Name: Lindsey H. Age: 21 How long have you been dancing? Why Irish dance? Do you still dance? My mom started me in Irish dance at the age of 3. My mom Irish danced, and my aunt danced, and my grandma watched a lot of Riverdance, so it only made sense that I would Irish dance too. After my first dance class in an old church basement, a 16-year competitive Irish dance career followed. My last time on stage was Vancouver nationals in 2019, but I still dance around the kitchen, and, of course, visit the studio when I am home from college. If you could meet any historical or famous person, living or dead, who would it be and why? If I could meet any famous person, I would meet Taylor Swift. First off, she is an absolute icon and I think I would melt if I met her. Second, one time I stole a traffic cone from her driveway in Watch Hill, and it is one of my most prized possessions. And third, Spotify told me that I am in the top 1% of her listeners this year. This is one of my biggest accomplishments and it took a lot of hard work and dedication to become this big of a fan. What was your favorite SRL memory? SRL has provided me with so many opportunities and memories that will last a lifetime. Some range from laughing so hard in yoga class Courtney made me leave, to recalling at the North American Championships. But if I had to pick just one memory, I would choose the All Irelands in 2016. Even though I didn’t make the recall that year, it was such a fun trip! Especially when I got back to CT and Courtney gave me a quiz on the history of Ireland, and I failed it. If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Why? If I could have a superpower, I think I would choose shapeshifting. I always wonder what it would be like in someone else’s shoes and shapeshifting would allow me to gain this perspective. It would also be awesome to know what it would be like to be a cow, or a shark, or a dinosaur. Why do you think people dance? When there are no words to explain how you feel, you express yourself through dance. I remember there would be nights when I had lots of homework to do, or I wanted to go to a football game, or I was tired, but when I walked through those studio doors I knew it was my time to work. And when I walked out of those doors at the end of the night, I felt like a better person than when I walked in those doors early that night. What’s your favorite outdoor winter activity and why? My favorite outdoor activity is skiing. I go to school in Boulder, Colorado so hopefully I will get some good ski days in this year. While this is my favorite outdoor activity, it was not Courtney’s favorite activity of mine. I am a rather accident-prone person, so the added chance of injury was not appreciated by Courtney. If you had to work, but didn’t need the money, what would you do? If I did not have to worry about doing adult things like paying bills, I think I would travel around the world and experience everything this planet has to offer (going to outer space would be cool too). As of right now, I am not really exactly sure what I want to do when I grow up, but hopefully I can someday share my passion of Irish dance with others. What advice do you have for aspiring dancers? In the crazy world of Irish Dance, where there are so many things that you cannot control, I would only focus on what I could control. It didn’t matter which judges were judging or which dancers were dancers, the only thing that mattered was how I danced. Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in the commotion, but when you walk off that stage, the only thing that really matters is how you danced. How do you think your time at SRL positively affects your everyday life as an adult? I often find myself doing a little jig with my fingertips or a little treble with my feet. But Irish Dance trained me to have a very high stamina, physical and mental. Courtney was the best at pushing her dancers towards their goals. I know how to work towards long term goal without being worn out, and to push through to the very end. What’s the most important quality to have in life? Growing up, every day when we walked down the stairs before school my brother and I had to hit a poster that said, “Win the Day”. The constant reminder to be a better person at the end of the day than when I woke up that morning instilled a strong sense of drive in me. My drive has allowed me to accomplish all of the things that I have wanted to so far. This post is the first in a series. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.
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Name: Andrea K. Dancer at SRL: Molley How long has your family been with SRL? We are in our 4th year! Why Irish dance? I wanted Molley to get involved in something, but she did not want to try the traditional tap, jazz, ballet route I got her to try a class at SRL the summer she was 4 years old and she fell in love with the dancing, the older kids, and of course Miss Courtney. Favorite fall family activity? Carving Pumpkins on Halloween. Something my family did every year since I was very little and I try to live up to my dad’s talent every year! What’s the coolest place you’ve ever visited? (Remember travel?!) I visited Paris when I was a junior in high school (26 years ago!?!?!). My first time away from my family and out of the country. I fell in love with the atmosphere and community throughout the city. Molley and I have promised each other to visit together when she graduates from high school. What advice would you give parents who are looking to try out Irish dance? TRY IT!!! It’s different and fun! And I love the way the classes are structured to challenge the students just so much that also pushes them forward in their learning. If you had to work, but didn’t need the money, what would you do? The same thing I am doing now - a teacher. The only thing I might change is to teach History instead of Mathematics. What’s your favorite dance-related memory? Molley’s first Feis experience. She was so nervous to compete that she didn’t want to enter one until the end of her second year. She ended up placing 2nd in both her dances. To see the pride on her face was priceless! What did you want to be when you grew up when you were little? Why? So, I’ll be honest - I wanted to be a bus or truck driver. I always wanted to travel all over and I love staying in hotels and eating out. What’s the most important quality to have in life? Happiness - of course, there are times that are stressful, sad, and full of anxiety, (and that’s ok and natural) but you have to remember what makes you happy and hold on to that. When I get in a funk, I just think of my kids and remember those happy moments and it gets me through the rough times. I try to have at least one truly happy moment each day to hold on to, and I haven’t been let down yet! How do you think dance has positively affected your dancer? Confidence and challenge! I think Irish Step Dancing has been the first time she has really felt challenged. But because she enjoys it so much and because of the guidance from the older girls like Miss Ellie and of course from Miss Courtney’s teaching and motivation, she continues to try even when she gets so upset that she is not getting a step the first time around. This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with Avonlea's mom, Erin Kate, here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram. First Name: Molley Age: 8 years old How long have you been dancing with SRL? Why SRL? I’m in my 4th year. My mom found a free class online, so I tried it. How did you get started with Irish dance? My family loves to celebrate our Irish heritage and I liked to watch Riverdance on television, so I wanted to try it. If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? Either a panda or a sea horse. A panda because they are cute and cuddly and can do what they want. A sea horse because you can swim all the time and they look really cool. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Candy - I love candy because it makes me hyper. What’s your favorite thing about dancing? I get to meet new friends and learn new steps. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? I want to go to Paris because I want to see the Eiffel Tower and eat baguettes. What do you daydream about? My puppies and getting my own Pomeranian, Shitzhu, or Corgi puppy. What’s your favorite dance-related memory? The first Feis I did in Glastonbury. I came in second in the Reel and Light Jig. Who do you look up to? I look up to my mom because she works hard and does nice things for me. I want to be a teacher when I grow up like my mom, not math though, a writing or art teacher. What’s the best advice you can give a new or younger dancer? If you need help, then you should ask the teacher and try as hard as you can. This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with Avonlea here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram. Name: Erin Kate Dancer at SRL: Avonlea How long has your family been with SRL? This is our 2nd year. Why Irish dance? We are very Irish and my daughter really wanted to do it. What do most people not know about you? I used to sing opera in high school and college. What did you want to be when you grew up when you were little? Why? I always wanted to be an opera singer. I loved all the old musicals that I used to watch with my grandfather. I always wanted to travel and see the world. What’s your favorite thing about having your dancer in an online class? We can be at home and for the safety factor. Favorite fall family activity? Outdoor Halloween movie with a fire at our house. What advice would you give parents who are looking to try out Irish dance? You have to set aside 30 mins every day to have your child practice and have them stick with it even if they get frustrated. If your dancer were a fictional character, who would they be and why? She would be Mal from Disney Descendants. She would be Mal because she can do magic, sing, dance, and is a good person. How do you think dance has positively affected your dancer? I feel it gives her more responsibility and lets her personality come out. What’s the most important quality to have in life? The most important quality to have in life I think is empathy. You need to always be able to put yourself in someone else's shoes in order to truly understand life. This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with Irelyn's mom, Jill L., here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram. Name: Avonlea Age: Freshly turned 6! How long have you been dancing with SRL? 2nd year! How did you get started with Irish dance? I asked for it for my 5th birthday instead of gifts. If you could rename yourself, what name would you choose? Or would you keep your own? Why? I would keep my own name. I love it and my name comes from one of mama's favorite books when she was a kid. What’s your current obsession? My current obsession is Mal from Disney’s Descendants. What’s your favorite thing about your online class? My favorite thing about online class is I can dance at home safely and there’s more one on one with the teacher. Plus, my mom is there to help if I'm struggling. What’s your favorite thing about your personality? My favorite thing about my personality is my kindness. I always want to make sure everyone is happy. What’s the best advice you can give a brand-new dancer? You have to practice every day, especially if you want to do hard shoe. Who do you look up to? I look up to my Auntie Carol because she saved my life delivering me. She is so kind and smart. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why? I would go to Paris, France to see the Eiffel Tower and do a jig in front of it. What’s your favorite thing about dancing? My favorite thing about dancing is that it makes me happy! This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with Irelyn here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram. Name: Jill L. Dancer at SRL: Irelyn How long has your family been with SRL? 7 Years Why Irish dance? I always loved watching it and wanted my daughter to just try it if I could find a class. My lucky day happened when I saw a sign for SRL in front of the South Windsor library that a new studio was opening in town. I was so excited! And here we are 7 years later! What did you want to be when you grew up when you were little? Why? I always wanted to be either a travel agent or a flight attendant. I shadowed a travel agent when I was in high school. I love to travel and planning is half the fun for me. I didn’t follow that path but am in the aerospace business so I guess I partly fulfilled that dream. How do you think dance has positively affected your dancer? It’s given her confidence in herself to be able to perform in front of large audiences. She is able to give herself goals to work towards and she knows that it will take time and hard work to achieve and is willing to put the effort in because she can see the progress happening. Favorite fall family activity? Watching football! What’s your favorite dance-related memory? St Patricks Day performance time, it is definitely crazy on some days, but it is so much fun! You get to travel to all different types of places to perform and it’s the one time of year that I get to see dancers perform that I haven’t seen in a while. And how much each dancer has learned over the year! If your dancer were a fictional character, who would they be and why? She would be Moana, Irelyn not only resembles her, she has a big heart, a love of nature, the ocean and singing. If you could meet any historical or famous person, living or dead, who would it be and why? I would like to meet Walt Disney. I would love to see what his imagination was like and what his future vision was, and what he would think of how the Disney brand has grown to what it is today. What advice would you give parents who are looking to try out Irish dance? Irish dance is great because it is completely up to you and your dancer as to how involved you want to be. Competition and performances are optional or you can choose to compete every weekend if you want. It’s a unique skill to have and fun to get to show it off! What’s the most important quality to have in life? To have a positive attitude. There is not a lot that we have control over in life but choosing to look at the positive side definitely helps! This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with Natalie J.’s mom, Siobhan, here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram. Name: Irelyn Age: 13 How long have you been dancing with SRL? 7 Years How did you get started with Irish dance? My mom has always loved Irish step dancing so she asked me if I wanted to try it. Then I fell in LOVE with it! If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Avocados! What do you daydream about? Going on vacation. What’s your favorite dance memory? The party we have before Oireachtas because I get to spend time with my friends and everyone is excited! What’s the best gift you ever received? Our trampoline. What’s your favorite thing about dancing? Learning new steps that are at a higher level or more difficult. If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? I would probably be a monkey because they like to have fun and so do I! Who do you look up to? I look up to my parents. What’s the best advice you can give a new dancer? If you are having a tough time with a step, don’t give up because you’re frustrated. Just focus and you’ll get it! This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with Natalie J. here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram. Name: Siobhan J. Dancer at SRL: Natalie J. How long has your family been with SRL? I think it’s 4 years, starting 5th year. Natalie’s sister danced for one year as well. Why Irish dance? A few reasons; we had started with “regular” dancing, but it lacked something. I’m Irish, I’m involved in the Irish community, and I thought this might be another way to engage my daughters in an activity that would be great for them and also tied to their ancestry. How did you pick your dancer’s name? Before my husband and I were even married, we knew if we had a girl she would be “Natalie” . He loved Natalie Portman, I had a favorite student named Natalie. How do you think dance has positively affected your dancer? Natalie is competitive and she wants to do well but she is a little girl who can be easily more interested in other things. Dancing with SRL and Miss Courtney has given her ways to practice at setting goals and working toward them. This was never more true than her second year when she was struggling with reading in first grade and simultaneously did poorly at a feis. Right after that, she set two goals - which she even wrote down - to get better at reading and to get better at Irish dance. By the end of that year, she had improved dramatically at both. I believe that Natalie’s competitive nature to do well or be the best she can be, combined with the skills that she has been taught by Courtney in dance, and the positive reinforcements she’s gotten from her achievements are inextricably linked, but in short, dance has been the vehicle to hone those skills. If your dancer was an animal, which one would they be and why? She might say a kitten; cuddly, cute, fun to play with. But seeing she can be a little powerhouse, I suspect that kitten will grow up to be a lioness. Would you relive your high school years if you could? Ironically NO. Ironic, because I teach high school, but my goal is to be the teacher I felt I never had. What’s your