How do you practice your dancing?

Just about every day in Irish dance classes across the world, students are told by their conscientious teachers to practice before the next class. Week after week, these reminders are announced, the students nod dutifully to show that they will indeed practice, and the class ends.
Now, two questions occur to me. First, are dancers really practicing? Second, and perhaps more important, what are the dancers practicing? Let’s just assume that the answer to the first question is “Yes”, even though there may be some doubt! I would rather focus, for the moment, on the second question.
When I was a beginning dancer in Boston, I made sure that I practiced each new step so that could perform it at the next class. At the same time, however, I also made sure to run through my older steps, so that I did not take the chance of forgetting them. I was fortunate that my dance teacher, Mary Costello Madden, TCRG, made sure that in every class we danced a variety of steps, not just the new material taught in the last few classes. She had the right expectation that her dancers must be able to perform a full range of steps in each of the dances (reel, jig, etc.). This was a big help whenever we danced out; we could quickly put together dance routines where groups of dancers could easily find steps they could dance comfortably without hesitation.
It is all too easy to focus only on new steps. They do need attention. They do need refinement and adjustment. They do need enough guided practice to become second nature to dancers. All of that takes time and attention. The risk we all run, however, is that dancers will inaccurately assume that our focus on new material means that they don’t need to practice (or perhaps even remember) the older steps. It is the responsibility of teachers and dancers to devote a suitable amount of practice time to a variety of steps, new and old.
Each step or sequence of materials has specific challenges that each dancer needs to meet to execute it correctly and effectively. Practicing only the newest material means a dancer is working on the specific challenges of that material, but he or she might be losing the edge necessary to execute some other challenging material in the older step, which could be detrimental to the dancer’s overall development. This is especially important at the grades level (beginner, advanced beginner, novice, prizewinner).
Dancers should have a full repertoire of steps and material that they practice and perform. They should not be limited to knowing and being to perform well only a few steps in a given dance; the choice of which steps to perform at each feis should be based upon which steps currently display the student’s overall dance ability, not the fact that the dancer only knows two steps that he/she can perform right now. I work with my dancers regularly to make sure that they can perform a whole range of steps in each dance, at high levels of accuracy and strength, and then we decide for each dancer which pair of steps is best at showing off at the next feis his or her abilities and development as a dancer. As a teacher, I know that a dancer may not be ready to use a new step in competition, so having other steps “up to speed” helps us to make informed decisions for feiseanna, while still working on the new material until the dancer has it ready to go. Once older steps are left untouched for a period of time, it becomes harder to remember them. In addition, it certainly becomes more likely that a dancer will be able, at best, to get through the steps but not be able to perform them with confidence and commitment, partially because the muscle memory necessary to execute the steps will have weakened or disappeared.
Regular practice and review of a full range of steps in every dance is a good idea and one that will have long-term benefit for dancers. Make this part of your weekly practice sessions at home, and ask your teacher about including a few minutes in every class to review and practice older steps along with new materials. As I see it, this would be a practice that makes real sense.

