Celtic Argentina: Irish dance in Buenos Aires

Argentina may be half a world away from Ireland, but there is an unexpected footprint when it comes to Irish culture across the country. Led today by 20 Argentine-Irish association, from Irish dancing schools to uileann pipe classes and GAA teams, the diverse collection of organisations work hard to bridge Irish and Argentine culture.

For nearly five decades, Celtic Argentina has been one such organisation, playing a significant role in promoting Irish dance and culture in South America.

Founded in Buenos Aires in 1979, the organisation has grown beyond its origins as a dance school to become a vibrant cultural space where artistic practice, heritage, and community intersect. Through teaching, performances, and outreach initiatives, Celtic Argentina fosters connections between local Argentine audiences and Irish traditions, while supporting the continued visibility of one of the largest Irish diasporic communities in the world.

Buenos Aires offers a particularly fertile context for this exchange. Shaped by successive waves of migration, the province and the city have long embraced cultural hybridity, and Irish culture occupies a notable place within that landscape. Dance, with its discipline, musicality, and collective spirit, has proven an especially powerful vehicle for sustaining this relationship.

Over the years, Celtic Argentina has created opportunities for both descendants of Irish immigrants and newcomers to engage with this tradition, strengthening cultural understanding and participation across generations.

Under the leadership of Director Dominique Duré, the organisation continues to balance preservation and innovation. Her work bridges artistic training, cultural management, and international collaboration, ensuring that Celtic Argentina remains rooted in tradition while contributing actively to contemporary cultural dialogue.

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Duré and discuss her background, the organisation’s legacy, and the role Irish dance continues to play in building identity, community, and cross-cultural exchange in Argentina.

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, a fourth-generation descendant of Irish immigrants, Duré’s connection to Irish dance began in childhood, guided by her first teacher: her mother, Christine Rasmussen, founder of Celtic Argentina and a pioneer in establishing Irish dance education in South America.

Reflecting on this early influence, Duré notes that her vocation gradually took shape through both family legacy and professional training.

She obtained her T.C.R.G. teaching qualification through the Irish Dancing Commission (CLRG) and later completed a Master’s in Irish Dance at the University of Limerick. Combined with studies in Public Relations and Cultural Management, this background positioned her career firmly within the cultural sphere.

Today, her work in Buenos Aires integrates teaching with project development. She delivers classes across age groups, collaborates with artists and organisations internationally, and coordinates events that reinforce links between local communities and Irish culture.

Irish dance resonates strongly within the Latin American cultural environment, particularly in Argentina’s diverse and expressive artistic landscape.

Duré observes that shared values, such as, musical engagement, collective participation, and emotional expression; allow the tradition to adapt naturally without losing its core identity.

Rather than existing as a transplanted form, Irish dance becomes embedded within local experience. The exchange is mutual: technical precision and discipline meet Latin American warmth and communal engagement.

This dynamic interplay is visible in classrooms, performances, and family involvement — environments where cultural heritage is preserved while new interpretations emerge. The result is not assimilation but dialogue, reflecting Buenos Aires’ broader intercultural character.

As Director of Celtic Argentina for two decades, Duré’s responsibilities span artistic, educational, and organisational domains. She oversees dancer training, choreographic development, and performance production, while also shaping the institution’s strategic and cultural outreach.

Her work includes building partnerships with institutions and festivals both locally and abroad. This reinforces the presence of Irish culture in Argentina and enables collaborative exchange.

This multifaceted leadership ensures that Celtic Argentina operates simultaneously as a training centre, performance platform, and cultural ambassador.

With 47 years of history, Celtic Argentina remains rooted in its founding mission: promoting Irish dance and raising awareness of Irish culture throughout the region. Over time, it has evolved into a recognised space for artistic development and intercultural community building.

Duré’s commitment to the organisation is deeply personal. Having grown up within its environment, she sees its future as tied to sustaining community as much as artistic excellence.

Participants often remain involved for years, forming strong interpersonal bonds that reflect the organisation’s community-oriented ethos.

Irish dance continues to serve as both cultural anchor and bridge. Within the Irish-descendant community, it reinforces identity and intergenerational continuity. Beyond it, the practice invites engagement from diverse audiences and participants.

Through public classes, performances, and cultural programming, Celtic Argentina encourages dialogue and mutual understanding. Dance becomes an accessible entry point — connecting tradition to contemporary cultural life and fostering appreciation across communities.

Find out more about Celtic Argentina and how to get involved on their Instagram>>