Start new year with right (or left) foot forward

If learning a new skill and losing those pesky extra pounds were among your New Year’s resolutions, consider meeting both goals at once.

The Blue Ridge Irish Music School will offer an Irish Ceili Social Dance from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Renaissance School. Folks who leave the dance wishing to learn more can go back Jan. 13 to register for the winter-spring semester of BRIMS classes not only in Irish step dance and Cape Breton step dance, but also in Irish fiddle, Irish tin whistle, Irish tenor banjo and Irish language.

Sunday’s dance will feature live music by the BRIMS Ceili Band. No dance experience is necessary, as all the dances will be taught.

Admission to the dance is $6, $4 for ages 8 to 12. BRIMS members pay $5 and $2, respectively. It’s free for children younger than 8.

Classes will start up on Jan. 20. Two new classes will be offered this time around — “Irish Traditional Singing” with instructor Maeve Gilchrist, and “BRIMS Scoli,” an introductory sampler class for ages 7 to 11 that covers Irish dance, tin whistle, singing, language and performance skills.

Registration for BRIMS classes will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 13 at Renaissance School at 418 E. Jefferson St. Students are asked to use the side entrance on Fifth Street, across from Court Square Tavern.

To find out more, visit http://www.brims tunes.org or call 409-9631.