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.
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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. Dance Masters and Gaelic Leagues The next chapter in the saga of Irish dance through the ages will look a little more familiar to our SRL families: the Dance Master. A precursor to the TCRG (like Miss Courtney,) Dance Masters were a flamboyant fixture in 1700s Ireland known for their itinerant lifestyle, brightly colored clothing, and the staffs they carried. Dance Masters traveled Irish districts in search of a pleasing town to stop in, and more importantly: students to teach. It was considered a great honor to have a Dance Master stop in your town, and a greater honor to house and feed them when they came to teach. The dances they taught were heavily influenced by the set quadrilles popular in the French upper classes, and the Dance Masters were considered extremely cultured and civilized due to the emphasis they placed on proper manners and deportment. This clashes directly with the setting: most of these classes occurred in barns and many students didn’t know their right from left. To combat this issue, Dance Masters would tie hay or straw to one of each student’s feet and ask them to “lift hay foot” or “lift straw foot”! While the Dance Masters were all about French etiquette and dancing (precursors to the sets students still learn today,) they also had some adventures along the way. Sometimes Dance Masters were kidnapped (playfully, we assume) by neighboring towns who wanted lessons. Dance Masters also often competed against Dance Masters from neighboring districts at céilís or feiseanna—large gatherings celebrating Irish culture and traditions usually held at a crossroads at the time--reportedly until one of them dropped! Since the Statute of Kilkenny (check out Volume II for more details,) Irish culture had been contained to the Irish (in law if not in practice,) and still felt somewhat oppressed by their English neighbors. The forming of Conradh na Gaeilge (The Gaelic League) in 1893 changed everything by establishing an organization specifically dedicated to preserving Irish language, literature, folklore, music, dress, and, to a lesser extent, dance. While the League originally outlawed certain dances that weren’t considered completely Irish (like the set quadrilles so heavily influenced by the French,) they eventually rescinded their stance. In 1930, An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha (The Irish Dancing Commission) was formed to preserve and promote all forms of Irish dance and still exists to this day.
In 1897, the first public céilí was held in London (perhaps not so ironically, when you consider the goal of preserving Irish culture for all Irish people—there was a fair amount living there.) After the Commission was established only a few decades later, it only took a few years for their work to spread to wherever Irish people lived—which by then was everywhere! Now, there are Gaelic Leagues and Clubs all over the world and feiseanna are held wherever they are. Irish dance comes from a tradition that resembles the American dream as much as anything Irish: a melting pot (doing my best to refrain from a pot o’ gold pun) of traditions and cultures. While it honors a specific heritage wherever it’s performed, that heritage was created over millennia through a distinct and unique combination of different people and civilizations. At SRL, as we’re proud to continue that tradition by keeping to the heart of it: honoring Irish culture, while always remembering you don’t need to be Irish to do Irish dance! This is Volume II of a series. Catch up with Volume I here and Volume II here. And 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: Bailey Position: Instructor, assists all class levels How long have you been working at SRL? Why SRL? I have been working at SRL for the past month, and absolutely love it! SRL is an amazing community where all the dancers and teachers are very motivating, inspiring, and caring. How long have you been dancing? Why Irish dance? I have been dancing for 18 years! My mom chose Irish dance for me and my sister when we were very young to help express our Irish heritage. What’s the coolest place you’ve ever visited? (Remember travel?!) The coolest place I have ever visited was either Vancouver, BC or Edinburgh, Scotland. What are you interested in that most people aren’t? Math! I love math, as I am currently pursuing my graduate degree in Secondary Education with concentration in mathematics! Why do you think people dance? People dance to feel something and to express emotion. I dance because it made me feel strong, powerful, and motivated. What movie can you watch over and over and never get tired of? Why? Harry Potter (any of them!)… I am a huge fan! How has dance affected your everyday life? I cannot go a day without thinking about Irish dance, listening to Irish music, or dancing! What do most people not know about you? I have 2 different colored eyes. Who’s your biggest inspiration? Aly Raisman (2012 & 2016 Olympian) because she is such a hard worker, but also, she is a team leader and always wants success for her teammates. What advice do you have for aspiring dancers? Always be the hardest worker in the room; hard work goes a long way. This post is part of a series. Read our Q&A with another instructor, Codi, 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. The Statue of Kilkenny and English Monarchs Just as the history of Ireland is rife with conflict, so is the history of Irish dance. It might sound dramatic (or a little bit too much like Footloose,) but there was a time in Ireland when Irish dance was essentially banned. Well…not for everyone. In the 14th century, the English began to feel they were losing the foothold on Irish soil they had gained in 1177 through a pact with the Normans (for more about them, see Volume I!) Scrambling, they took action by enacting the Statute of Kilkenny in 1366—35 laws banning anyone except the native Irish from partaking in Irish traditions. Among the many banned activities within the Anglo-Norman settlement were: riding horses “Irish style” (i.e. without a saddle,) listening to Irish storytellers, wearing an “Irish beard” (whatever that means,) marrying an Irish person, utilizing any Irish names or dress, and even playing any Irish games or music. While these laws didn’t expressly forbid Irish dance in so many words, the intent was clear: Irish culture (including dance) was only for the native Irish. However, you can’t keep a dancer from dancing. The fears of the English—so close but so far away without modern air travel—had come true: their settlers had become “more Irish than the Irish themselves.” In fact, these laws were so loosely enforced that they weren’t technically repealed until 1983! Besides, it wasn’t long before those back in England began to change their tune once they saw all that impressive footwork in person. No less than Queen Elizabeth I herself became a fan of Irish dance when Sir Henry Sydney wrote to her of girls he saw dancing jigs in Galway in 1569: "They are very beautiful, magnificently dressed, and first class dancers." After receiving the letter, the Queen reportedly invited and hosted Irish dancers at court.
