Irish Dance
I have practiced Irish dancing since I was 8 years old. My mother took me to my first ceili in Fairfax, VA, I loved it, and the rest is history. I started taking lessons with Laureen O’Neill-James, a highly regarded and honored dancer, teacher, and adjudicator. I performed in the annual St. Patrick’s Day parades in DC and for other local festivities in the DC Metro area throughout the year.
I started competing at the age of 10.
In 1996, I travelled with the O’Neill-James group to Ireland to compete in the dance drama portion of the Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne (World Championships) in Dublin. I have qualified for the Worlds three times via the US Southern Regional Oireachtas. In 2000, I returned to Ireland to compete in the solo dance portion of the Belfast World Championships. I acquired Open Championship status by winning 1st place at the 2000 Baltimore Feis and at the 2001 Richmond Feis.
In 2002, I attended the Blas International Summer Program at the Irish World Music Center of the University of Limerick. There I studied contemporary and traditional forms of Irish dance (including workshops in sean-nós dancing) as well as attend lectures about Irish music & dance history and Irish culture. I had the honor of working closely with world-renowned master tutors and dancers.
While living in Charlottesville, VA, I taught under the guidance of internationally recognized teacher and adjudicator Carmel O’Rourke-Tighe. I also taught a short course at UVA (syllabus) multiple times to college students interested in learning the basics of Irish dance for fun (i.e., non-competitively). I became involved with various local Irish groups, including the Virginia Irish Society at UVA and the Blue Ridge Irish Music School.
In 2007-2008, I studied at the University of Limerick in the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance. There I completed an MA degree in Irish Traditional Dance Performance.
I also plan to sit the TCRG exams sponsored by An Coímísíun le Ríncí Gaelacha in order to earn certification to teach Irish dancing.
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