THE HISTORY OF DANCING WEST
The formation of the studios of Dancing West was the brain-child of Valentino (Val) French. Val spent his childhood and early adult life in India where he lived until he was 29 years of age. He then went to work in the United Kingdom. As a teenager he studied dance and cabaret and performed in some of the largest theatres in India such as Delhi, Calcutta and Mumbai (Bombay). In his twenties, he studied choreography and had a number of dance groups. He suggested building a dance studio at his home in Tubbercurry and, after talks with John Mulkeen (Dance Teacher), they decided that there was a suitable premises owned by John Mulkeen that could be developed.
The studios of Dancing West are owned and run by John Mulkeen. John was a well-known dancer throughout Ireland during the sixties and seventies. He first taught Ceili and Scottish dancing and won many waltzing competitions throughout Ireland, including a number of All-Ireland titles. He competed in more than twenty All-Ireland Dance Championships. After winning the All-Ireland Over Sixties Waltzing Championship - twice in succession - he retired from competitive dancing in the year 2000. Since retiring, he has studied teaching of modern ballroom dance in the UK and USA and he has danced competitively throughout the United States for many years. He is a member of USA Dance and affiliated to the Chicago Chapter. He teaches dance as a hobby, not for a living, and is very involved in the development of dancing in the West of Ireland.
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