Our Director
Mary Laffey Beemsterboer, TCRG
Mary began her Irish dancing career at the early age of 5. Competing for over 18 years, Mary had an illustrious competitive career and retired in 1989 after dancing at the World Championships of Irish Dance in Ireland. At that time, Mary assumed ownership, directorship and artistic control of The Celtic Academy of Irish Dance. In 1991 Mary received her official teaching certification (TCRG) from An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha.
Under Mary’s direction, The Celtic Academy of Irish Dance has grown from a school of less than 20 dancers in 1989 to over more than 100 dancers today, becoming Dayton’s premier Irish dance school. Her guidance and teaching ability has led the Celtic Academy to repeatedly place at local competitions, the Regional Championships, the National Championships, and qualify solo and team dancers for the World Championships in Ireland, successfully placing teams & having students recall at this highest level of competition. Her artistic creativity is best reflected through the numerous productions she has choreographed over the years, to include the development of dance routines for plays and the Celtic Academy’s own “Celtic Movements.”
Mary’s devotion to the Irish culture and dance began at an early age. Her enthusiasm and dedication to this unique art form shows in the pride she has for her dancers and the groups she supports. Mary holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Wright State University, is a member of the Irish Dance Teacher’s Association of Mid-America, Irish Dance Teacher’s Association of North America, An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha, the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, United Irish of Dayton and The Dayton Feis. She was named Daytonian of the Week by Dayton.com. Mary attributes her success to the support from her husband, Dan Beemsterboer, as well as her family, friends, her dancers, and her teaching partner and sister, Laureen Laffey.
Our Teacher
Anna Bumiller, TCRG
Anna was a competitive dancer with the Celtic Academy for over 22 years, including 13 years at the Open Championship level. Anna competed in the All-Ireland National Championships, North American Feis Commission Senior Belt, many North American Championships and regional Oireachtais, and regularly won awards at feiseanna in the U.S. and Canada. Anna appeared as a soloist and ensemble dancer with groups such as Scythian, Gaelic Storm, The Elders, Céilí Rain, Fannigan’s Isle and Dulahan.
Anna received a B.M. in Music Education from the University of Dayton, a M.M. in Cello Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and additional training in early childhood music education through the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She teaches orchestra in Kettering City Schools and performs professionally throughout the area.
In 2022, Anna earned a Master of Arts in Irish Dance Studies from the University of Limerick’s Irish World Academy of Music and Dance. Anna’s work included thesis research into the use of the Irish language within the Irish Dancing Commission, as well as extensive study of all types of Irish dancing including set, céilí, festival, sean nós, and old style step dancing.
A conversationally fluent Irish speaker, Anna was awarded a 2023 grant from the Ireland-United States Commission for Educational Exchange to spend the month of August studying the Irish language in rural Donegal. Anna has received hundreds of hours of instruction from native speakers since 2016, and has taught Irish classes and given workshops for teachers on strategies for incorporating Irish into dance classes.
Anna is also an Irish fiddle player, and studied with North Connaught fiddler John Carty (named Traditional Musician of the Year by Irish TV station TG4) through the University of Limerick. Anna is credited on the album Not Against My Own by local band Dulahan, and has provided live music for dancers at Dayton Celtic Festival, the Ohio Renaissance Festival, and the University of Dayton.
Our Assistant Teachers
Anne-Marie Cunningham
Annemarie Cunningham started Irish dancing in 1997, following in her mother’s footsteps. Under the tutelage of Catherine Leneghan Fox at the Leneghan Academy of Irish Dance in Cleveland, Ohio, Annemarie progressed through the competitive levels to become an open championship dancer. She competed as a soloist at numerous regional championships, as well as at the North American Irish Dancing Championships. Her competitive career culminated as a member of a ceili team representing the Mid-America region at the 2015 Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne (World Championships). Annemarie joined Celtic Academy in 2020, where she was welcomed with open arms by Mary and Laureen Laffey. She enjoys sharing her passion for Irish dancing with current and future champions each week, focusing on strengthening their footwork skills and rhythm.
Annemarie holds two bachelor’s degrees from Ohio State University and a master’s degree from Cleveland State University. She works as a speech-language pathologist at Dayton Children’s Hospital. Outside of work and the studio, Annemarie enjoys traveling, reading, visiting her family and friends, supporting her Ohio State Buckeyes and Cleveland sports teams (There’s always next year, right?), and spending time with her dog, Molly.
Megan Hammond
Megan began her Irish dancing career at age ten with the Richens/Timm Academy, before transferring to the Celtic Academy in high school. It was at the Celtic Academy that she reached the highest level of competition, Open Championship. She retired from competition in 2011.
After graduating from the University of Dayton, Megan moved to Columbus to attend law school at the Ohio State University. She danced recreationally with the Irwin and Millennium Academies while living in Columbus.
Megan returned to Dayton and joined the Celtic Academy teaching staff in 2022. She especially enjoys teaching soft shoe – powerful reels and graceful slip jigs – and loves seeing her students progress from beginners to champions.
Megan holds a B.A. in political science from UD, a J.D. from OSU, and is a licensed Ohio attorney. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, taking her corgi for long walks, exploring local parks, and traveling.
Lauren Brenneman Stoddard
Lauren Brenneman began her dancing career with the Celtic Academy of Irish Dance over 20 years ago. As a youth dancer Lauren worked her way up the ranks and ended her youth dancing career at the level of Open Championships. At the age of 16 Lauren began assistant teaching for the youth group, under Mary’s guidance. In 2008 Lauren transitioned into the Celtic Academy adult group, where she was part of the three time Mid-America Regional champion ceili team. In addition to being part of the Adult Champion team she also helps assist Laureen in teaching and choreographing dances for the adults.
Her love of dance and the family oriented support to make others reach their goals is what has kept Lauren’s love of Irish dance alive. Lauren holds a Bachelor’s degree from Wright State University in Business Management. Lauren works as a Customer Care Specialist at one of the largest Medicare brokerage companies in Ohio. She attributes her success, both business and personal, to the support and guidance of her family, loved ones and Mary and Laureen.
Liz Willis
Liz Willis began her dancing career at 5 when she began taking ballet classes. She joined the Celtic Academy at age 15 (and regrets not knowing about Irish dance sooner). After a brief hiatus during college and grad school, Liz returned to the Celtic Academy and began dancing with the adult group under the direction of Laureen Laffey.
During her time with the adult group, Liz has been a member of the ceili team that has won four regional championships and placed in the top three at the national championships. She has been a teaching assistant in the adult group since 2007. Liz became Vice President of FOCA in 2008 and took over the role of President when the position was vacated in 2009.
In addition to her love of Irish dance and the Celtic Academy, Liz is on the Steering Committee of the United Irish of Dayton Celtic Festival and the executive boards of the Dayton Ballet Barre and the Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association.
