Mini Update

Injury recovery:

• Things are going swell!  I tape up my ankle for each dance class I go to for safety measures.  I am finally getting my stamina and confidence back (and just in time for three back-to-back weekends of feiseanna).
• I have started learning a new set dance (Lodge Road) and hope to have it completed before surgery.  You know, so I can sit around and not dance it for three months, before seeing if I can remember it for the Oireachtas.

Feiseanna:

• I will be traveling to three feiseanna in the next three weekends!  I am really excited to have the chance to compete before I go in for my surgery.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these won't be my only feiseanna for the year.
• First up is the Holy Angels Feis in Charlotte this weekend.  I've never been to this feis before, and the overall cap was really small, so I'm hoping for a low-key return to competition.  Mind you, my competition is 16 and over, so it will be fun to compete with people nearly ten years younger than I.
• Next will be CCE (preceded by a day at the Virginia Renaissance Festival).  I am bummed that this feis has changed to three rounds.  As bad as this is to say, I was looking forward to not having to dance my treble jig.
• Finally for May will be a new feis in Maryland, the Hurley Feis.  

Antonio Pacelli:

• Last month's post resurrected a Rince go Bragh blog post from two and a half years ago.  Check out the most recent revision of 'Dancing Frugally,' and don't forget to check back on the community section frequently to read other bloggers' content.

Life:

• This fantastic edit was found floating around tumblr.  I think it's hilarious.

• I got a new Irish dance themes phone case from Rainy Day Designs!

• My grandfather built me this beautiful shelf to showcase my dancing awards!

Goals: Make it through three rounds on Saturday

Days till Os: 213

2014 Goals and Other Odds and Ends

I have procrastinated this year on my annual yearly goals post.  (In fact, I have procrastinated too much on blogging all together since my last post).  My 2014 goals officially include:

1. Heal my ankle.
2. Post on Rince go Bragh biweekly.
3. Feis as much as possible in May and June.
4. Heal from ankle surgery.

2014 has not been the best start to my new.  The second week in January, I was practicing slip jig at dance, and landed a jump wrong and tore two ligaments in my right ankle.  Two ligaments that were previously been torn in 2012, the last time I had slip jigs as my soft shoe dance.  Since I've now torn ligaments in this ankle five times, my podiatrist suggested I have surgery to a) tighten my loose and unstable ligaments, and b) clean up the scar tissue that has formed.  

I will be having surgery instead of attending nationals this summer.  I am yet unsure of the recovery and rehabilitation time.  Will Oireachtas be part of my dancing career this year?  Will I be able to keep my ankles healthy for another two years to chase my world qualification goal?  If I have to put off qualifying events for so long, will my perseverance even be paid off with an actual world qualification?

I wish I had the answers to these questions.

Other Odds and Ends:

• Feiseanna I want to attend (barring ankle health and willingness to travel):
• McGrath Feis (I'm registered.  I'll be there.  Will I dance?  Probably not.)
• Holy Angels Feis
• CCE Feis
• Hurley School Feis (A new northern SR feis?!)
• Feile Rince Charlotte
• Old Dominion Feis
• Have you been over to Antonio Pacelli's new community section on their website lately?  I blog there monthly with separate content from Rince go Bragh!  Be sure to take a look at other blogger's content as well! [Check it out!]

Goals: Don't dance yet.  Don't do it.

Days till Os: 292

Mini Update

It's December.  I am an Irish dancer.  You know what that means...

Oireachtas Information

• Tomorrow is the big day!  It will be jam packed with much dancing (solos in the morning, teams in the afternoon), but I know it will be a blast in the end!
• I am feeling ready with my dancing.  I am going to put trust in my body and rely on all the hard work I have done in preparation for this event.  I am doing my best to stay stress free like I did for nationals this summer, but there are other factors at work for the Oireachtas that weren't there for nationals.  I did take the day off work to make sure that I am relaxed and focused.  I will do my best to continue to keep calm.
• As always, I will be trying my best to post updates throughout the day as time allows [follow @RinceGoBragh on twitter] [follow @sekubik on instagram]

Coyle Feis

• In a rare turn of events, I was unable to attend my usual November feis (Culkin), so I decided for extra competition practice that I would attend an out of region feis.  My goal was to place in the top half of the competition, but I fell short by just two places.  Since this feis happened a few weeks before the Mid Atlantic Oireachtas, I suppose it's to be expected.  I believe I was the highest placing Southern Region dancer though, so that is always a good sign!

Antonio Pacelli

• Have you checked out the new Antonio Pacelli website?  They have completely revamped everything (except their merchandise; that remains wonderful as usual), and added a community section, full of Irish dance blogger from around the world, including me!
• I will be posting separate content on the Antonio Pacelli website at least once a month, but don't worry, Rince go Bragh will still remain active.

Kennedy Center Performance

• My dance school and I had the rare opportunity to perform at a prestigious venue: the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  We performed on a Sunday evening on the Millennium Stage as part of the Kids Euro Festival performance.
• You can catch our entire performance by following this link.  We start dancing at 23:25.

Goals: Three clean rounds

Days till Os: 17 hours