Biography

Kathleen Sullivan Flanagan, a native of the Chicago area, has been living in Winona, MN for the last 38 years. She is an associate professor of theatre and dance at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. Additionally, for the past 37 years she has directed the Flanagan School of Irish Dance in Winona, and has been a registered teacher (T.C.R.G.) with the Irish Dancing Commission in Dublin since 1976. Flanagan took dance lessons from the legendary Chicago teacher, Pat Roche, and began research into the history of Irish dance in Chicago as part of her doctoral dissertation. Several years ago she decided to expand her research and the result is Steps in Time: The History of Irish Dance in Chicago.

Flanagan is a graduate of Regina Dominican High School in Wilmette, Illinois. She received her B.A. from the University of Dayton, an M.A.T. from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, and a Ph.D. from the Union Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has made numerous presentations on Irish dance both nationally and internationally.

Most recently, as part of the new dance minor at Saint Mary's University, Flanagan helped create a track in Irish dance. The courses are based on the information and skills needed for taking the T.C.R.G. exam with the Irish Dancing Commission, An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha.