Injured, again?

Nation's Capitol feis was supposed to be my triumphant return to Irish dancing.  Five an a half months after blowing out 60% of my left ankle, I was healed enough to get back to feising.  I had done so much preparation for this feis, including lots of practice time on my own since my dance school is on summer break.  I finally felt like I was 100% back to dancing.  I knew that I was going to rock this feis because I could get through all three rounds.

It, apparently,wasn't meant to be.  As I was warming up for my competition and running through my slip jig, I landed an over wrong and knew right away that something was not right.  Just like my last injury, I felt that terrible sensation of ligaments popping apart as I landed.  Limping back to where I parked my stuff, part of me knew I wasn't going to dance that day, no matter how much I taped my ankle up and no matter how many Advil I took.  This was hands-down the most disappointing feis of my life.  I was so close.

An hour after injury.
Note the tan line and poodle sock indents.

After another MRI, it turns out that I completely tore my anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular ligaments, partially tore my deltoid ligament, AND did something funky to some tendons.  I am currently in a boot and on crutches for the next two weeks until I re-visit my podiatrist and hopefully obtain my physical therapy prescription.

Here's to a speedy recovery and the hopes that I can dance at the Oireachtas.  If I can do this, if I can dance at the Oireachtas and qualify for 2013 worlds (as it's been my goal since 2009), this will be one of the best comebacks ever.

Goals: Heal
Days till Os: 116

The Traveling Feis Monkey: Sara in Virginia

Sara is the first of many awesome Irish dancers I'm going to be meeting this year.  I was born right after Sara was cleared to dance from her major injury in February.  We registered for our first feis of the year, Nation's Capitol in Tyson's Corner.

I helped with all sorts of feis preparation.

This past Sunday was the day I was looking forward to most.  I was loving placed in Sara's dance bag in the morning and toted to Tyson's Corner where I got to hang out at my first feis!  While I was there, I got to see many championship-level dancers show their stuff on the dance floor, as well as meet another dancer from Sara's school.

Unfortunately, the day did not go as planned.  While Sara was warming up, she injured her ankle doing an over.  Luckily, I was there for comfort, however she had to leave before her competition even began.

Where will I go next?  Check out my Facebook page for more of my adventures!

Mini update

• Since I have officially returned to the Irish dance scene right in time to miss nationals, I have registered to dance at the Nation's Capital feis on July 22nd.  This will be my first feis back since my injury, as well as my first feis of the year!  If you're planning on going, and you see me there, don't be afraid to say hi!  I'll have the Traveling Feis Monkey with me as well.

• Do you know about the Traveling Feis Monkey?  Interested in being a host dancer for a week?  Make sure to send your emails in by midnight on July 13th, which is less than a week from now!  I have her for now, and she's been enjoying my various dance-related activities, all of which you can see on Facebook!

• July's Irish dance How-To will go live on Wednesday.  Come back then to see the new crafting tutorial I have for you!

• I entered Irish Dance Magazine's worlds 2013 logo contest, and though my logo (see below) was not chosen as a finalist, I think you should vote for the other awesome logos!

• National Dance Day is coming up on Saturday, July 28th!  So You Think You Can Dance and the Dizzy Feet Foundation are hosting a huge dance party on the west coast, but for those of us who live too far away to attend, there are two different combinations to learn then upload a video of yourself performing!  Check this website for all the information you need to participate.  In the meantime, I'm planning something else a with a little more Irish dance style...

Goals: Build up stamina
Days till Os: 146

Injured: The happy ending

I went to my very last doctor's visit yesterday morning.  The funny part about this appointment was that I spent more time waiting around than him actually visiting me.  He came into the room, looked over the note from my physical therapist, and asked if I hurt and what I was doing.  After assessing all this, he said I didn't have to see him again, but to still take it easy if my ankle hurt (I did tear three ligaments after all).

Today, I graduate from physical therapy.

Because of all this wonderful news, I decided to register for the Nation's Capital feis next month.  I am feeling extra motivated right now, especially after attending Old Dominion feis to run stages.  Being there without dancing was bittersweet: I know I would not have done all that well since I began easing into dance a month ago, but being there all day had me really itching to put my solo dress on...

Last night was my first hardcore practice since my time easing back into dance last month.  Inspired by being cleared by my doctor and by the feis this weekend, I decided to run through all three rounds, including the new slip jig steps I tweaked.  In honor of this practice, I wore a new Pinterest and Feisonista-inspired outfit, which came in especially handy in my lack-of-circulating-air practice area.

