Summer 2026: Masterclasses & Workshops

Colleen Werle is a tap dancer hailing from Chicago, where she was a member of TONIK Tap Dance Company for four years, serving as dancer, choreographer, and rehearsal manager. She is passionate about sharing the joy of tap dance with students of all levels and abilities, and has taught courses across Dublin since 2015.Since moving to Ireland, Colleen has performed on invitation from the Irish embassy in Cyprus and at Reja Festival in Tirana, Albania, as a founding member of Atlantic Dance Exchange dance collective. She is a member of Tap Team Ireland, competing at the IDO World Tap Championships in 2024 & 2025, and a member of Kerry Tap Ensemble. Through teaching and performance, she seeks to honour the culture and legacy of tap dance as a black American artform filled with tradition and innovation. A perpetual student, she regularly attends tap festivals and masterclasses to learn from tap masters, most recently as a scholarship recipient to Soul 2 Sole Tap Festival in Austin, Texas (invited by Artistic Director Acia Gray) and Shantalliv Tap Festival.Colleen holds a BA in Theatre from Northwestern University, where she trained in acting, dance, and puppetry. She is currently training to be a Certified Injury Prevention Dance Educator via the Dance Teachers Training Academy (Scotland). Equally experienced in both rhythm and Broadway styles, her teaching incorporates embodied awareness to advance technique, find cleaner rhythms, connect with the music, and have tonnes of fun!