Teacher Bios
Suzanne Dunleavy McDonough, TCRG began Irish dancing at age five in Yonkers, New York. At age eight, Suzanne placed 8th at her first Eastern Regional Oireachtas and consistently placed at each annual Oireachtas and North American Championships. Suzanne's most recent accomplishments are among her most proud: she placed 9th place at the prestigious World Championships in Killarney in 2003, having also medalled at the All Ireland championships earlier that year. With the final accomplishment of finishing Second Place at the North American Irish Dancing Championships, Suzanne took her TCRG exam and became a registered Irish dance teacher.
Suzanne has conducted guest workshops on Irish Dancing with other dancing schools throughout the United States. She regularly performs with Cherish the Ladies and has performed with other bands including the Wolftones and Black 47 and at venues including New York's Radio City Music Hall. A graduate of Boston College ('99) and Boston College Law School ('02), Suzanne is currently working as an Assistant District Attorney for the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office in Brockton, Massachusetts. She and her husband, Matt, live in Marshfield.
Theresa Shaffer Wilkinson, TCRG began dancing at age four under the instruction of Theresa Burke, ADCRG, in Youngstown, Ohio. During a successful competitive career that included placing 5th regionally, 14th nationally and twice traveling to compete in the World Championships of Irish Dance, Theresa began working with younger students at the Burke school. She quickly found a passion in teaching dance. She became a registered teacher (TCRG) through the Irish Dance Commission (An Coimisiun le Rince Gaelacha) in Ireland, and also continued dancing in performances with Trinity Dance Company and Irish music groups such as Solas and Cherish the Ladies.
Music and dance are a family affair for Theresa - her father Mike Shaffer is a world-renowned feis musician, as was Theresa's late grandfather Gordon Shaffer. Theresa and her father have recorded several CDs of Irish dance practice music, and they are in continuous demand to play at local, regional and national Irish dance competitions. She also continues to pass on the family heritage to her two children, Kiera and Theo. Theresa and husband, Philip, both hold degrees in Architecture from Kent State University. They live in Quincy.