By Russell J. Beaton adcrg

Portugal home to European Championships

Is it possible to combine a feis or major Irish dance championships with a family vacation that is more than just a quick weekend away from home?  The European Championships in Irish Dancing, held on May28-30, 2006, in Faro, Portugal, are proof that it can be done, and done very well!.  In its sixth year, this championship-only event was a rousing success. [In the interest of truth in journalism, I should point out that I was an adjudicator for this year’s event.]
The European Championships in Irish Dancing are ably organized and run by Eileen Lally and Rose Fitzgibbons, both well-known and highly-respected Irish dance teachers and adjudicators in the Manchester area of England.  Rose is also a vice-president of the Irish Dance Commission in Dublin.
In collaboration with Enjoy Travel, which is headquartered in London, these two ladies provide a unique location for an Irish dance competition in a warm, sunny vacation spot along the southern coast of Europe.  For the first five years, the event was held in Spain, with a change of venue to Portugal this year., specifically, the Hotel Montechorro in Albufeira, in the Algarve region of Portugal.
Dancers from such diverse locations as England, Ireland, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, and the United States were in attendance.  They competed in two levels of competitions: regular open championships (each with three rounds of dancing) and trophy competitions, which are somewhat similar to the preliminary championships that we know in the USA, also with three rounds of dancing.  First place winners, the champions, received beautiful sterling silver perpetual trophies, sashes, and flowers bouquets (for the ladies).  Each competitor in each group received a medal or other award based upon the overall result.  In addition, for each of the first two rounds of each event (reel/slip jig and jig/hornpipe), medals were awarded to competitors based upon the results of one adjudicator randomly selected from the panel.
All awards carried the distinctive logo of the European Championships in Irish Dancing, which features the green, white, and orange of the Irish flag, along with the red and green of the flag of Portugal.  Awards ceremonies at the end of each day of competition were held on a very nicely decorated stage, with a large backdrop featuring the championship logo.  Proud parents and family members, as well as dance teachers, got some very special photographs during these ceremonies.
Competitors in this year’s European Championships in Irish Dancing were treated to live dance music performed by Ann Murray from England, as well as Damian McKee and Liam Bradley from Ireland. Hats off to these fine musicians and the wonderful music they provided.
The adjudication panel for this year’s championships consisted of six judges from three countries. From Ireland, there were Noreen Flanagan Duggan (Sligo), Anne Marie Greany (Galway), and Charles Moore (Limerick).  From England, there was Michael Stanley (Peterborough); and, from the USA, Patty Kay Lenihan (Connecticut) and yours truly (Maryland) were in attendance.
What struck me as particularly special about this event was the way in which the audience supported and cheered for all dancers, regardless of where they called home.  There was a real sense of friendship and camaraderie among the dancers, their families, and the teachers present.  In addition, at the end of each day’s competitions, the dancers and their families could be found enjoying the pool, the patio, and all the other amenities provide by the hotel and the travel agency.  In the evening, groups from many different areas went to local restaurants and cafes for dinner and conversation, many dining on patios under the starlit Portugese sky, enjoying the superb weather and wonderful food.
All the competitions were enjoyable and featured performances by well-trained dancers, including several world championship winners and contenders.  However, I must take note of one competition in particular, the senior men’s championship.  There were five gentlemen 19 years of age or older who competed.  There were two from Australia, two from Ireland, and one from Scotland.  In the USA, we often find few, if any, senior men competing in feiseanna.  To see these five excellent dancers continuing to compete as young adults was an unexpected treat!
The USA was ably represented by dancers from the McTeggart School in New Mexico and the John O’Keefe School in Connecticut.  In addition, there were several fine dancers from three California schools: the Butler-Fearon-O’Connor School , the Patricia Kennelly School, and the Whelan School.
The idea of a competition designed as a part of an all-inclusive week in an attractive vacation spot is an interesting one.  Those of us in North America might consider whether we could organize a similar event in one of our many fabulous vacation spots.  There has been talk about a feis in Hawaii!  What about a Caribbean destination?  How about Cape Cod or someplace in western Canada?  There are many wonderful possibilities.
The 2006 European Championships in Irish Dancing were a unique combination of a great dance competition and a really enjoyable family vacation.  Eileen Lally and Rose Fitzgibbons, along with their friends at Enjoy Travel, are to be congratulated for a very good idea, which they carried out exceptionally well.  As I see it, it is an idea whose time may have come for us in North America!  Whose ready?

By Russell J. Beaton ADCRG

Music to My Ears

Every once in a while, a dancer on stage at a feis has real trouble starting to the music.  Someone tries to help by counting off the introduction, but there is still a problem.  When I ask the dancer what is wrong, I sometimes hear, “But, that’s not the right song”!  Aha!  The problem is not just with starting to the music.  The problem is more a lack of comfort with a variety of tunes and musical styles.  What will help this child to conqueror his or her dependence on a particular tune, or more precisely with a particular musician’s interpretation of that “right” tune?
It should be apparent to most folks that, if a child only practices to one particular tune as played on one track of one particular CD, whether at home or at class, the potential for problems later in performance  — especially in feis competitions – is very great.  Let’s face it, we are all creatures of habit, and it is too easy to keep using the same music repeatedly.  It is vital that dancers have the opportunity to practice to a variety of music, both live and recorded.  Dancers these days are fortunate to have many choices in recorded practice music.  Any number of CDs by a whole host of talented musicians are available, whether in local music stores, at feis vendors, or even on line.  There really is no excuse for a dancer becoming reliant on one tune as interpreted by one musician on one recording.
However, just having a variety of music available is not enough.  We have to be sure that in every class and at every practice session we, as teachers and as dancers, are actually using many different CDs.  Every week in my classes, I regularly switch back and forth among 5 or 6 CDs from my collection of over 40 recordings by diverse musicians.  I make a point of using a variety of tracks on each CD, so that dancers hear and become familiar with many tunes for each dance.  I even make a point of adjusting the speeds up (and down) a little bit to be sure that my dancers are able to cope with slight variations in tempo, should they ever encounter such a thing in live performance.
But, having and using many different recordings is still not quite enough, if the musicians on the recordings all play the same instrument, for example the piano accordion.  Don’t misunderstand me: I am thrilled with the wonderful sound and volume that a piano accordion can provide, especially in the capable hands of the many talented musicians who are contributing to the Irish dancing scene these days.  We are blessed with a staggering array of fine piano accordion players (such as Pat King, Brian Glynn, Mike Shaffer, Tony Nother, and Chris McLoughlin…..to name only a few) providing us with outstanding Irish dance music accompaniment (live and recorded).  However, if we face facts, we have to admit that, at any given feis, the musicians are not all likely to be playing piano accordion.  There may well be violins, button accordions, flutes, pipes, electronic keyboards with loads of unusual sound effects, and many more.  If dancers have practiced only to recordings by piano accordion players, the possibility that they might be confused and surprised by the sound, timbre, and relative volume of these other instruments becomes very real.  So, what should we do?

