Erin Cass was born and raised in Buffalo, New York where she began Irish dancing at the age of 7 with the Rince Na Tiarna School, under the direction of Mary Kay Heneghan A.D.C.R.G. During that time, she competed throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Eastern Canada, collecting numerous awards and qualifying placements, as well as performing alongside the prestigious Buffalo Philharmonic and other famous artists, including Eileen Ivers, the Trinity Irish Dance Company, and Natalie MacMaster. Erin also had the privilege of participating in several workshops taught by world-renowned teachers, choreographers, and adjudicators such as Elizabeth and Rose McConomy, Mark Howard, and Aaron Crosbie.
At age 12, Erin relocated to Houston, Texas where she studied with the McTeggart School under the direction of Maureen Hall A.D.C.R.G. With her new school, Erin won numerous Open Championship titles, including both the Paul Tynan Memorial Trophy and the Dick Dowling Perpetual Trophy twice over, as well as qualifying for the World Irish Dancing Championships 9 times. She has since traveled across the Southern U.S. Region, competed Nationally and Internationally, and finished her competitive career winning the Southern Region Oireachtas in 2004 under the instruction of Erin Reid T.C.R.G.
A year later, Erin flew to Los Angeles to sit the T.C.R.G. exam where she received passing marks and became a registered teacher under An Coimisuin Le Rinci Gaelacha in Ireland. Having received her teaching certificate on St. Patrick's Day, she then made true her lifelong dream and founded the Cass Academy of Irish Dance in 2005. In November of 2012, Erin proudly welcomed her new business partner and co-instructor, Owen Barrington T.C.R.G., and officially became the Cass-Barrington Academy of Irish Dance. Along with Owen, Erin also now proudly teaches the school with her younger sister, Laura Cass T.C.R.G.
At age 12, Erin relocated to Houston, Texas where she studied with the McTeggart School under the direction of Maureen Hall A.D.C.R.G. With her new school, Erin won numerous Open Championship titles, including both the Paul Tynan Memorial Trophy and the Dick Dowling Perpetual Trophy twice over, as well as qualifying for the World Irish Dancing Championships 9 times. She has since traveled across the Southern U.S. Region, competed Nationally and Internationally, and finished her competitive career winning the Southern Region Oireachtas in 2004 under the instruction of Erin Reid T.C.R.G.
A year later, Erin flew to Los Angeles to sit the T.C.R.G. exam where she received passing marks and became a registered teacher under An Coimisuin Le Rinci Gaelacha in Ireland. Having received her teaching certificate on St. Patrick's Day, she then made true her lifelong dream and founded the Cass Academy of Irish Dance in 2005. In November of 2012, Erin proudly welcomed her new business partner and co-instructor, Owen Barrington T.C.R.G., and officially became the Cass-Barrington Academy of Irish Dance. Along with Owen, Erin also now proudly teaches the school with her younger sister, Laura Cass T.C.R.G.