Siobhan O'Sullivan

The Journey

I didn't start out as a dance journalist. In 2010, I walked into a bachata workshop in Wexford on a whim — honestly, I wasn't sure what I was doing. But something clicked. The energy, the community, the way people who'd never met before were suddenly laughing and moving together. That single night changed everything.

After studying Event Management at Dublin Institute of Technology, I could've gone the corporate conference route. Instead, I chose to chase what actually fascinated me. I started attending dance events across Ireland — Dublin's packed salsa socials, intimate bachata weekends in smaller towns, and eventually the bigger seasonal festivals in Galway. What began as a personal passion became professional work. Over the past 14 years, I've built relationships with more than 60 dance studios and festival organisers, attended hundreds of events in person, and created detailed guides for the communities I cover.

The focus on people 45 and older wasn't accidental. I've watched this demographic discover — or rediscover — dance in ways that genuinely move me. They're not training for competitions. They're there for joy, connection, and the simple pleasure of being part of something vibrant. That's what I write about. That's what I care about.