Well, that’s easy!  Expand the CD collections that you use for class and for at home practicing to include a variety of music performed by musicians playing a range of musical instruments, with and without accompaniment.  That way, dancers will have been prepared for the variations in sound and volume, as well as the even wider range of tunes and unique interpretations that certain musicians are likely to favor for different instruments.  This is the safest way to make sure that a dancer’s performance (and self confidence) won’t be negatively impacted because he or she is not comfortable with the specific instrumentation provided.
I have to confess that, from a very personal perspective, I am always surprised at how negatively some folks react when they discover that a violinist is playing for a competition, especially a major dance championship.  As a dancer in Boston, I can recall competing in feiseanna in New England and New York to some of the most beautiful dance music ever played by such remarkable musicians as Larry Redican, Louis Quinn, and Pete Kelly, when violins where the order of the day and piano accordions were unheard of.  I treasured recordings by the renowned violinist Sean Maguire from Northern Ireland.  To this day, when a musician of the calibre of Billy Furlong plays such tunes as The Mountain Road, Peter Street, and the Mason’s Apron, I envy the dancers on the stage as they perform to such excellent music and musicianship.  They should be grateful for the opportunity that has been presented to them.  Of course, being prepared for this experience (by practicing to recorded violin music) will definitely help as well!
Whatever our personal preferences for tunes, musical styles, or combinations of musical instruments, as teachers and dancers we owe it to ourselves to use a continually changing variety of music during class and practice sessions.  The choices available are exceptional.  Be sure to sample many different recordings, and as a result of learning and practicing to many different musical examples at class and at home, you are likely to be ready for anything when you head for a feis.

Feeling the Electricity in Nashville

Near the end of the Tony-Award-winning Broadway musical, Billy Elliott, Billy auditions for the Royal Ballet School.  As he and his father are about to leave the final interview, one of the judges asks Billy what it feels like when he dances.  At first, he responds, “I dunno!”  Then he pauses, thinks, and begins the song, “Electricity”, in which he sings, and shows in an amazingly intense dance sequence, that when he dances, he is “flying, flying like a bird, like electricity.  Electricity sparks inside of me, and I’m free. I’m free.”
Every night of the North American Irish Dance Championships in Nashville, Tennessee, in July, when I welcomed the audience to the award ceremonies, I repeated this synopsis of these magical moments from Billy Elliott.  I followed it up with a comment from me that, during the day’s competitions, I had experienced that electricity as I watched the dancers competing in each of the five ballrooms.  I had seen it.  I had sensed it.  I had truly felt it.
Admittedly, my experience of the electricity was not the directly personal one of someone actually dancing himself.  I suppose you could say that it was a somewhat indirect experience.  However, it was there just the same.  I am not the slightest bit surprised that, every time I see really good dancers performing on stage, I experience that sense of electricity.  As a teacher, a judge, or simply a member of the audience, I thrill to the energy, the pulse, and the power of dancing.  It was especially powerful when I watched my own children, Angela and Brendan, dance on stage or in competition, or more recently at their weddings.  The electricity produced by Irish dancing is a major source of my own energy and who I am as a person.
This is, I suppose, why I agree to do things like chair the North American Championships in Irish Dancing, which is a massive and stressful undertaking.  It is important to me that such events provide dancers, teachers, and families with a proper showcase in which to demonstrate the electricity that is inherent in Irish dancing.  And, I am pleased to report (with only a touch of bias) that this year we did just that.
Let me start by making very clear that no one person really “runs” a major event like this.  I was most fortunate to have a support group of very special members of the Southern Region of the USA.  They included the following talented and exceptionally hard-working individuals: Mary McGinty Sweeney, ADCRG; Margaret Moebus, TCRG; Michelle Kennedy, TCRG; Erin Duffy, TCRG; Sandra Connick, TCRG; and Sean Culkin, TCRG, regional director.  Our group of seven planned and delivered a first-rate North American Championships of which we all can be (and are) very proud.  There were hundreds of tasks, issues, and details to be handled, and together we were able to address all of them.  Added to my group of seven, there were quite a few members of the Southern Region who volunteered to be responsible for jobs big and small. Without them, we could not have accomplished everything as well as we did.
Initially, we were all anxious that we would not have the number of entries really necessary to run a major event like this.  Fortunately, we were wrong!  We were blessed to have dancers from all over North America, as well as from many other locations around the world.  We were treated to exceptional performances in solo and team competitions.  The electricity that all of these dancers brought to our five stages was apparent every day in every competition.  They and their teachers deserve our thanks and praise for enriching our lives and for providing us with thrilling memories.
We also had the encouragement and support, as well as the help, of fellow teachers from across the world.  They managed stages, announced results, assisted with tabulation, and carried out loads of other tasks too numerous to mention.  The fact that so many colleagues did their part during the North American Irish Dance Championships is proof of the special bond that Irish dancing has created world wide.  Ours is, indeed, a special kind of family.
The Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort is a very special, and very suitable, location for an event such as the North American Irish Dance Championships, and this year it proved once again just how “right” it is.  The entire staff of the hotel was great to work with.  The same must be said of Experient, the event planning organization with whom we planned and delivered this year’s North American Irish Dancing Championships.  They are first rate. Aida Campbell, and especially Katie Sturznickel, our person event planner and liaison, were remarkable in their attention to detail.  They made it possible for us to concentrate on the most important thing, the dancing.
As I moved from room to room each day of the championships, I enjoyed myself immensely.  That may sound strange, since there were the inevitable glitches and issues to be addressed, and I was exceptionally tired at the end of each day.  But, I guess, Billy Elliot is right, and each day I absolutely felt the electricity spark inside of me.  That electricity was so powerful and so invigorating that I found myself standing in a competition room beaming, as I watched dancers I did not know at all delighting the audience and me alike.  Their electricity came across to me every time, and as a result, I was off to the next room or the next question with more energy and more readiness to go forward than I would have thought possible.
It struck me, during my remarks before the awards one night in Nashville, that I have been involved in Irish dancing for exactly 50 years.  What a remarkable fifty years it has been!  Who knew when I started classes at age ten, with my one and only teacher, Mary Costello Madden, TCRG, in Boston, where it would all lead?  It has been a most rewarding journey, and I am pleased every day that I am able to do what I so enjoy and what provides me with the electricity needed to keep at it!  Thanks to Mary for starting me so very well on this amazing journey and for encouraging my creative side by trusting me to create solo and team choreography for our school when I was only a teenager, and to all of my colleagues world-wide and to the many dancers it has been my privilege to know for these many years, thanks for the electricity to keep me going.
To all of the dancers who competed at the North American Irish Dance Championships, we are grateful for the electricity that you generated in your many performances in Nashville.  It is you, after all, for whom all of this happens.  More importantly, it is all of you who communicate the electricity to all of us not on the stage and give us the energy and the power to make things the best we can for you and for our beloved art form.

