Scoil Rince Luimni - News

How Irish Dancing supports High Achievement

6/10/2018

Exciting news out of our class of 2018! Among our Scoil Rince Luimni dancers, two have been named their class valedictorian for 2018. We congratulate Lillian Bluestein, St James School Class of 2018, and Tara Lynch, Cheshire Academy Class of 2018, on their outstanding achievement in their respective schools. Both Lilly and Tara exemplify how Irish dancing and academic achievement go hand in hand.

As dancers progress, their time in the studio increases and coupled with getting older, dancers quickly have to learn how to manage their time in order to stay on track in school and with their dancing aspirations. We tend to see dancers figure out how to manage their time rather than curtail their dance career, a trend that is seen not only within our school but the greater Irish dancing community as well. Over the last few years we've seen the oldest competitive age bracket expand and split to manage the higher number of dancers pursuing their competitive goals after college graduation, joining the workforce, and beyond.

As dancers learn how to manage their time, they also learn to prioritize what is really important to them. It's no surprise that both Lilly and Tara find time to fit in community and family time as well as other commitments - Lilly is involved in her church and Tara is a soccer player. Other dancers within our school are involved in school clubs and sports which gives each dancer 3-5 priorities that come before screen time, trivial activities, or getting into trouble ;)

Irish dancing is a disciplined and fairly regimented sport so this continues to feed the goal-focused, work-first, and continuously striving mindset that brings achievement in both academics and dancing. We teach goal setting and maintaining a positive mindset in ways that go beyond dancing and can be practiced in real life.

We are sure Lilly and Tara will continue to do great things both in and out of the studio! Lilly will continue her studies at Northwest Catholic High School in the fall and Tara has been accepted to Ithaca College for communications.

Countdown to Showcase & Advice for First Timers

5/11/2018

It’s recital time! At Scoil Rince Luimni, we call our recital our annual Showcase. It started as a dinner dance and has evolved into a more traditional recital as our student body has grown. To keep true to our earlier days, we have two great receptions available before and after the show for families to connect, friendships to flourish, and keep a more relaxed and family friendly atmosphere.

The spring and early summer is always jam packed with activities, recitals, concerts, field days, graduations, communions, and everything from the academic year coming to a close. Especially if you’re a first timer to our Showcase, you may wonder how your dancer will cope with it all. The truth is - we really don’t know! You know your child inside and out but until they’re on stage for the first time, anything could happen.

In our classes we approach the Showcase with a pretty low-key attitude. True to our dinner dance roots, we speak to students about the Showcase as a way to share their new skills and joy for dance with their favorite family and friends. Instead of playing up the role of the audience, which can be an overwhelming and frightening thought for a young dancer, we make the role of the dancer shine. We talk about doing our very best and showing our best skills. We practice looking straight ahead and focusing on our technique so there’s no difference whether your dancer’s teacher is watching or a room full of hundreds.

When the realization of the audience does come up, we talk about how it’s a friendly audience. It’s a room full of supportive moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and siblings that are there to cheer everyone on. It’s an audience that understands it’s okay if you make a mistake and understands this is a learning experience. The audience appreciates great dancing but also doesn’t expect a class of beginners to be professional dancers. Often our dancers expectations of themselves is exponentially higher than the expectations of their parents or teacher.

Your dancer might show you nothing at home and then go out and nail it on stage. Your dancer might practice 24/7 and be the top of their class but go on stage and freeze. Your dancer might go out and do the hokey pokey despite knowing their reel inside and out. We don’t know and there’s only so much worrying we can do about it. As a parent, we encourage you to celebrate your child getting to the stage. Every year we have parents who swear their child is too anxious or too shy to get on stage - and then they do it. We often underestimate how much celebration this calls for and how amazing your dancer will feel afterwards. Conversely, if your dancer gets on stage and freezes or decides to freestyle - don’t assume they’re not cut out for dance or that they didn’t soak up any knowledge this year. Performing on stage is no easy feat and takes practice over time. You might consider doing some more casual performances throughout the year to help build your dancer’s confidence and give them experience. Remember, this is just the beginning of the road.

Many dancers will leave the Showcase feeling inspired by seeing all of the older and more experienced dancers perform. For some, this will be their first glimpse at what all those weekly lessons add up to over the years. Many will leave wanting to dance like this dancer or that dancer, or be able to do this trick or that trick. This is something to be celebrated too - seeing your dancer get excited, passionate, and more deeply interested in Irish dance as a whole. If your dancer is of the quieter, more reserved variety, they might not express this excitement aloud. Instead you may find them drawing or writing about dancers they saw in the Showcase or you may glimpses of them ‘practicing’ the hard shoe or championship numbers.

We are so excited for you to join us next Saturday! Our show begins at 5:30pm on May 19th at East Catholic High School in Manchester. Tickets are available through 5/12 online or for $25 cash at the door.

Showcase Tickets Launch Today at 8pm!

4/22/2018

Our annual Showcase is Saturday May 19th beginning at 5:30pm. This year we will be holding our event at East Catholic High School in Manchester, CT. Each year our Showcase features all of our classes and dancers as well as scholarship and award winners to recognize each dancer's achievements and growth throughout the year.

Tickets go on sale tonight at 8pm - we have two ticket types, Gold and Standard.

Gold ticket holders will be admitted beginning at 4pm for a pre-show reception and early seating in the auditorium. There is no assigned seating, so gold ticket holders will have early access and first dibs on seats.

Standard ticket holders will be admitted beginning at 5pm to select from remaining seats. There are no bad views in this large auditorium and there are only 150 gold ticket available.

Both ticket types will have access to our post-show reception, our raffle baskets, and an amazing show!

2018 St Patrick's Day Tour

3/23/2018

Thank you to everyone who spent St Patrick's Day with us at any point during the months of February and March! We performed at over 40 events and appearances, bringing smiles, steps, and Irish culture to thousands of people this season. Here are some of our favorite photos from this month, captured by dance parent Melissa Carter.

Bookings for 2019 will be open soon - make sure to snag your spot ASAP!

Spend St Patrick's Day with us!

3/8/2018

Our season of performing and sharing Irish music and dance with the masses began the last weekend of February but the main attractions are just around the corner!

Many of our events are private, but we've compiled a list of public events that anyone can attend! Some of these events do require reservations or tickets, so please check with the hosting venue for more information.

Farmington Library - Registration required

NBMAA Museum After Dark - Tickets Required

See you soon at one of our events! Happy St Patrick's Day!

To All of Our Girls & Women of SRL

2/7/2018

Today, Wednesday February 7, is Girls and Women and Sports Day. Most of our audience is in full acknowledgement that Irish dance is a highly athletic, artistic sport. It might not be played on a field, but our dancers train, think, and live as athletes each and every day. My biggest pride, and perhaps my biggest responsibility, as the director of Scoil Rince Luimni is the influence and impact I have in our students. While Irish dance is an activity for boys and girls, the majority of our students - like other dance forms - are girls and women. Boys will always be welcomed by us and other dance studios alike, there’s a part of me that feels so joyful that dance studios are a place where girls and women are the majority, feel safe, and can be unapologetically themselves.

From our tiniest little dancers that are often taking dance for the first time, I want them to fall in love with dancing. Even when we get distracted and just want to twirl around the room, I can’t get too upset as at the heart of the matter - they are enjoying movement, expressing themselves, and finding their confidence. I want them to always make the proud, excited faces I see when I encourage them or congratulate them on doing a step or movement correctly for the first time. I want them to continue to tell me all the little things on their minds while we stretch because it shows me they feel safe and comfortable in the studio and with me as their teacher. These are the moments that make build these little girls into well adjusted women someday.

For our school aged crew that are finding Irish dance for the first time, they sometimes come in with reservations or fears. It might be a bad experience with a different activity that keeps them guarded or just carryover from other events in their life - a move, academic stress, and school bullying - that brings them into dance class as a shy, skeptical student. Week to week I see them start to flourish as they can’t help but let go and enjoy their class. The music, the movement, the other students - it lights up these students from the inside out. I see their love of dance grow alongside their love for life. The transformation that takes place over the first few months of classes is something that I will never grow tired of. These are the moments that build girls into happy, vivacious women someday.

For our developing dancers who are moving up the ranks and getting older and wiser every year, they are starting to struggle in one way or the other. Whether it’s getting harder to pick up choreography, a first injury, or a mental block that starts to creep in, each dancer will have a personal struggle to face. I want these dancers to know that we all face challenges in life and one day they will have a challenge much bigger than this. I want these ‘big girls’ and pre-teens to develop the grit and tenacity to face these challenges head on and work through them. It’s a much quieter celebration than seeing the little ones’ proud faces, but the subtle signs show me I’ve done my job. I start to see dancers who were once too afraid to take a risk start to step up. I start to hear them passing on words of wisdom to others that up until recently they needed to hear themselves. These are the moments that build big girls into mentally and physically strong women someday.

For our teenagers and young adults, you’re working your way through some of the toughest phases of life. Dance class becomes your escape - your stress relief, your outlet, and your social hub. No one wants to go back in time and be a teenage girl but everyday I get to help students through this phase of life. These dancers live the student athlete life even though their schools likely don’t give them the same treatment as the football or basketball teams. They wake at the crack of dawn, attend eight hours of classes, only to come home and complete another few hours of homework, and a couple hours of physically demanding dance classes. These young ladies are wise beyond their years when it comes to time management, assessing priorities, and doing whatever it takes to meet their goals. I want these young ladies to know that as a former teenage girl, I commend their daily commitment, effort, and desire to be part of our community. These are the moments that build young women into warrior women.

Irish dance is an amazing vehicle for girls and women of all ages who want to be active. The goal of sports isn’t solely to be “good” at that sport - it’s to develop skills and the character to face real life in the future. It brings me great joy to be part of the evolution of our girls whether they’re in the studio for half an hour each week or for many hours each day. I hope that my leadership, influence, and experience makes a positive impact on each of them.

- CJ

Real Talk - Making Good on Commitment

1/22/2018

It’s winter - darkness looms in the early afternoon, the bitter cold snaps at your skin, and just seconds of being outside feel like a punishment. The winter affects everyone differently and children are no exception. As a parent, you may silently rejoice when your dancer whines, “but do I have to go to dance class tonight?” and give in without much of a fight in favor of a movie night in, cozy sweatpants, and a glass of wine.

On occasion we all need a night off, a mental health day, or time to regroup. Please make no mistake this is not what this article is about. Rather, this article is about the growing number of children that haven’t learned to - for lack of a better term - ‘suck it up.’ This may be a controversial statement to make, but I am not talking about truly harmful situations here - like dancing through an injury, true psychological issue, or in any kind of bullying. We’re talking about children going through temporary bouts of feeling unmotivated, a little lazy, or even a bit burned out.

It’s a slippery slope if you give in - it starts with a song and dance about not wanting to go to class. I’m too tired, it’s cold, I don’t want to get in the car. Then it manifests to other things - I don’t like this dinner, I want macaroni and cheese. I hate the dentist. I’m not doing my chores. I don’t want to go to school today. I’m willing to bet if you let your children get away with doing nothing EVERY time they said they didn’t feel like it, nothing would get done.

There are lots of things that even as adults we don’t want to do. Do I light up with joy thinking about going to the doctor? Cleaning my toilets? Waking up early? Paying bills? No, but I do them anyway without dragging my feet (at least most of them time). As an adult I am not motivated 100% of the time, but by working through moments of boredom or tension, trudging through tasks or activities I didn’t want to do at that precise time, and putting my head down and getting stuff done as a child I learned the difference between genuine dislike of something vs trying moments that are worth working through.

We often talk about dance class being about more than just dance instruction - it’s about life lessons and here’s a BIG one! Even if getting your dancer in the car to go to dance class in the winter feels like a trek across the Sahara, chances are as soon as the music turns on they’re so glad they came. I hate to tell you, parents - but most of the time children save their best drama and sass for you.

Use dance class as a lesson for your child about commitment - what it means to make a commitment and what it means to follow through. Teach them about work ethic and how nothing worth having comes easy. Teach them how to live responsibly by reminding them their classmates and their teacher are counting on them to show up. We don’t always have to “feel it” but we have to push through together. You’ll thank yourself as your dancer ages and the temptations to back down on our commitments grows during middle school, high school, college, and even as young adults enter the workforce.

So the next time your dancer opens their mouth to say they’re too tired, bored, busy, [insert excuse of the day here] to do what you know is the right thing to do, make sure they show up anyway.

SRL Dancers Shine in Hartford

12/1/2017

From November 17 - 19, droves of New England’s best Irish dancers descended upon the Connecticut Convention Center in Downtown Hartford for the annual regional championships. A home game for SRL, our 29 dancers who reached our qualification standards competed for placements across three divisions - traditional set, solo championships, and teams.

Beginning with our traditional sets, SRL had many first time competitors competing in this division designed to give intermediate dancers the opportunity to test their skills against others from the New England states. We are proud to say that of our 16 traditional set competitors, 11 of them placed in the top 50% to appear at the awards ceremony. Of those 11 dancers, here are their results:

Gabby G - 3rd place
Isabella R - 4th place
Lilly B - 6th place
Ciara D - 7th place
Cara Maye W - 9th place
Ellie D - 9th place
Paige M - 10th place
Audrey M - 14th place
Jane C - 15th place
Mairi C - 19th place
Cassidy T - 19th place

In the solo championships, dancers from the two championship levels - preliminary and open - compete for placements in the top 50%, berths to the North American Irish Dance Championships, and later qualification to the World Championships. SRL had 9 solo championship competitors with 4 earning the honor of a recall and competing in the third round of competition. Three were awarded on stage:

Colleen W placing 19th and qualifying for NAIDC 2018
Emma M placing 41st
Kayla P placing 48th
Tara L, Lindsey H, and Rebecca K are pre-qualified for NAIDC 2018 in Orlando, FL

On Sunday, our 3 four-hand teams competed as well as our eight-hand. This was our first big team year after sending a pilot team in 2016. With stiff teams competition in the New England Region, we are thrilled that our Girls U12 team placed 14th! Well done to Bella J, Colleen W, Irelyn L, and Audrey M for their excellent teamwork and beautiful dancing. Our youngest four-hand was just one place away from making the 50% cut and our mixed four-hand was just three places away. Our eight-hand kept pace with the best of them and made SRL proud.

We have several dancers right in the mix to qualify for the NAIDC 2018 and we’re looking forward to our upcoming winter feis season!

So You Want to Come Watch the Oireachtas...

11/10/2017

With the New England Oireachtas coming to Hartford, this provides an opportunity for our dancers to have their local friends and family come see them compete without having to drive for hours round trip. I’m sure your favorite dancer would love your support, but here are a few things to keep in mind:

This is a competition and please respect the dancers. They have worked for hours and hours all year long for this moment and everyone has a pre-competition “zone” they’d like to keep. It’s best to give them some space before they compete - you can save your questions about how it all works for their parents or catch up with the dancers after they’ve finished competing for the day.
Expect a lot of waiting. It’s the nature of things and all of us on the inside have grown to accept this. Don’t ask for exact start times, end times, or precise times for when your favorite dancer will be on stage. Go with the flow and don’t stress about timings.
Irish dance is an artistic sport and the costuming is part of the performance. Let me say that again - the get up is a COSTUME. Just like going to see the Nutcracker or attending a gymnastics meet, the stage is a place where costuming is part of the performance. You can expect to see elaborate dresses that may or may not be to your personal taste, stage make up that may look ridiculous up close, and hair that goes up to heaven. As part of respecting the sport and your favorite dancer, keep your personal opinions to yourself. It’s a costume and at the end of the day, all the competitors will be back in sweatpants, bare faces, and natural hair with no harm done.
Celebrate your favorite dancer, no matter the outcome. It’s a competition and not everyone wins a medal. That does not undermine that dancer’s work ethic, talent, or potential in the sport so celebrate everything they’ve achieved and accomplished just by reaching this competition.
If you’re looking to see more “traditional” dancing, head over to the Marriott hotel on Friday or Saturday and check out the traditional set competition. This is choreography that has been passed down through generations. It’s easier for spectators to understand as you’ll see dancers competing more or less the same choreography with mastery of technique easier to see from the naked eye. You can also come into the convention center on Sunday where team dancing will be happening all day. In the team dances, known as ceili dances, lines, execution, and teamwork are king as dancers work together to show shapes, lines, and patterns from these preserved dances dating back to the late 1800s.
If you’re open minded and want to see the cream of the crop, Friday and Saturday at the convention center is where it’s at. Expect to see high flying, floor pounding, and jaw dropping talent in the championship sections. These dancers are trying to step their way to Nationals or World Championships and you’ll see dancing at it’s highest levels. The costumes here are very flamboyant but remember - it’s part of the spectacle - and you may have a harder time discerning the quality of one dancer from the other.

If you’re new to Irish dance checking out the Oireachtas, it can be overwhelming. Keep in mind that this is the top percentage of dancers in our region and it takes time and hard work to reach this point. At SRL, dancers are not required to compete so if this is too much you’ll never have to step foot into this little world again - you can enjoy performing and learning in class without stepping foot into the competition world.

Yoga Resumes November 1!

10/26/2017

Did you know SRL offers yoga? That's right, certified LivFree yoga instructor Colleen Macsuga teaches Vinyasa yoga here at our studio. A popular program with parents, students, and the public, Colleen guides everyone through a practice that is suitable for their level. If you're a beginner, Colleen will make sure you have the foundations down while being encouraged and uplifted - this is absolutely a #judgementfreezone. If you're an improver or a veteran yogi, Colleen will modify for you to ensure your practice is appropriately challenging.

Yoga is on Wednesdays from 7:30-8:30pm from Wednesday November 1 through December 20. Classes are drop in, however you must register to appear on our class roster. Create an account and then log-in to select "Yoga for All" from the yoga tab. Once you've registered, you'll store the card of your choice on file so we can auto-debit it after only classes you've attended.

Come see us on Wednesday with a mat and comfortable clothing. SRL Studio is located at 400 Chapel Road 1A, South Windsor CT 06074.

29 SRL Dancers to Compete at the New England Regional Championships

10/5/2017

The 2017 New England Oireachtas (or Irish dance championship) is coming to our home city of Hartford from November 17-19th. Over the Oireachtas weekend, competitors from all six New England states will gather to compete for titles and placements in three main disciplines - solo championships, traditional set, and ceili.

Our solo championship competitors will be vying for positions within the top 50% to earn placements and medals at the evening award ceremony. From there, competitors will also look to earn berths to the 2018 North American Championships in Orlando, FL and/or the 2018 World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Our solo championship representatives are Colleen Williams of Amston, CT & Isabella Jensen of Somers, CT in the Girls Under 11 category, Emma Feeley of Springfield, MA, Emily Messier of Glastonbury, CT, Emma Magnani of Springfield, CT, Kayla Purcell of Hebron, CT, and Mackenzie Richards of East Longmeadow, MA in the Girls Under 14 category, Tara Lynch of Cheshire, CT in the Girls Under 17 category, Lindsey Hoffman of Columbia, CT in the Girls Under 18 category, and Rebecca Kall of Farmington, CT in the Ladies Under 22 category. Lynch, Hoffman, and Kall are already pre-qualified to attend the 2018 North American Championships.

Our traditional set dancers are preparing to compete in the solo championship category in the future by showing mastery of their technique, timing, and musicality in one of the seven traditional set dances. These dances stem from the dance masters that would travel from village to village or county to county in Ireland teaching steps to men, women, and children. Various versions were passed on and preserved and are still prominent in the dance tradition today. Representing SRL in various age groups include Isabella Robinson, Jane Carty, Nora Carty, Mairi Carchrie-Leigh, and Irelyn Lash, all of South Windsor, CT, Cara Williams of Amston, CT, Ciara Doyle and Abby Quinby of Windsor, CT, Audrey Miner of Tolland, CT, Paige Miele of Westfield, MA, Katelyn Hall of Manchester, CT, Cassidy Thompsen of Ellington, CT, Lilly Bluestein of Broad Brook, CT, Ellie Diver and Gabby Gorman both of Farmington, CT, and Kelly Beyus of Harwinton, CT.

In the ceili category, dancers compete on teams of 4, 8, 16, or in Dance Drama. The 4 and 8 hand ceilis are another passed down, traditional aspect of Irish dance. A book of 30 dances must be mastered as part of the teacher certification process and features in the competitive repertoire to preserve historic pieces of Irish dance. The 16 hands and Dance Drama competitions represent the more modern interpretations of Irish dance with new, innovative, teacher generated choreography. SRL has three four-hand ceilis; our U8s featuring Isabella Robinson, Jane Carty, Nora Carty, and Cara Williams, our U10s featuring Michael Jensen, Mairi Carchrie-Leigh, Ciara Doyle, and Angelina Mundo, and our U12s featuring Isabella Jensen, Colleen Williams, Irelyn Lash, and Audrey Miner. SRL also has a eight-hand ceili in the Under 15 section featuring Gabby Gorman, Kayla Purcell, Emily Messier, Lilly Bluestein, Ellie Diver, Paige Miele, Cassidy Thompsen, and Mary Gombos.

Competitions will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center all day November 17, 18, and 19. Admission is free for spectators and we would love your support!

Considering Irish Dance as a Back-To-School activity?

8/26/2017

Back to school is coming! Along with the paperwork, getting those back to school supplies, and the settling those first day of school jitters, it’s time to start thinking about after school activities! Most parents want to expose their children to a variety of activities while they’re young to see what their natural talents may be, allow them to experience different communities, and fill up that after school time while the homework load is light.

If you’re considering Irish dance as an activity this year, you’re probably also weighing up the risk of your picky, finicky, young one rejecting your choice. It's a common predicament, kids really can be so fickle when it comes to activities. To help with your decision, here are some popular archetypes of kids who end up loving Irish dance:

The Energizer Bunny: never stops moving, twirling, running, jumping, and maybe even more dangerous moves. These energizer bunnies need something to channel their energy into, and I'm sure you've made this realization. But why is Irish dancing such a good choice? If your young one is a mover and groover, they need music! Sports aren't done to a backing track and Irish dance combines the best of sport and art! Both the dance and the music is high energy, so your active little man or lady has plenty of stimulation at dance class to tire them out before bedtime.
Mommy’s Extra Leg: sometimes you may feel like you have a third leg because your child. Just. Won't. Let. Go. Of. You. You want some time for yourself and you know your extra appendage needs time to develop on their own too. Why is Irish dancing such a great choice? Well, this might be an SRL unique draw, but our classes are very structured which helps nervous, vulnerable, new dancers find comfort in the routine, focus on their lesson, and slowly grow confidence and independence. Our teachers really go the extra mile to ensure these dancers are engaged and immersed in the moment rather than worrying about mommy.
The Closet Extrovert: chatty, energetic, and even a little sassy at home or with family but transforms into a shy, withdrawn, and stoic little person in front of new people. Sound like someone you know? I bet your biggest worry with dance is, “but how are they going to get on stage and do a recital at the end of the year? I don't want to traumatized him/her!” A worthy concern - especially since most dance forms do build up to once big recital at the end of the year. At SRL, we actively work on students comfort and familiarity of being on stage from the beginning. From performance opportunities at libraries, farmers markets, schools, and more - all open for beginners - students associate being on stage with fun, friends, and praise rather than getting nervous or upset. By the time we get to our year-end dinner dance, even the shyest of students are ready to go!
The Rule Follower: always serious, usually focused, and never puts a toe out of line! Our structured classes, consistency in giving feedback, and opportunities to reward hard work speak to our rule followers who just love to impress. These types of kids live off making corrections to hear positive feedback, showing that they’re always prepared and ready to learn more, and their desire to be a model student. Teachers love them, their classmates love them, and most importantly - the kids love to dance!

Do you know someone who fits into one of these categories? Send them this article and see if Irish dance is an activity they'd consider for this year!

Jigging in the big easy

8/14/2017

SRL qualified four dancers to compete at the 2017 North American Championships in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 4 - July 9. To qualify for the North American Championships dancers must advance to the top competitive level of Irish dance, "Open Championships," or place highly enough at the regional qualifying event.

Our 2017 North American Championship qualifiers were: Rebecca Kall (Farmington) in Ladies U22, Lindsey Hoffman (Columbia) in Ladies U18, Tara Lynch (Cheshire) in Girls U17, and Colleen Williams (Hebron) in Girls U11.

Departure party for our qualifiers!

Our qualifiers trained tirelessly through the spring and early summer to put their best foot forward on stage. They made our entire school so proud and the experience gained by our qualifiers has benefited both their personal growth and the growth of their classmates who hope to qualify themselves this November.

Channel 3 Coverage of SRL at BDL

3/19/2017

Channel 3 News was there to catch all the action on Friday for SRL's performance at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks. Passengers arriving and departing from Bradley were treated to Irish dancing in Terminal A!

Check out the live video here:
https://www.facebook.com/WFSB3/videos/10155105753414197/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE

SRL on MassLIVE!

3/17/2017

We visited WWLP in Springfield, MA this St Patrick's Day to teach co-hosts Seth and Lauren a few steps!

Check out the video here: wwlp.com/2017/03/17/irish-step-dancing-live-in-studio-one-a/

Best Practices For Perfect Practice

2/26/2017

Practice is an integral part of ensuring continuous, steady progress for dancers at any level. Almost all dancers know they should practice, some actually do it, but many struggle with how to practice effectively. Whether you’re a new beginner or a seasoned champion, here are some ways to maximize your practice time:

Plan it out. There’s a quote that goes something like, “if you really want something you’ll make time for it, if not you’ll make excuses.” Practicing can be like that… between homework, activities, dinner, and family time, it can be easy to let practicing fall to the wayside. Schedule your responsibilities and include a dedicated practice time. My own rule of thumb is to take your total class time for the week and aim to practice for an equal amount of time throughout the week. For example, if you’re a beginner taking 60 minutes of class/week, aim to practice either 3x/week for 20 minutes, 6x/week for 10 minutes, etc. If you’re a championship dancer attending class for 6 hours/week, aim to practice 4x/week for 90 minutes, 6x/week for 60 minutes, etc.
Reserve a space. Dancers often find themselves dancing down the grocery store aisles, around the house, and waiting in line. But ask yourself - how often are you wearing your dance shoes, dancing to music, or really focusing on what you’re doing? By setting aside a time and space to practice you’ll help yourself ‘get in the zone’ to practice efficiently. Your space doesn’t have to be large or fancy. Just an area that you can wear your shoes, dance to music, and be free of distractions.
Focus on your weaknesses. It sounds easy, but most of us don’t love to address our faults. It’s much more fun to do the things you’re good at, but your practice time will be much more effective if you work on areas that need attention. Maybe it’s your foot placement, or a new rhythm you’re yet to master, or remembering a step. Instead of admiring how great your turns are, making up treble reels, or practicing rhythms from shows, really dig into your weak areas and make an improvement, no matter how small.
Write it down. I’m a huge fan of documenting everything so a practice log is an extension of this. Write down when you practiced, how long you practiced, what you practiced, and a short reflection of your practice session. Day to day it may seem repetitive or uninspiring, but when you look back at your log after 3 months, 6 months, or even a year later you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the changes you’ve made and noticeable improvements. A practice log can help you adjust or reset your goals as well as spot any trends in your practice.
Get a buddy, if you need one. I’m a big proponent of dancers practicing on their own even from a very early age. I prefer dancers to be self-driven and developing the skill to practice independently is something that takes time. Some of us just aren’t cut out to go it alone though. If you’re someone who spends more time wandering around your practice space, picking out the best reel, tying your shoes, and looking in the mirror than you do dancing you may need an accountability buddy. Ask someone in your class to swap practice notes each week - having to be accountable for your own practice and being able to see someone else’s work may be the kick you need to maximize your own time.

SRL students have access to practice sheet templates and practice journal templates in our member’s area. Make sure you’re using them each week to be the best dancer YOU can be!

Want to win tickets to Dublin?

2/13/2017

Have you heard the news?

From now until St Patrick's Day, SRL is including a chance to win 2 RT tickets to Dublin on Aer Lingus with every car magnet purchased from our online store! The winner (to be drawn 3/18) and a guest of their choice will receive 2 economy tickets to fly from Bradley to Dublin and back to be used on dates of their choice (some blackout dates apply). If Dublin isn't your destination du jour, you can add a ticket to almost any destination in Europe for a nominal fee. The same applies stateside if Bradley isn't your local airport; you can add a connecting flight on partner airline JetBlue to make your dream vacation to Dublin a reality!

How do you enter? Visit our online store and purchase your desired quantity of magnets (each magnet purchased = 1 ticket into the draw). We can mail them to you or have your favorite SRL dancer deliver it to you by indicating their name in the notes section. By placing your order, we will have all the contact information we need to notify you should you be drawn as our lucky winner!

Making the Most of Dance - A Parent's Role

2/1/2017

Our last blog was about how dancers can make their dancing both in and out of the studio. However, a motivated and enthusiastic dancer is only part of the puzzle - for a dancer to be truly successful they need to the support of both their parents and their teacher. Today we’ll explore the role of the parent in a dancer’s training and how you can help them along the path to greatness!

Each dancer has different goals for their dance education and their goals may change over time. Your goals for the dancer may be different than the goals they set for themselves, and that’s okay too. Some dancers have the goal of making friends in class and attending the St Patrick’s Day parade. Other dancers want all of that plus making the top competitive rank of Open Champion. No matter what your dancer’s goals are or what your goals for them are as a parent, here’s how to foster and encourage them throughout their training:

