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Banbha Irish Dancing Achieved 15x Growth with the Leading Dance School Management Software
See how Niamh runs a growing Irish dance school in Dublin, supports every child’s progress, and achieves business growth using ClassForKids dance class management software.
A family tradition at the heart of Banbha Irish Dancing
Irish dancing has always been part of Niamh Gavin’s life.
“I come from an Irish dancing family,” she explains. “My mother was a dancer, her sisters were dancers, and she started teaching when I was five.”
Banbha Irish Dancing was originally her mum’s school. Over time, Niamh took it on herself, teaching alongside her mum and sister, continuing a tradition that has shaped their family for decades.
Although Niamh works full-time in marketing, Irish dancing has always remained part of her evenings.
“It was just what we did in our house,” she says. “I don’t think there was any point where I wasn’t going to be a dancing teacher.”
Today, Banbha Irish Dancing welcomes children of all ages in Dublin, from beginners taking their first steps to older dancers developing confidence, skill, and performance experience.
Why Banbha Irish Dancing focuses on progress, not just competition
While Irish dancing is often associated with competition, Niamh has always been clear about her priorities.
“I really want every child to dance,” she explains. “Even if they come in and they’re finding it difficult, I want to push them on.”
Her focus is on beginners and younger children, ensuring no one is left behind. Although Banbha supports dancers who want to compete and has celebrated competitive success, competition has never been the only measure of progress.
“So few will go on to the very top,” Niamh says. “But I wouldn’t forget about all the other children. They should be able to dance and they should be able to perform.”
This belief shapes everything the dance school does, from parent shows and open nights to workshops and plans for theatre performances and trips abroad.
Life before dance class management software
Before using ClassForKids, running the admin side of Banbha Irish Dancing was difficult, especially alongside a full-time job.
“Processes were very difficult before ClassForKids,” Niamh explains. “We had cash, writing receipts, bank transfers, and Google Forms.”
Payments needed chasing, records had to be matched manually, and admin tasks took hours of Niamh’s time every week.
“At the time, my classes were smaller, so it was manageable,” she reflects. “I wouldn’t manage it now.”
As the school grew, it became clear that the existing setup could not support long-term growth.
Introducing dance class management software that brought everything together
ClassForKids gave Niamh a way to manage bookings, payments, registers, and parent communication in one place.
“It helps in two ways,” she explains. “Firstly, with getting the money. There’s no chasing, no writing receipts, and everything is matched up.”
Payments are handled automatically, which removes awkward conversations and saves time.
“The second thing is keeping all the children’s data secure and in one place,” she adds. “Medical information, dates of birth, everything is there, and I have it on my phone.”
For a growing dance school, this clarity and security are essential, especially when entering competitions and managing multiple classes.
Saving time with an industry-leading dance school management system
Time is Niamh’s most valuable resource.
“The best thing about using ClassForKids is that it saves me time,” she says. “I’m very busy and I want to get classes booked, get the next term organised, and keep everything moving.”
Features such as online schedules, registers, automatic rebooking, trial class bookings, and waiting lists reduce admin and enquiries.
“People can see the schedule, book a trial, and if the class is full, they go on the waiting list,” Niamh explains. “That takes pressure away for me.”
This structure has allowed Banbha Irish Dancing to grow steadily without overwhelming the day-to-day running of the school.
To see why ClassForKids works so well for dance schools, explore our dance industry page here.
Over 15x growth supported by ClassForKids
Since starting with ClassForKids in 2019, Banbha Irish Dancing has achieved over 15x growth, transforming from a small, manually managed setup into a well-organised school with strong systems behind it.
This growth has been supported by:
- Automated payments that remove chasing
- Online registers and easy term setup
- Secure child data stored in one place
- Online bookings that reduce admin and enquiries
- A class management system that scales as the school grows
Most importantly, ClassForKids has made it possible for Niamh to grow her dance school while continuing to work full-time.
“For me, the time saving and the convenience mean that I will stick with it,” she says.
She sees the ClassForKids dance school management software as a strong fit for schools that want parents to book and pay easily, reduce admin pressure, and grow in a sustainable way.