[If you are able to get to a performance of Billy Elliott, don’t miss the opportunity.  Its message about the power of the arts in our lives is immensely important for everyone, especially those of us involved in dance.  It is a “must see”.  And, if you get the chance to see “our own” Trent Kowalik or David Bologna (both dancers from the Inishfree School of Irish Dance) in the show, the electricity will positively “spark” all night (and for a long time afterwards)!]

Historic Event Thrills Crowds

Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne, the World Championships in Irish Dancing, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from April 2009, for the first time in North America. I was fortunate enough to be there for the entire event, and I am happy to report that it was extremely successful! From the colorful and impressive opening ceremonies on day one through to the presentation of awards to the winning teams in the senior dance drama competition on the final night, it was a week filled with excitement, energy, and emotion. It was a week which created for me, and for many other attendees, a great many fond, lasting memories.

An Coimsiun le Rince Gaelacha (The Irish Dance Commission), and in particular its Oireachtas Committee under the able chairmanship of James McCutcheon, made certain that the competitions went smoothly, the awards ceremonies were impressive, and the social events were the best ever. All of that happened as result of careful, long-term planning, put into place by a host of volunteers from around the world, who carried out their many responsibilities with dedication and flexibility. Hats off to James McCutcheon and Terry Gillan (assistant chair of the Oreachtas committee), and to their army of volunteers, for countless jobs well done.

The World Championships are always the high point of the Irish Dancing year. This year was no exception. We were privileged to see thousands of outstanding dancers from around the globe competing in solo and team events. Competitions were held in the magnificent Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and in the Philadelphia Marriott Hotel. Having two different venues was challenging and required a considerable amount of planning and coordination, but once again thanks to the committee and to many local volunteers, things went smoothly at both locations.

As a proud North American teacher and adjudicator, I was especially pleased that quite a number of North American dancers were successful in winning trophies, sashes, and medals in the many solo competition. In fact, North American solo dancers earned the title of World Champion in six different competitions. Ashley Smith, from the Smith-Houlihan School in Boston, won the title for the Senior Ladies. Deirdre Robinette, from the McGing School in Ohio, is champion for ladies under 21. In the girls under 17 age group, Gabriella Wood from the Petri School in NY was the winner. Michaela Hinds was the winner for the girls under 14 age group; she dances for the Butler Fearon O’Connor School in Canada. Scott Doherty won the title of Senior Men’s Champion; he dances for the O’Shea Chaplin School in Boston. The Dennehy School celebrated when Michael Putman won the title of World Champion in the boys under 17 age group. For the McGing, O’Shea Chaplin, and Dennehy Schools, these winners were their first ever world champions, which made the wins especially exciting. It is important to recognize that this is the first time in the thirty-nine year history of the championships that the Senior Men’s and Senior Ladies’ championships have been held jointly by North American dancers. I cannot fail to mention that both dancers are from the Boston, Massachusetts area, my home town, and that they both represent in a remarkable way an ongoing tradition of world class dancing to be found in that great city. Congratulations to Ashley and Scott, two truly amazing dancers, and to their very proud teachers.

Team dancers from North American dance schools were not to be outdone by their solo counterparts in terms of titles and bragging rights. Eight teams from five different schools won the title of World Champion in a variety of team events. The Cara School from Pennsylvania won the minor mixed ceili competition, while The McGing School from Ohio won the junior girls figure choreography event, and The Watters School from Florida won the Junior Dance drama championship title. The Claddagh School from California earned two world championship titles: in the minor girls figure choreography and the senior mixed figure choreography. The Smith-Houlihan School from Boston was the big winner with three championship titles: Minor Girls Ceili, Senior Ladies Ceili, and the Senior Dance Drama. Congratulations to all of these teams and to their talented teachers.

It is important to note that all of the dancers who competed in the World Championships should be very proud of their accomplishments. Each of the solo dancers who competed in Philadelphia had qualified to represent their individual regions of the world in regional competitions. All of them represented their regions with distinction.