Show interest - It sounds simple, but many of us are so caught up in our lives or aren’t verbal enough about showing an interest in those we care about. Asking your dancer about what they learned that day, what they’re excited for in their next class, or what friends they talked to at class reminds your dancer that you’re interested without being pushy or overbearing.
Encourage practice, but don’t force it - Yes you heard right, don’t force them! Often parents think that if their dancer isn’t practicing, they aren’t interested. However, this isn’t always the case. What you may not see is their legs moving under their desk at school, skipping down the halls or the grocery aisles, or their playtime turning into their stuffed animals participating in a class at their bedroom studio. Depending on where your dancer is in their dance journey and their age, this is a perfectly acceptable means of practicing. In my book, dancers who are self-directed and enjoying their practice time will be so much more successful in the long run than dancers who set a timer with a frown on their face because mom or dad is making them practice.
Encourage your dancer out of their comfort zone - Especially for very shy dancers, dancing is a palatable way for them to ease out of their comfort zone. Gauge what your dancer is comfortable doing (going into class on their own, asking questions, socializing with classmates) and encourage them to take a step forward when the opportunity presents itself. With St Patrick’s Day coming up, dancers have many different avenues to build their experience and confidence while tackling challenges. Your dancer may be initially apprehensive to participating in a parade or dancing in front of their school, but if parents present it as a fun way to show off their hard work and really celebrate their achievement the dancer will feel amazing afterwards. That same dancer will feel better about trying new things in both dancing and in life following a positive new experience.
Ensure preparation - Whether it’s for class, a performance, the recital, or anything in between, ensure your dancer is ready for anything. Make sure your dancer is dressed appropriately, has their shoes and equipment for class, or brings what they need to an event or performance. The dancer can take age appropriate responsibility in packing their bag or costume, but as a parent you can ensure you print out a list provided by the teacher or double check it before getting into the car. For anxious dancers this is particularly crucial in ensuring they have a positive and exhilarating experience.

Since I'm sure you don't hear this as much as you should, thank you to all the dance parents out there, on behalf of your dancer(s) and their teacher(s).

Making the Most of Your Dance Class

1/25/2017

Dancers, do you want to impress your teacher(s), make steady progress, or become the best you can be? Here's 5 ways you can make your teachers say WOW!

Come prepared - Bring everything you need for class including shoes, a water bottle, and anything else your teacher requires. Make sure to be dressed appropriately or according to the dress code and leave distractions - like toys, games, and devices - at the door.
Listen - Teachers have so much knowledge that they want to pass on to students but you have to be listening to soak it all up! Aside from teaching you steps, your teachers will often point out life lessons or share personal experiences during classes that are valuable to each student’s dance education. Your teacher will give you corrections and feedback on how to make your dancing better, so listen to your own corrections as well as feedback given to others to maximize your potential.
Ask (relevant) questions - If you don’t understand something or need clarification, don’t be afraid to ask! Your teachers are here to help you become the best you can be and appreciate a student who takes the time to think about something deeply enough to have a question. It shows your teachers that you’re interested, engaged, and have initiative. Just make sure to ask your teacher by raising your hand at an appropriate time so you don’t disrupt their lesson or your class.
Set goals - Goal setting helps everyone take action steps towards achieving something big! Think of a long-term that you want to achieve - dancing in hard shoes, making a ceili team, or qualifying for a certain competition - and each week set smaller goals to help you get there! Get your friends and family involved to help keep you accountable or document your progress in a practice log or journal.
Practice, practice, practice - Think about how long you spend at school each day and how much homework you do each night in order to stay on track with your grade level. As a young dancer, you spend as little as an hour a week at dance class and go as long as a whole week before your next class. If you practiced for even 10 minutes each day you’re not at class, you’re already doubling your dance time and can improve so much faster! Practice can be anything from going over a step that’s been giving you trouble to pulling out the dress up closet and putting on a show for your family. The most important thing is that you’re dancing outside of class with a goal in mind.

First Steps To Confidence & Independence

1/11/2017

Do you want to help your tot become more confident, coordinated, and social in just 30 days? Irish dancing is a great solution for some of these worries parents frequently have about their preschoolers!

Whether your dancer is already a social butterfly or stuck to you like glue, activities that are structured as formal classes can help your youngling develop the social skills they need to tackle longer preschool days like a pro! Through structured classes, dancers learn how to respect their teacher, interact with their classmates, and behave in ways that get them noticed in a positive light.

The physical component of class puts your dancers through their paces to develop their balance, strength, flexibility, and coordinating the right and left sides of the body. And don’t forget the brain - Irish dancing is just as much of a work out for the brain! Dancers develop their pattern recognition and memories just by learning simple steps as well as improving their musicality, understanding of rhythm and timing, and the mind-body connection within us all.

The upbeat and energetic nature of Irish dancing keeps classes fun and exciting even when there’s all this learning going on! Dancers feed off this energy from week to week and improve quickly, giving them increased confidence and sense of accomplishment. This 3-5 age group soak up knowledge like sponges, are generally fearless, and love to move, making them the perfect age to start an activity like Irish dancing.

At SRL, our pre-beginner program is open to ages 3-5 in 30 minute classes. Dancers work through exercises to increase their physical coordination, balance, and strength as well as learn the basics of the reel and light jig. At the end of each class, we end with a cool down stretch to help calm their energy levels and work on flexibility. Our pre-beginners get to participate in our end of year recital, a milestone that even the shyest student can accomplish by the spring!

If you’re interested in helping your child grow more confident, coordinated, and sociable, email SRL today to come in for a free trial class!

Irish dancing as an adult?