And Queen Elizabeth I wasn’t the only English royal who sang the praises of Irish dance. Historians have found evidence that one of her successors, James II, was greeted upon his arrival to Ireland in 1689 with Irish dancers (though the trip didn’t go so well for him after that welcome.) These were the first steps (pardon the pun) of acceptance for Irish dance that has let the tradition travel beyond Ireland’s borders to become the worldwide celebrated art form it is today. This is Volume II of a series. Read Volume I 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. If you’re reading this, it’s fair to say that you’re probably browsing the SRL site. And if you’re browsing our site, you may be considering signing your child up for Irish dance. One of the most common questions any studio gets asked is: how old does my child need to be to start dance lessons? Our answer is always the same: If you can walk, you can dance! While dance has been proven to be beneficial to all age groups and we’ll never discourage an older student from beginning, there’s upsides to starting early. First of all, let’s acknowledge the elephant in every single room: it’s 2020, so your kids have been spending ALL their time with you. And as much as some extra family time has been the major benefit of this year, it does mean less opportunities for your child to develop a sense of independence and personhood, as well as for practicing social skills outside the home. There’s no “Mommy and Me” classes at SRL—we see even our Tiny Jig classes (for 2 to 3-year-olds) as a way for our students to not only learn to dance, but also: practice taking turns and sharing attention with others, being kind and respectful to peers and adults, learning about personal space boundaries, as well as a myriad of other not just social, but developmental skills they may not have a lot of chances to practice right now. Beyond the developmental benefits dance can foster, are the physical benefits. Our youngest classes concentrate not only on dance skills, but help improve motor skills, as well as help catch and correct any issues with right-left dominance. And, of course, it’s excellent exercise. (Especially during New England’s winter months!) Innumerable studies confirm that dance also improves cognitive ability and can led a better quality of life. Why? While there can’t be a downside to forging a mind-body connection early in development, dance classes also help kids practice patience, goal setting, and routine—all things that will benefit them in their future studies—as well as musicality. We’ve all seen the reports about how stimulating music is for the brain—why not develop that appreciation early? Additionally: if your child is already interested in dance, they may want to continue with it as they get older. Early dance classes aren’t a requirement, but they will lay a good foundation for your dancer’s success later on by instilling technique and creating a well-rounded dancer. In fact, it will be beneficial for any physical activity they choose—haven’t you heard the stories about NFL players taking dance classes to improve their coordination, flexibility, and footwork? With fewer children attending in-person preschool or even elementary, SRL’s dance classes provide a safe, socially distant space (with small class sizes to assure safety and close attention to all students and online options) for your kids to grow, learn, and play. It may not be easy right away—your kids may get discouraged or have the occasional tantrum or issues listening—but that’s what dance is about: learning, growing, and pushing through. Irish dance, like life, only has a couple moments of instant gratification…but isn’t that what makes real, earned successes all the sweeter? Here at SRL, students get moved up levels as soon as their skills have progressed, not by any specific age designation (that’s just to start!) Your child’s hard work is the only thing rewarded. And what better lesson to instill in your kids at a young age than that? Hear our Director, Courtney Jay, TCRG, discuss the benefits of our programs (for children as young as two!) here: This is our second Saturday bonus post! Check out our first here, all about battling back to school burnout. And 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. The Druids and the Normans There are many things in this vast world we don’t know the truth of: the Easter Island moai, the Nazca Lines, and even eels (hard to believe, but it’s true!) With legends reporting the earliest feis to have taken place three millennia ago, the beginnings of Irish dance fall into a similar category: a cultural marvel whose origin has been lost to time. (Okay, maybe eels are in a different category.) While there’s no definitive answer for who the original practitioner of Irish dance really was, historians do have some educated guesses. The Druids—a learned class in early Celtic culture that was a mix of priest, teacher, doctor, judge, and even warrior—are most often credited with the earliest version of the dances we practice today. The Druidic class was highly respected in ancient Irish culture, with the word “druid” thought to have come from the Irish-Gaelic word “doire,” meaning oak tree or wisdom. The biggest difference between modern Irish dance and Druidic performances? The Druids are believed to have danced as a form of worship. It’s thought that as early as 1600 B.C. the Druids were performing circular dances (possibly among standing stones, the most famous of which you may have heard of…Stonehenge) for a variety of reasons: to worship the sun and their namesake oak trees, as preparation for war, as a prayer for prosperity, as a courtship ritual, and even something closer to modern feis—social gathering and recreation. But the Celts had some company knocking at the door. Ireland was invaded by the Normans in 1169 A.D., a group of Viking descendants previously settled in what is now Northern France. With their forces, the Normans brought a variety of traditions with them, including “carolling”—which is essentially a mix of Druidic circle dances (which were already similar to early French tradition,) and the singing we associate with modern caroling around the holidays.