I came away from Philadelphia with especially fond memories from this year’s World Championships. First, I was thrilled that Peter Smith, ADCRG, president emeritus of the Irish Dance Commission, was able to be present, despite recent health challenges. Along with Fedelmia Mullan Davis and Anna O’Sullivan, Peter was a founder of the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America (IDTANA), which has been such an important part of the development of the current high level of Irish dancing in North America. It was especially fitting that these three wonderful individuals were recognized and honored during this unique event.

There was a first-class teachers’ reception, planned and presented impeccably by Lisa and Karen Petri, who were the chairpersons for all social events, at which I was able to renew acquaintances with many friends from around the world while being entertained by the fabulous Barry Owens Band from London. My wife, Millie Allen Beaton, TCRG, and I also had a wonderful evening at the dinner dance, where several types of recognition occurred. People who successfully passed their TCRG and ADCRG exams during the past year received their certificates and were presented to the audience. In addition, many individuals who have made a life-long difference in the world of Irish dancing received recognition awards from The Irish Dance Commission. For us, this was made extra special because Eddie Irwin, ADCRG, the gentleman who had been my wife’s dance partner when they danced for the Hansen-Keohane School of Irish Dancing in Boston, just a few years ago, was one of those honored. Listening to the ways in which each of the honorees had given years of dedication and talent to help make Irish dancing the major cultural and artistic force that it is in North America, made me very proud of what we have accomplished in North America. We enjoyed a great evening of fun and reminiscing with Eddie Irwin, as well as the Dillon Sisters, his former pupils, who are now themselves teaching dancing in the Boston area.

On the final night of the championships, I had the honor of being present for the entire Senior Dance Drama competition, hosted by the delightful Mary McElroy and Frances Curley, in which nineteen teams showed how creative and original they could be in telling stories and entertaining the audience. Their themes ranged from comedy to tragedy, their costumes were amazingly detailed and varied, and their stage presence and strong dancing skills impressed all of us that night. Representing the Southern region of the IDTANA, I had the distinct privilege of presenting the awards to the winners of this final competition of the week. The excitement and energy on stage during the awards ceremonies were amazing. It was a fantastic way to conclude a week full of wonderful dancing and sportsmanship. As I left the hall and walked back to my hotel, I was as happy and proud as I could be to be a part of the world of Irish dancing.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed the untold amounts of hard work and dedication that made the 2009 World Championships in Irish Dancing in Philadelphia successful and memorable. Led very ably by James McCutcheon and Terry Gillan, that large band of volunteers came together to ensure that it was a week to remember for ever. Thanks to all of them for the memories.

Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne, the World Championships in Irish Dancing, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from April 2009, for the first time in North America. I was fortunate enough to be there for the entire event, and I am happy to report that it was extremely successful! From the colorful and impressive opening ceremonies on day one through to the presentation of awards to the winning teams in the senior dance drama competition on the final night, it was a week filled with excitement, energy, and emotion. It was a week which created for me, and for many other attendees, a great many fond, lasting memories.

An Coimsiun le Rince Gaelacha (The Irish Dance Commission), and in particular its Oireachtas Committee under the able chairmanship of James McCutcheon, made certain that the competitions went smoothly, the awards ceremonies were impressive, and the social events were the best ever. All of that happened as result of careful, long-term planning, put into place by a host of volunteers from around the world, who carried out their many responsibilities with dedication and flexibility. Hats off to James McCutcheon and Terry Gillan (assistant chair of the Oreachtas committee), and to their army of volunteers, for countless jobs well done.

The World Championships are always the high point of the Irish Dancing year. This year was no exception. We were privileged to see thousands of outstanding dancers from around the globe competing in solo and team events. Competitions were held in the magnificent Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and in the Philadelphia Marriott Hotel. Having two different venues was challenging and required a considerable amount of planning and coordination, but once again thanks to the committee and to many local volunteers, things went smoothly at both locations.

As a proud North American teacher and adjudicator, I was especially pleased that quite a number of North American dancers were successful in winning trophies, sashes, and medals in the many solo competition. In fact, North American solo dancers earned the title of World Champion in six different competitions. Ashley Smith, from the Smith-Houlihan School in Boston, won the title for the Senior Ladies. Deirdre Robinette, from the McGing School in Ohio, is champion for ladies under 21. In the girls under 17 age group, Gabriella Wood from the Petri School in NY was the winner. Michaela Hinds was the winner for the girls under 14 age group; she dances for the Butler Fearon O’Connor School in Canada. Scott Doherty won the title of Senior Men’s Champion; he dances for the O’Shea Chaplin School in Boston. The Dennehy School celebrated when Michael Putman won the title of World Champion in the boys under 17 age group. For the McGing, O’Shea Chaplin, and Dennehy Schools, these winners were their first ever world champions, which made the wins especially exciting. It is important to recognize that this is the first time in the thirty-nine year history of the championships that the Senior Men’s and Senior Ladies’ championships have been held jointly by North American dancers. I cannot fail to mention that both dancers are from the Boston, Massachusetts area, my home town, and that they both represent in a remarkable way an ongoing tradition of world class dancing to be found in that great city. Congratulations to Ashley and Scott, two truly amazing dancers, and to their very proud teachers.

