Irish Dancing and Living Heritage

The first weekend in March was a busy one for our family - there were a lot of fun events going on in our hometown, such as the Dr. Seuss event at the Fairfield University Bookstore.  Another one was at the Fairfield Public Library, which was a free class for kids about learning some basics of Irish dancing.  The teachers were from the Lenihan School of Irish Dance, and they did a great job with the kids (lead instructor Erin pictured right).  Most of the children attending were young, probably seven and under, and it was a full house - about thirty kids -  and yet everyone seemed to have a great time.  After the children learned a few quick dance moves, there was a presentation by several students of the school, pictured above.

I think the best part is now my kids are begging to learn Irish dancing, which I would love for them to do - my husband's family's background is Irish, so I think it would be great for them to explore some of their living heritage.  I always think it's important to keep traditions alive, and that can be hard when parents have to compete with so many flashy distractions like video games, TV shows and social media.

I'm curious - how do other parents get their kids interested in traditional entertainments when all the kids want to do is plop down in front of the boob tube?  I'd love to hear any thoughts on the subject.