“Carolling” led to one of the earliest known mentions of Irish dance in writing in 1413, when the Mayor of Waterford visited the Mayor of Baltimore (we've borrowed many a town name from the Irish!) and was presented with a procession of singing and dancing. While modern Irish dance is a little too athletic to expect anyone to sing while dancing, the custom of combining traditional dance and music is still carried out at most Irish dance academies. That includes us here at SRL! This is part I 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. So we can’t sit this close together right now - don’t let that deter you from the many benefits dancing can offer your little one! We know how important it is for toddlers and pre-schoolers to interact with their peers. Interacting with other children their age is a huge part of their social development and it can’t be recreated at home with siblings and parents. This has always been a huge part of our Pre-Beginner program and it is more important now than ever before. In our small dance classes (maximum of 8 students), tiny dancers learn to take turns, share the attention of their instructor, follow directions, and most importantly build their independence from their caregivers. After months of staying home or with close family, it will be very normal for children to experience separation anxiety. The longer you avoid independence building activities, like dance class, the more severe the anxiety may become. Our popular Jump’n Jig program has been adapted to allow for physical distancing without sacrificing any fun! We want you to feel safe joining us and allowing your little dancer to enjoy time to jump, wiggle, and jig with us! What’s the best way to get 2-4 year olds started Irish dancing? It’s Jump’n Jig, and Scoil Rince Luimni is the only school in Connecticut to offer this program for pre-schoolers! The program was designed by Irish dance teacher, adjudicator, and early-childhood expert Fiona Holmes ADCRG and is tailor-made for our youngest dancers to learn and understand how to be in a dance class, develop their motor skills and musicality, and of course enjoy every moment of their class. Each portion of class is designed with the preschooler in mind, from the inviting welcome, a reminder of our expectations and manners within the studio, social engagement between the dancers, working on our listening and dancing skills, and rewards and positive reinforcement. There are two movement stations within the class - one in a circle so all students can engage closely with each other and the instructor and a long line acting as a ‘track’ for dancers to practice various skills. We open and close class in the circle and incorporate props kids love - teddy bears, wands, musical instruments, and more! Along the track, we work on our single leg balancing, single leg balancing with accessory movements, leg and foot strength, moving on or around markers and targets, foot placement for Irish dancing, and the concept of right/left and front/back. As dancers become more proficient with their motor skills, they progress to dance skills that will help them transition to our Beginner program when they are old enough. Dancers also practice actively listening to the music and finding the beat by clapping and utilizing props so they can dance WITH the music instead of TO the music (the hardest thing to teach a dancer!). Our Pre-Beginner program is all about setting each preschool dancer up for success - and by success we mean happy, confident, and comfortable with their abilities and in their class. Dancers who love to dance and have strong foundations will grow to work through the inevitable bumps in the road or challenges they may face as they progress. Ready to join in? We have limited space in our Saturday morning class and we have a brand new class opening Friday mornings in October. Looking for some fun events to celebrate St Patrick's Day? Here are our final public events where you can catch the dancing for this year's high holy day!
Scoil Rince Luimni shares Irish dance with everyone in our community this March and our youngest fans can catch us perform at:
It's parade weekend and you can celebrate the season with us there - or at one of our other public events this Saturday or Sunday!