Team dancers from North American dance schools were not to be outdone by their solo counterparts in terms of titles and bragging rights. Eight teams from five different schools won the title of World Champion in a variety of team events. The Cara School from Pennsylvania won the minor mixed ceili competition, while The McGing School from Ohio won the junior girls figure choreography event, and The Watters School from Florida won the Junior Dance drama championship title. The Claddagh School from California earned two world championship titles: in the minor girls figure choreography and the senior mixed figure choreography. The Smith-Houlihan School from Boston was the big winner with three championship titles: Minor Girls Ceili, Senior Ladies Ceili, and the Senior Dance Drama. Congratulations to all of these teams and to their talented teachers.

It is important to note that all of the dancers who competed in the World Championships should be very proud of their accomplishments. Each of the solo dancers who competed in Philadelphia had qualified to represent their individual regions of the world in regional competitions. All of them represented their regions with distinction.

I came away from Philadelphia with especially fond memories from this year’s World Championships. First, I was thrilled that Peter Smith, ADCRG, president emeritus of the Irish Dance Commission, was able to be present, despite recent health challenges. Along with Fedelmia Mullan Davis and Anna O’Sullivan, Peter was a founder of the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America (IDTANA), which has been such an important part of the development of the current high level of Irish dancing in North America. It was especially fitting that these three wonderful individuals were recognized and honored during this unique event.

There was a first-class teachers’ reception, planned and presented impeccably by Lisa and Karen Petri, who were the chairpersons for all social events, at which I was able to renew acquaintances with many friends from around the world while being entertained by the fabulous Barry Owens Band from London. My wife, Millie Allen Beaton, TCRG, and I also had a wonderful evening at the dinner dance, where several types of recognition occurred. People who successfully passed their TCRG and ADCRG exams during the past year received their certificates and were presented to the audience. In addition, many individuals who have made a life-long difference in the world of Irish dancing received recognition awards from The Irish Dance Commission. For us, this was made extra special because Eddie Irwin, ADCRG, the gentleman who had been my wife’s dance partner when they danced for the Hansen-Keohane School of Irish Dancing in Boston, just a few years ago, was one of those honored. Listening to the ways in which each of the honorees had given years of dedication and talent to help make Irish dancing the major cultural and artistic force that it is in North America, made me very proud of what we have accomplished in North America. We enjoyed a great evening of fun and reminiscing with Eddie Irwin, as well as the Dillon Sisters, his former pupils, who are now themselves teaching dancing in the Boston area.

On the final night of the championships, I had the honor of being present for the entire Senior Dance Drama competition, hosted by the delightful Mary McElroy and Frances Curley, in which nineteen teams showed how creative and original they could be in telling stories and entertaining the audience. Their themes ranged from comedy to tragedy, their costumes were amazingly detailed and varied, and their stage presence and strong dancing skills impressed all of us that night. Representing the Southern region of the IDTANA, I had the distinct privilege of presenting the awards to the winners of this final competition of the week. The excitement and energy on stage during the awards ceremonies were amazing. It was a fantastic way to conclude a week full of wonderful dancing and sportsmanship. As I left the hall and walked back to my hotel, I was as happy and proud as I could be to be a part of the world of Irish dancing.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed the untold amounts of hard work and dedication that made the 2009 World Championships in Irish Dancing in Philadelphia successful and memorable. Led very ably by James McCutcheon and Terry Gillan, that large band of volunteers came together to ensure that it was a week to remember for ever. Thanks to all of them for the memories.

Can You Trace Your Dance Genealogy?