I am lucky to have a practice area that I can use at essentially any time.  It's a racquetball court, so the downsides are no mirrors and it's extremely loud, but the floor is nice and it's spacious.  I am very much lacking in stamina and general leg strength due to being out for so long, but I am planning on practicing in my space two or more times a week until the feis.  Have a video montage of last night's practice session, including all my wonderful brain farts:

Goals: Stamina and cross
Days till Os: 163

Huge Update, Part 2: Feiseanna

Since nationals, I have been busy doing various feiseanna in the area, and placing rather well. I did not place lower than third in prelim since July, which is rather neat, and quite an accomplishment after only having been dancing for three years.

Nation's Capital feis: Keeping with the trend set forth at the CCE and Old Dominion feiseanna, a gentleman won this competition, and I got my first ever frustrating second place. Honestly, I'm going to admit that I hadn't practiced my steps since nationals three weeks prior to Nation's Capital, so I was acting on pure muscle memory and prayers that my stamina would hold out. I was surprised I placed as well as I did, considering the circumstances: 30+ dancers (16 and over competition), no practice, and bad stamina.

Baltimore Feis: Well, my first time competing my new Oireachtas steps was at this feis. While I thought my treble jig round was rather poopy technically, rhythmically, and stamina-wise, it was definitely my slip jig that saved my life (nothing new there). Two awesome things happened here. The first is that Kristin got her very first prelim first (and awesome perpetual cup), after being in this level for a few years, becoming the first of the three of us older Maple people in prelim to do so. The second was that despite what I thought was a poor performance, I still placed top three, and received my very first crystal award.

Rhythm of Ireland: The coolest part of this feis was not just that I got my first prelim first (and sash), but the fact that all three of us Maple dancers swept the podium for our competition. Jess received her highest placement ever (2nd), and Kristin just came off an illness and still danced really well. It's amazing the camaraderie between the three of us, when we could just take the low road and be catty and super competitive toward one another.

Feis Culkin: This was a busy day. I spent the week before praying to the feis gods that my competition would dance first since I had a choir concert that evening, and we did! I can honestly say that this is my favorite feis of the entire year. It is always well-run (we danced, got our awards, and were done by 10:45 AM), and a good pre-Oireachtas check up on how you're doing. Despite the slippery wood stages, I danced pretty well, but not quite full out on my treble jig, since I was trying to avoid the treble sit. The highlight of the morning (pre-awards) was a "beautiful slip jig" comment from Russel Beaton, who wasn't judging that day, but just watching. There were four Maple girls who danced this day, and all of us placed! The most exciting part? Winning my second prelim competition, and my dad being there to witness it.

I can now say that I'm officially an OPEN CHAMPION dancer, and have met and exceeded two our of three of my goals for the year (place regularly and win at least one prelim competition, and don't get last at nationals). I am both excited and extremely intimidated by the fact that I am now in the highest level of Irish dance. I remember three years ago when I started dance class thinking how wonderful those championship dancers are. In my eyes, I have put a lot of pressure on myself to be that inspiring figure to new dancers that the champs were to me when I first started. Don't get me wrong, I'm completely stoked to have achieved so much in such short time, but I feel very daunted just thinking about regularly competing against people who have been dancing their whole lives, and have qualified for worlds, and possibly even recalled there. Clearly, I am just psyching myself out by this thought, as I am currently more freaked out about dancing open at CCE in May than I am about dancing at the Oireachtas in two weeks.

Goals: Do my homework for REAL.

Days till Os: 14

Why slip jig, why?

Feis Report: Nation's Capital Feis
So Sunday was the big day when I was supposed to move up my slip jig to prelims, alas, I won my reel instead. Up to date, I have won every dance in prizewinner, except the one I need. The feis, overall went very well. My dances were all on one stage again, pretty much right in a row. The improvement on this from Old Dominion is that the judges switched around and I had three different ones. The floor, thankfully, was covered with the type of rubber mat we dance on in class, so the floors has the perfect amount of traction, unlike last year's parquet floor (ICK). The hotel was very air conditioned (yay), and the whole thing was pretty well organized (except the awards table). I also won my treble jig for the second time in a row, as well as placed third in my hornpipe. I'm really satisfied with how I did overall, especially with doing my new slip jig lead and not messing up. Who knows, I may have placed fourth, but since results were $4 to buy, it was not worth it at the time.
Up next: Deleware feis, August 9

I am so relieved that the first dance done for championship competitions and majors is hard shoe. It is obviously my strongest since I've won every time I've competed these steps (three times), so the judges will get a good first impression of me (hopefully). I just really need to figure out what is going on with my slip jig. It's honestly the only thing that's holdong me back. I guess in these next two weeks before Deleware, I will be perfecting my slip jig.

Goals: perfect slip jig
Days till Os: 130