We'll be marching with the town of South Windsor at the Greater Hartford St. Patrick's Day Parade - look for the red, white, and black Irish dance squad! We are also performing Saturday night at the Indian Valley Family YMCA Childcare Center's Multicultural Fair. The event showcases different cultural arts from around the globe and a great way to catch unique entertainment. On Sunday we have our St Patrick's Day Irish Dance Lesson & Open House! at our South Windsor studio. Our Beginner class still has some openings and you can visit the event page for information on how to save your spot. And finally, Sunday afternoon we'll be performing and giving a mini lesson at the Farmington Libraries, CT at the Main Branch from 2:00-2:45pm. Hope to see you over the weekend! Join us in celebrating St Patrick's Day at Scoil Rince Luimni! On Sunday March 10th, we are holding a free class and open house at our South Windsor studio!
We’re opening our studio for you to come experience our classes, tour our studio, and see if Irish dancing could become part of your child’s life in the future. You don’t ever need to be Irish to enjoy Irish dancing - it’s an artistic sport that has so many amazing benefits for children & adults! Irish dance is fast paced, highly social, and has infectious music which make it exciting and dynamic for kids to learn. We celebrate our milestones and successes along the way while always presenting a new challenge to keep students motivated, engaged, and proud of their work. Our young dancers experience:
Scoil Rince Luimni is thrilled to welcome Christian Cairone TCRG to our studio family! Christian has been Irish dancing since he was 3 years old. He trained under Irene and Maureen Horgan who helped instill the love and passion for dancing he has today. While there, he assisted teaching with all levels of classes which helped to increase his love of dancing and teaching. Christian has competed around the globe with career highlights including: becoming Senior Men's Oireachtas champion, placing 4th at the All Ireland's, and medalling at both the North American Championships and the World Championships. At the 2018 World Championships, he had the opportunity to perform with the Fusion Fighters during their performance and would love to dance in a professional show in the future. Since passing his TCRG exam in January 2018, he is focused sharing his love and passion with his dancers and helping them to reach their goals. Aside from dancing, Christian majored in Culinary Arts and Culinary Nutrition at Johnson & Wales University. He is currently working on becoming a Registered Dietitian to eventually specialize in Sports Nutrition to help dancers understand proper nutrition and to also give them easy recipes to use as well! We are excited to have additional feedback, expertise, and support for all of our dancers as well as bring our growing contingent of male dancers a role model they can aspire to emulate in their dancing! To all of my amazing dancers on the (almost) eve of the Oireachtas, I am so proud of you. Thank you for your hard work in preparing for this big event and I want to let you know how honored I am to be part of your team. After months of classes, practices, private lessons, competitions, and an emotional breakdown here and there, I want you to know that no matter what happens you’ve already won. There are not many kids these days that are willing to make the sacrifices you have made to excel at their sport. There are not many kids dedicated enough to something to keep putting in the work day after day, week after week, when the reward isn’t guaranteed and is often far in the future. As long as you stay calm, project confidence, dance like you do in class, and show great sportsmanship, there is nothing more I can expect or ask of you. Please let that comfort you and lighten the load you feel on your shoulders. I’m sure you have put greater pressure and expectation on yourself and I don’t wish to add to that. Remember to be kind to yourself and be your own number one fan. I hope that you can celebrate your result no matter what your ranking is - after all, this is one day among many in your dance journey. This is one little mile-marker along the marathon that is your continual self improvement and you HAVE improved just by peaking for this event. Even if you feel a sting of disappointment, remember that it’s okay to feel that pain temporarily but it’s also important to not let it keep you down or become a limiting belief. Instead, dust yourself off and be ready to cheer on your friends. Just because you’re not happy with your own results doesn’t impact your ability to support others. Whether you win the whole thing or fall all the way to the bottom of the results, we turn the page together at the conclusion of the Oireachtas. Either way we move on to an improvement season, learning new choreography, and setting new goals and my opinion of your potential of a dancer does not change based on the outcome of this weekend. Your power is in your ability to take your result and use it for motivation. Finally, say thank you to your parents. While they may not receive a medal for their efforts, they should not go unnoticed or under appreciated. Together, we all stand behind you on your team and they make sure you get to class, get to competitions, have the supplies and equipment you need, and experience everyday’s ups and downs along with you. Now go out there and be fiercely you! You can do this, I believe in you! Courtney The fall competition season is well underway and it’s a roller coaster of emotions for our intermediate and advanced dancers as they inch closer and closer towards the biggest competition of their season, the Regional Oireachtas. While we do everything we can to prepare both in class and at home, not every feis is smooth sailing or rewards each dancer for their hard work. It’s easy to love dancing and competing when you’re rewarded for your efforts - but what about when dance doesn’t always love you back? You might be doing all the right things - taking in your corrections at class, practicing at home, getting enough sleep, fueling your body for success and still come home empty handed or disappointed with the results you received. You might wonder, what am I doing wrong? Why are my friends being rewarded and not me? It’s a painful reality but one that exists. I’m here to tell you it’s normal - necessary, even - for truly appreciating what it takes to go after something you want. If you worked hard and were rewarded every time, you’d leave feeling happy but you also might not work as hard next time. When you have to really fight for what you want, you appreciate it so much more when it finally happens and you’re ready for the next challenge. I recently asked a group of students, “what do you think would happen if you won all the time?” and the responses were very insightful:
One of our most frequently asked questions by parents at the beginning stages of the dance journey is: How can I tell if my dancer enjoys this? OR How can I tell if this is right for my child? Of course every child is different but we have some common threads and patterns that have emerged over the years to help guide you. 1. Some children will happily show you EVERYTHING they did in class that day. Others won't, and it's a common misconception that the shy variety of dancers aren't enjoying class. Dancers that are reluctant to share what they've learned are often very protective of their new skills and have early signs of perfectionism that you may not have seen before. 2. Little by little you may notice your dancer skipping, jumping, and hopping from place to place more than they are walking. While it's not formal practice or dancing, their more expressive movement is a CLASSIC sign that they are taking in everything from classes and learning to move like a dancer. Soon you won't be able to go anywhere without them dancing along next to you. 3. You may hear that your child is teaching their friends and classmates at school or other activities how to dance. It is quite common for new dancers to feel more comfortable sharing their dancing with their peers than their parents, though the more outgoing personality will share with just about everyone! Teaching others what they are learning in class shows a very deep understanding and enjoyment for dance and is a huge step towards a loving relationship with learning more! You can support your dancer's journey into dance by not forcing them to show or tell you more than they are comfortable. Each dancer takes a unique path through the early stages of dancing and there is no 'right' or 'wrong' one. Ultimately, your dancer leading their journey with you in the supporting role will result in the best outcome.
We’re just giddy with excitement over our new dance year starting! We know you might be concentrating on getting your kids back to school and aren’t ready to complicate things by adding new activities, but you still have time to join us this year! Our classes for new students begin September 8 - 13 and you can schedule a complimentary trial class before you commit to more classes. We know just how much Irish dance can add to your child’s life, but we’ve narrowed it down to our top 10 to share with you! For more details, like our Facebook page and follow along as we go in depth about each of our top ten and countdown to our September 10th launch!
In many families, Monday morning (or even Sunday night) through Friday afternoon feeling running the gauntlet - school, work, activities, homework, projects, meetings, CCD, scouts, the list just never seems to end. You might not even have a free night, but on the rare occasion you do it might be your only chance to have a family dinner or have time to slow down. We totally get it, and in our effort to make Irish dance classes as accessible as possible we hold classes on Saturdays in addition to our weekday schedule! Designed for first and second year students, our pre-beginner and beginner classes on Saturday mornings are perfect for busy families. Whether sports are on the calendar in your house or not, there’s something about Saturday morning that just has more ease to it. Our Saturday classes are open and ready for new student enrollment! Irish dance classes are very active - even for those who aren’t into sports (psst, I never was!) - while also being extremely social and engaging. We have dancers from all over Connecticut so there are so many new friends waiting for your young dancer to meet. We have fun at every class while learning strong basics and encouraging a love of dance. Children ages 3-5 are able to join our pre-beginner program from 9:30-10:00am each Saturday while children ages 6+ can join our beginner program from 10:00-11:00am. We have weekday offerings for both programs but they are filling fast! You can register on our website, https://www.irishdancect.com/register.html Have you been wanting to try a class but waiting for the right time? Are you counting down the days until the kids go back to school and looking for something to do? Has your calendar looked more like advanced calculus all year and summer has finally opened up some time? No matter the reason or occasion, we hope you can join us for a free "Try It Out" class on Monday July 23 Monday July 30 If your little dancer is age 3-5 you can join us on either day at 5:30 for a 30min class. If your dancer is 6 or older, you can join us either day from 6:00-7:00pm. This "Try It Out" trial class opportunity is in conjunction with our 2018 summer camps for new students, so there will be plenty of first timers in class for your dancer to meet. Irish dancing is ⚡ High energy 👨👩👧👦 Enjoyable for boys and girls 🎵 Upbeat with infectious music 👋 Social and encourages students to meet new friends And most importantly, FUN! Come see what all the buzz is all about! You can RSVP by sending in the form below. 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! |
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