At a workshop sponsored by the IDTANA for teacher members in February 2009, guest instructor, Mary McElroy, ADCRG, from Dublin very ably and patiently instructed attendees in some of the less–well-known traditional sets dances (The Jockey to the Fair, The Three Sea Captains, and The King of the Fairies). Several times during that session, I heard conversations about slight variations in ways of executing some of the material found in the traditional sets, as well as variations in the actual choreography itself. The consensus was that these variations tended to reflect the specific area of Ireland where the individual’s teacher originally learned his/her dancing. Reflecting on these conversations, and also thinking quite a bit recently about the upcoming World Irish Dancing Championships as they make their first ever appearance in North America in Philadelphia (April 5-12), it occurred to me that knowing our Irish dance genealogy is very important.
I knew from the very beginning that my own dance traditions were rooted in Cork, Ireland. My teacher, Mary Costello Madden, TCRG, had been taught by a very interesting, feisty teacher, Mrs. Helen Madden, herself a native of Cork. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Madden proudly announced that her training had come from Cormac O’Keefe, a legendary teacher and choreographer in the world of Irish Dancing in the early part of the 20th century. Of course, Mr. O’Keefe was a native of Cork. My teacher taught me Mr. O’Keefe’s steps and sets that had been brought to the Boston area by Mrs. Madden. But, it wasn’t just the steps that we learned in our dancing classes. Just as importantly, we learned the style of dancing those steps. There were certain ways to give a twist to your ankle, and certain pauses and emphases to be placed just right so that the steps looked and sounded “right”, in the Cork style (of course). Some of my favorite moments as a young dancer occurred when I had the privilege of going to Mrs. Madden’s home and having her work with me to perfect the style of execution of the Cork steps. I was ecstatic when she would finally say to me. “Now, that’s the Cork way of doing that step! You have it! Don’t lose it!” I felt very special. It made me proud to be carrying on a very important part of the history and culture of Irish dancing.
I had some additional support from two very special individuals who were also part of the Cork lineage of dancing. The first was the late Steve Carney, ADCRG, who was one of my teacher’s dancing partners. The other was Jim Madden, ADCRG, the son of Helen Madden. These two fine gentlemen frequently came to our classes or worked with me in private classes. From them I learned steps and combinations, as well the traditional King of the Fairies, which I am proud to report I remember in its entirety despite learning it more than forty years ago. Both of these men made sure that my execution was consistent and reflective of the Cork style.
When I met the young lady who was later to become my wife and saw her dance in various places around town, I recognized that her style was similar to mine but with some variations. Millie Allen was a dancer with the Hansen-Keohane School of Irish Dancing. She was a fine dancer, as well as a very accomplished singer in the Boston area. Millie and I frequently performed together with dancers from our schools (and from others) at many Irish locations in the greater Boston area. Whenever I would talk about a step or the way that I performed a certain piece of material, Millie would have a similar Maureen Hansen step to share, and she would demonstrate just how Maureen had ably instructed her dancers to perform their footwork. Although we came from slightly different background and styles, we found that there were many similarities and things that we could share or blend in our performances.
Today, I love to watch our daughter, Angela Beaton Lyons, dance. Angela began dancing at age four and continues to this day as a very talented 30 something. When she dances, I can see many elements of the Cork style in her footwork and in her overall approach to dancing (especially in her hard shoe dancing), coupled with many touches of the Hansen-Keohane style as well. That is some lineage, and she proudly presents it every time she takes the floor! Helen Madden and Maureen Hansen-Keohane would definitely approve!
I urge every dancer to find out something about the lineage of your dance teacher. Who did he or she learn dancing from? Where in Ireland or the USA or Canada (or elsewhere) did that teacher’s own teacher learn dancing? Are you from the Cork tradition or the Dublin tradition? Does your style reflect the work of teachers from Ulster or Connaught? Irish Dancing has a proud history, and each one of us should know as much as we can about our part of it, so that we can do justice to all of that history and tradition when we dance.

By Russell J. Beaton, ADCRG

Can You Trace Your Dance Genealogy?

At a workshop sponsored by the IDTANA for teacher members in February 2009, guest instructor, Mary McElroy, ADCRG, from Dublin very ably and patiently instructed attendees in some of the less–well-known traditional sets dances (The Jockey to the Fair, The Three Sea Captains, and The King of the Fairies). Several times during that session, I heard conversations about slight variations in ways of executing some of the material found in the traditional sets, as well as variations in the actual choreography itself. The consensus was that these variations tended to reflect the specific area of Ireland where the individual’s teacher originally learned his/her dancing. Reflecting on these conversations, and also thinking quite a bit recently about the upcoming World Irish Dancing Championships as they make their first ever appearance in North America in Philadelphia (April 5-12), it occurred to me that knowing our Irish dance genealogy is very important.
I knew from the very beginning that my own dance traditions were rooted in Cork, Ireland. My teacher, Mary Costello Madden, TCRG, had been taught by a very interesting, feisty teacher, Mrs. Helen Madden, herself a native of Cork. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Madden proudly announced that her training had come from Cormac O’Keefe, a legendary teacher and choreographer in the world of Irish Dancing in the early part of the 20th century. Of course, Mr. O’Keefe was a native of Cork. My teacher taught me Mr. O’Keefe’s steps and sets that had been brought to the Boston area by Mrs. Madden. But, it wasn’t just the steps that we learned in our dancing classes. Just as importantly, we learned the style of dancing those steps. There were certain ways to give a twist to your ankle, and certain pauses and emphases to be placed just right so that the steps looked and sounded “right”, in the Cork style (of course). Some of my favorite moments as a young dancer occurred when I had the privilege of going to Mrs. Madden’s home and having her work with me to perfect the style of execution of the Cork steps. I was ecstatic when she would finally say to me. “Now, that’s the Cork way of doing that step! You have it! Don’t lose it!” I felt very special. It made me proud to be carrying on a very important part of the history and culture of Irish dancing.
I had some additional support from two very special individuals who were also part of the Cork lineage of dancing. The first was the late Steve Carney, ADCRG, who was one of my teacher’s dancing partners. The other was Jim Madden, ADCRG, the son of Helen Madden. These two fine gentlemen frequently came to our classes or worked with me in private classes. From them I learned steps and combinations, as well the traditional King of the Fairies, which I am proud to report I remember in its entirety despite learning it more than forty years ago. Both of these men made sure that my execution was consistent and reflective of the Cork style.
When I met the young lady who was later to become my wife and saw her dance in various places around town, I recognized that her style was similar to mine but with some variations. Millie Allen was a dancer with the Hansen-Keohane School of Irish Dancing. She was a fine dancer, as well as a very accomplished singer in the Boston area. Millie and I frequently performed together with dancers from our schools (and from others) at many Irish locations in the greater Boston area. Whenever I would talk about a step or the way that I performed a certain piece of material, Millie would have a similar Maureen Hansen step to share, and she would demonstrate just how Maureen had ably instructed her dancers to perform their footwork. Although we came from slightly different background and styles, we found that there were many similarities and things that we could share or blend in our performances.
Today, I love to watch our daughter, Angela Beaton Lyons, dance. Angela began dancing at age four and continues to this day as a very talented 30 something. When she dances, I can see many elements of the Cork style in her footwork and in her overall approach to dancing (especially in her hard shoe dancing), coupled with many touches of the Hansen-Keohane style as well. That is some lineage, and she proudly presents it every time she takes the floor! Helen Madden and Maureen Hansen-Keohane would definitely approve!
I urge every dancer to find out something about the lineage of your dance teacher. Who did he or she learn dancing from? Where in Ireland or the USA or Canada (or elsewhere) did that teacher’s own teacher learn dancing? Are you from the Cork tradition or the Dublin tradition? Does your style reflect the work of teachers from Ulster or Connaught? Irish Dancing has a proud history, and each one of us should know as much as we can about our part of it, so that we can do justice to all of that history and tradition when we dance.

