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 attended 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 during my undergraduate years at UVA, 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 (as president) and the Blue Ridge Irish Music School.
In the academic year 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. Again, I had the honor of working closely with world-renowned master tutors and dancers in a variety of percussive dance styles including traditional Irish dance (sean-nós and North Kerry/Molyneaux), festival style Irish dance from Northern Ireland, contemporary Irish dance, tap, flamenco, clogging, and body percussion.
I currently dance with and teach at the Maria Oliver Academy of Irish Dance in Chico, CA. I have performed with the Pub Scouts at local events and at weekly Irish music pub sessions held at Duffy’s Tavern in downtown Chico on Friday evenings. We also perform at the annual dance showcase Keeping Dance Alive! at Laxson Auditorium on the CSU Chico campus.
In 2008 I presented at the 7th Annual National Conference of the American Synesthesia Association in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I performed a solo dance entitled “Color Play,” choreographed as part of my MA work at the University of Limerick. This choreography explores synesthesia in dance and the language and perception of dance.
I also plan to sit the TCRG exams sponsored by An Coímísíun le Ríncí Gaelacha in order to earn certification to teach Irish dancing.
Currently I take classes with the Full Force Dance Company at the Chico Creek Dance Centre, where I am learning contemporary jazz and hip-hop dance. I also practice capoeira, which I started in Limerick with Mestre Piau of Grupo Capoeira Candeias, and I am now a student of Mestre Curisco’s Grupo Capoeira Malês in Chico.
I am also a member of the Gorgorlu West African Dance & Drumming Troupe, led by master dancer, teacher and musician Alain Zinsou of Senegal. We perform at local events in and around Chico.
I have practiced Ashtanga and vinyasa styles of yoga since 2003, beginning at Sun & Moon Yoga Studio in Arlington, VA, and then moving to Studio 206 in downtown Charlottesville.
In addition to these dance styles, I have also had the pleasure of being exposed to a variety of other dance styles, including tap, jazz, modern, ballet, flamenco, Cape Breton step dance, Appalachian clogging, English clogging, Greek dance, West African dance (including Guinean and Congolese), Breton dance, and body percussion. I always welcome the opportunity to learn more!
Watch some of my Irish dance videos on YouTube.
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