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I would like to introduce you to a very hard-working group of young women and men from the Indianapolis area. We call ourselves the Irish Dancers of Indianapolis, a non-profit group of over 200 dedicated students of the Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance. Each year, we spend countless hours learning, performing, and competing throughout the Midwest, across the country, and around the world. In the mid-1970's a young mother, and recent transplant from the south side of Chicago to Indianapolis, found herself disillusioned due to there being no opportunities for Irish dance in Indianapolis. So, with only eight students, consisting mostly of her daughters and their friends, Patricia Spellacy began her own instruction in the basement of St. Michael's church. In 1977, Ms. Spellacy effectively pioneered Irish dance in the Hoosier state capital and founded the Irish Dancers of Indianapolis, or IDI. Since Ms. Spellacy, IDI has arranged for instruction from various traveling instructors such as Michael Flatley of Lord of the Dance for one year, and our instructor for the past 13 years and former World Champion John Timm. Since being blessed with John Timm as a committed dance instructor for more than a decade, the Irish Dancers of Indianapolis have become the official name of the not-for-profit parent support group that helps to support the Richen/Timm Academy through: coordinating and organizing events: volunteering for performances and activities; and by helping the dancers realize that the fruits of hard work can be very satisfying as well as fun!