By Russell J. Beaton, ADCRG

We’re Off to Philadelphia in the Morning!

On April 5, 2009, a first-time-ever event in the world of Irish dancing will happen in Philadelphia, PA.  The Kimmel Center for the Arts and the Philadelphia Marriott Hotel will host the opening day’s competitions of the 2009 Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne, the World Championships in Irish dancing.  For those of us who are Irish dance teachers in North America, this is, perhaps, the most exciting thing to happen in all of our years of involvement in Irish dancing.  The most important major dance event in our annual competitive calendar will be “happening” in the USA.  Admittedly, this will not be the first time that Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne will be held outside the Republic of Ireland.  Belfast and Glasgow both have hosted this event previously, with considerable success, thanks to the remarkable efforts of their local teachers, adjudicators, and organizing committees.  However, the fact that Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne will finally be held in North America, in the USA, is enough to make us all cheer and celebrate.

For many of the young people dancing right now, as well as their parents, there might be some confusion about why “older” folks like me are absolutely bursting with pride and enthusiasm.  Most of these dancers compete in major events all over the world.  They know well dancers from as many as six or seven other countries.  They are a part of the decidedly international community of Irish dancing.  They know that, in many of the competitions at major events, fifty percent or more of the entries might be from North America, with a great many North American dancers placing in the results of those competitions.  In recent years, North America has proudly celebrated solo and team championship titles won by North American dancers at all of the major Irish dance competitions world wide.

However, there are a great many of us who can recall a time when we in North America were pretty much isolated from the wider world of Irish dancing.  Few North American dancers travelled to Ireland or England to compete.  The World Championships, as we know this event, did not yet exist.  Rarely did dancers from overseas arrive in North America to compete here.  When I have reminisced with younger teachers, dancers, and parents about those days in the not-so-distant past, these folks seem genuinely amazed that what they know and experience routinely these days did not exists for most of us as North American Irish dancers a mere thirty or forty years ago.

When dancers take the stages at the Kimmel Center and the Philadelphia Marriott in April, 2009, a true milestone in the world of Irish dancing will be reached. All of us who are from North America will be there proudly observing this momentous occasion.  Because this will be such a special event, I am hopeful that many teachers, dancers, and parents from across North America will plan to be in Philadelphia, even if only for one day to be a part of this unique moment in Irish dance history.  For many people, this will be their first opportunity to experience first-hand the electricity that is always a part of the competitions at Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne.  

The standard of solo and team dancing will be second-to-none, and watching dancers performing at the highest possible level will be a real thrill.  In addition, every dancer who journeys to Philadelphia to be an audience member at Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne can count on being motivated and encouraged to strive higher and higher in his or her own future dance classes, competitions, and performances. There is no doubt that watching and studying superior dancers from all over the world will be an important learning experience for all dancers.  Observing their power and attack, their sharp and detailed execution, their lift and spring will be a marvelous lesson in what is possible with the right kind of dedication, hard work, and practice.

If dancers, parents, and teachers are interested in arranging a trip to Philadelphia, information about booking a hotel room in the “official” hotels is available on the website of the Irish Dance Commission (www.clrg.ie).  An actual schedule of which solo and team competitions will be held on each day of the championships will also be found on that website, once entries have been received and the schedule has been finalized.  Be sure to consult that schedule and then find a day or two when you can get to Philadelphia and be a part of this first-time-ever, historic event in the world of Irish Dancing in North America.  Recently, the Irish Dance Commission announced that people staying in the official hotels will receive a discount on their admission to the competitions.

As I see it, we should all plan to be “off to Philadelphia” for Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne.  See you there!

Irish Dance Costumes—What about the boys?

Let’s take a few minutes to go over some colors, prints and styles in shirts and ties. Don’t forget about the slacks. Spending some time and money with the tailor can make a big improvemnet in his presentation.

By Russell Beaton ADCRG

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As I See It

Exploring recurring issues that beguile folks in Irish dancing and more discussion on the matter of dance costumes. Are dance dresses becoming too short?

By Russell J. Beaton, ADCRG

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