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 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.
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 is the beginning of what I hope will become future research exploring synesthesia in dance, the language of dance, and dance perception and cognition.
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 am a member of the Full Force Dance Company (C-Force team) at the Chico Creek Dance Centre, where I am learning hip-hop and jazz dance. I also practice capoeira, which I started in Limerick with Mestre Piau of Grupo Capoeira Candeias, and I now practice with students of Mestre Curisco of Grupo Capoeira Malês in Chico.
I have practiced Ashtanga and vinyasa styles of yoga for 5 years, 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, capoeira, Cape Breton step dance, Appalachian clogging, English clogging, Greek dance, African dance, 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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