Damian McGinty made a special visit to his former college this week ahead of his semifinal performance on Dancing with the Stars.
He called into North West Regional College’s (NWRC) Foyle Building with his professional dance partner Kylie Vincent, where the pair did an impromptu dance lesson with some of the college’s Music and Performing Arts students in the Foyle Theatre, followed by a Q & A.
Damian also had a chance to visit the college’s dance studios and see his picture on the Performing Arts wall of fame.
The former star of Glee and member of Celtic Thunder met with NWRC Principal and Chief Executive Leo Murphy, Curriculum Manager of Music and Performing Arts, Grainne McNamara, Dance Tutor Carie Logue, as well as his former tutor Pauline McCann.
Damian, who studied a Level 3 Extended Diploma in Performing Arts at the college told students the facilities at Strand Road Campus were “unreal.”
He added: “I loved my time at NWRC. I spent my first year at the college at the City Factory building and in Year 2 we moved into the newly opened Foyle Building. We were so lucky to get to study in these amazing facilities.
“I’m glad that I got to take my dance partner Kylie to see my former college today. She has been an unreal teacher. I have so many good memories of my time at NWRC and I made friends that I am still in touch with today.”
Damian who is now based in the US is perhaps best known for starring in 18 episodes of the TV sensation, Glee when he played Irish teenager, Rory Flanagan and later as a member of the singing group, Celtic Thunder.
On Saturday night he and his dance partner Kylie will dance in the semi-finals hoping to win a place in the Dancing with the Stars finals.
If you'd like to follow in Damian's footsteps applications are open at www.nwrc.ac.uk/fulltime