1/3/2017

Upon reading the title you're probably thinking one of three things:

"Sounds like fun!"
"I'm not so sure...."
Or, "I can do that?!"

Adults CAN take up Irish dancing even as a 20, 30, 40, 50-something, or beyond! Even studios with competitive programs for children can have recreational programs for adults too!

Irish dancing is such a great form of exercise (with adults burning up to 400 calories an hour!) that is also enjoyable and socialable. Why let the kids have all the fun?!

At SRL, our adult program is made up of students who are first time learners, "boomerangs" who danced as children, and even moms of former/current Irish dancers. These men and women range from 20 somethings to over 60, so there's room for anyone of any age to learn.

Classes consist of a mixture of styles including solo step dancing, ceili and set dancing (group dances), as well as old style sean-nos dancing so you're guaranteed to find something you love and never get bored. If you decide through your journey that you wish to pursue Irish dancing at a deeper or competitive level, we have programs for that too!

Ready to try it yet? Come along for a free trial class and see for yourself! Our adult classes are on Tuesdays in Farmington from 8-9pm and Thursdays in South Windsor from 8-9pm. Hope to see you soon!

Last Stand in Providence

12/6/2016

The 2016 New England Oireachtas was held in Providence, RI from November 18-20 so New England's top dancers across three divisions could go head to head. SRL took 13 dancers and 1 team after many months of preparation, hard work, and sacrifice. Our dancers brought their best to the stage from our little first timers to our championship veterans. We had 4/5 soloists make the cut for top 50% of their age group with 3 qualifiying to the North American Championship to be held over the July 4th holiday in New Orleans, Louisiana!

Rebecca U20 6th place, NQ, and 1 away from WQ!

Tara U16 39th place

Colleen U10 15th and NQ!

Lindsey U17 29th and NQ!

Our traditional set squad consisted of almost exclusively first timers to the Oireachtas stage and their performances made us so proud! We had 3 dancers make the final cut for awards on stage with some fantastic results!

Mairi U8 11th place!

Paige U9 11th place!

Gabby U13 4th place!

Our final division of competitors was our first ever ceili team! Our girls 4-Hand are the trailblazers for our school's ceili/teams program that will only grow from here. Teams are such an important part of Irish dancing and we hope to have all dancers experience this side of dancing in the coming years. Our team did not make the cut for awards, but they were pretty close to the recall line for a team that has only been together for a short time. Well done girls!

Team members Colleen, Ellie, Gabby, and Lilly with our hair and make up extraordinaire, Rebecca!

Next year the Oireachtas comes to our home city of Hartford! We plan to include even more first timers and teams to allow our hardworking dancers to opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd.

See you next year, Hartford!

SRL Summer olympic games

8/31/2016

Our annual summer camp was Olympic themed this year, with dancers placed on teams and competing for points awarded for good sportsmanship, effort, enthusiasm, and challenge wins. Dancers worked on their dancing technique and skills, learned new steps, and participated in yoga, nutrition, and speed masterclasses. At the end of the week, dancers nominated others for individual awards such as Best Effort, Most Spirited, and Best Overall Performance. We also presented the winners of the team challenge.

Camp is every July and August with day camp options for returning students and evening options for new beginners! Save our 2017 dates - July 24-28 and August 7-11!

SRL on Tour

4/1/2016

During the month of March, SRL dancers performed all around CT at different events, schools, libraries, media outlets, and even your local Whole Foods Market!

Among our favorites this year were NBC Connecticut on the morning of the Hartford St Patrick's Day Parade, on the ice at the Hartford Wolfpack game, on CT Style at their New Haven studio, and at Bradley International Airport as part of their Aer Lingus service to Dublin campaign.

SRL Steps to Victory at new England Oireachtas

1/7/2016

The New England Oireachtas is the regional championships for dancers living in the six New England states. It serves as a ranking competition for dancers in all categories and for dancers who place highly enough to earn places in the 2016 North American Championships and 2016 World Championships. Dancers can compete in one of two divisions - traditional set or solo championships. In the traditional set division, dancers in the intermediate levels compete one round on stage to gain experience on the large stage to compete at the championship levels in the future.

SRL sent three traditional set dancers to the 2015 New England Oireachtas. All three placed in the top 50% of their competition to earn awards on stage. In the 17&Over age group, Siobhan Delorey of Falmouth, MA/Springfield MA placed 6th. In the Under 11 age group, Lilly Bluestein of Broad Brook earned 26th place. In the Under 9 age group, Colleen Williams of Hebron danced her way to the top of the podium earning first place!

In the solo division, where national and world qualifying places are up for grabs, dancers compete two rounds before a final cut is made to determine the final places. All three SRL dancers recalled to the final round and were eligible for awards (in most competitions, this includes the top 50% of competitors). In the Under 19 age group, Rebecca Kall of Farmington, CT recalled and ranked 9th to earn a berth to the North American Championships in Orlando, FL this July. In the Under 16 age group, Lindsey Hoffman of Columbia, CT placed 38th and will join Rebecca at the North American Championships. In the Under 15 age group, Tara Lynch placed 45th and is eager to join Kall & Hoffman in Orlando.

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