Bella Yerina - TCRG

Founder

Bella is originally from Tremor Ireland where she danced with the Troy School of Irish Dance and moved to the US in the 1960's.  She founded the O’Connor School of Irish Dance in San Francisco, California in 1978. Since then Bella has shared the passion of Irish dancing with hundreds of children and adults.  She has also served the Western U.S. Region of the Irish Dance Teachers' Association of North America as treasurer. Bella has three children and seven grandsons.

Joell Poppen - TCRG

Instructor and Director 

Joell started dancing at the age of 4 under the direction of her mother, Bella Yerina. She competed for many years and moved through the levels to ultimately finish her competitive dance career in Open Championships.  Joell is the mother of two very athletic sons and they had grown up and moved away to school Joell began helping her mother teach a few dance classes in her spare time. Joell continued teaching because she loves watching young dancers learn and achieve a new style of dance.

“I love The O'Connor School of Irish Dance because it is a family-based dance school that truly cares for each individual dancer that takes classes. I love to see the smiles on their faces when they perform and compete. Win or lose they keep trying, and I am so proud. The most rewarding part of teaching is the friendships created with the parents and children.  At O’Connor we are a family and we love and support one another in and outside of dance”