunities for all ages from three to adult. Specialty technique and conditioning classes such as Jig Fit, Zumba, and Barre are also offered to help customers stay in top shape. Training for musicians in the form of private Irish music and Irish style vocal lessons are also offered. Owner Kimberly Mikulski said, “We want to be the connection for everything Celtic and Irish.”

Motor City Irish Dance performers are available for festivals, weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, private functions, television and film. They often join forces with Liam “the extra-large” Leprechaun to help welcome guests at festivals and events.

The Rochester Irish Connection performed for the state of the city address for Rochester Hills on April 10, 2017 (video below) where Mayor Bryan K. Barnett delivered his 11th State of the City address at Rochester Adams High School.

 

Mary Mbiya, with Flagstar Bank and Chair of the Rochester Regional Chamber, presented an honorary plaque and said “This is such a privilege to be here as you continue to grow and expand in this beautiful facility. Thank you for choosing this space in the Rochester and Rochester Hills area. We love that you are expanding your product line and offering so many services to the community. Congratulations and welcome.”

Mikulski said “I moved to Rochester when I married my husband. I was raised in Nottingham, England around a very Irish community and my grandmother was the person responsible for me taking up Irish dance. So, I went in and started learning Irish dancing. I trained with a very reputable academy in England for many, many years. After moving over here it was found out that I was a professional Irish Step dancer and I got roped into teaching the kids at catechism an Irish dance to do a performance. The rest is history. Two weeks after we got married, I opened up a school. It’s been going for about eight years. I took a little hiatus when I had my second daughter, and then I put my shoes back on and we have skyrocketed in popularity.” Kimberly currently lives in Rochester Hills with her husband and three young daughters.

Mikulski explained, “My right hand woman is Gloria Aduth, and she is a certified fitness instructor. She’s coming in to help condition the dancers so that they really can be the best dancers going out there. She’s doing Zumba, Barre, and she is also a classically trained singer so she’s going to be offering vocal lessons in Gaelic. She’s also in charge of coordinating the musicians who are teaching classes in fiddle (violin), bodhran (drum), flute and the penny whistle.” Guitar, mandolin, piano, uilleann pipes and accordion are also welcome.

“Rochester has become the location of Michigan’s number performance company for Irish Step dancing. We’re bringing a lot of attention to Rochester,” said Mikulski, the business “is a connection point for anything Irish and Celtic. So, if we offer it, it can be found in the directory on our website to point you in the right direction, whether it is a musician or a particular item, like merchandise, or a kind of service.”

Rochester Irish Connection

890 South Rochester Rd.

Rochester Hills, MI 48307

313-444-2370

www.rochesteririshconnection.com