favorite dance-related memory? In the beginning, it was seeing Natalie (and her sister) go to the performances during the St. Patrick’s Day season, particularly the senior homes. The first time I was overwhelmed with joy was the performance at CCSU when she and Roisin came out from the side “stage” and joined the large group for the big performance. Favorite fall family activity? Normally we love going to fairs like the Big E or the Berlin Fair. Apple picking is another favorite. If you had to work, but didn’t need the money, what would you do? Something creative; making crafts, painting, taking art classes as a professional student. :) What advice would you give parents who are looking to try out Irish dance? Go for it!!! Some of the reasons I love it are because it is a YEAR ROUND outlet for my daughter (and her dance mates). She does not have to wait a whole year for one recital. She has competitions in the fall, performances throughout the winter and early spring, more competitions in the spring and summer, camp and other regular opportunities to dance, hone skills, perform, and become close with her friends. She has become good friends with several of the dancers, has role models in the older dancers; and the families get to know one another and become friends too. There is a great deal of support among the parents for each other and for the dancers. Furthermore, the dancers support one another! They stay at competitions and cheer for each other, they help each other with tricky moves, and they commit to their teams. Irish dance is as much community (however much one wants to commit) as it is individual. Of course, there’s the movement, the exercise and athleticism, the focus that some children need to burn off the extra energy while learning self discipline in a fun way. On a uncommon comparison, I often think it has similar qualities to karate with the discipline, athleticism, and focus. But, Irish dance has joy and musicality that takes it to another level; this is why I think it’s also very good for boys even though it may not be the first thing one thinks. This post is a part of a series. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram. Name: Natalie J. Age: 9 How long have you been dancing with SRL? Since Kindergarten, going on my fifth year. If you could only bring one thing to a desert island, what would it be and why? My house, because it has a lot of stuff in it. How did you get started with Irish dance? I started at the church basement; Roisin Walsh was already dancing there. If you were a fictional character, who would you be and why? Hermione Granger (from Harry Potter.) What’s your favorite dance memory? Harry Potter Summer Camp! What’s your favorite snack? Fruit roll ups. What’s your favorite thing about dancing? Being with friends. What’s your favorite show to binge watch? iamSanna on YouTube (she has Roblox videos.) Who do you look up to? Miss Courtney Jay. What’s the best advice you can give a new dancer? Even though it is hard, you can do it! This post is part of a series. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram. "[I appreciate] Courtney's structured, patient, and kind approach. She has her finger on the pulse of her students, knowing what they need and when, and I believe she had a lot to do with [my daughter's] growth this year." We’ve just come off of a grand total of 145 hours of camps for both new students and our returning dancers. It’s a humbling juxtaposition of dancers who are falling in love with Irish dance for the first time and those who love the sport and are chasing every aspect of it with everything they have. Dancers ages 2 through almost 30 worked to develop their repertoire, technique, and joy for dance over the last four weeks. Each with different goals - some just finding their feet and others chasing big dreams - they came to the studio each day with open minds, purpose, and their unique personality that reminded me why we take an individual approach for each dancer. We have standards and expectations that set a framework of mutual respect between teacher & student, commitment to the process from both sides, and the support of classmates and teammates while pursuing individual goals at the right pace for each dancer. I’ve always held the belief that two dancers that appear very much the same on paper will end up with two very different journeys on two very different timelines. Some journeys require more patience, more sacrifice, more sensitivity, or more reassurance from either parent, student, or teacher. It’s like we’re all walking through the same park but taking different paths and some will arrive on the other side later than others - and that’s okay. Our goals at Scoil Rince Luimni are to first and foremost develop a love for Irish dancing - all of it, some of it, or simply an appreciation for movement, fitness, or expression. Next we aim to expose dancers to different routes of exploring dance outside the studio walls - performing, competing, exams - whether they try one, all, or a combination of the three. Some dancers will respond well to all avenues while others will have one or two that really speak to them. Finally, we support the whole dancer as they walk their chosen path(s). We make sure they are supported in just about every way - mind, body, and soul by bringing in outside experts where appropriate, continuing to innovate and adapt to new research and technology, and checking in with the dancer often on their approach, goals, and expectations. Every dancer’s journey is met with challenges along the way - scheduling conflicts, choosing their primary activity, injuries, slumps in motivation and results, etc. While the road isn’t always smoothly paved, we like to help guide parents and dancers through the detours with our expertise and dancer-centric approach. |
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