Mini Update: May Feis Madness

Holy Angels Feis:

• My first feis post-injury went well enough to meet my goals of being able to dance all three rounds all the way through.  I didn't place overall (I was one away), but I did place in my heavy and light shoe rounds.
• The best part of the feis was being able to see a feis friend that I haven't seen since nationals last summer.
• (This feis opportunity brought to you by the large number of times I stayed in Marriott hotels last year--almost all due to dance-- because I had a free stay!)

CCE Feis:

• Of the three feiseanna, this feis was my weakest performance.  I mucked up my treble jig lead, which didn't start things off well.  I felt that I redeemed myself in my soft shoe and set round, but I think the non-rotating panel had already formed their opinion.  I was placed near the bottom of the pack, and I deserved it.

Hurley Feis:

• This feis was definitely my best performance of the three.  Out of 26 dancers, I placed 11th!  (Just think of how well I could have done if I was putting all effort into preparing for nationals!)  
• My favorite part of this feis were the comments I received.  Two separate judges commented on my set, one saying, "Nice set," and the other, "Set nice style."  I have been learning a hornpipe set to replace Planxty Drury, so as a possible last performance in competition, I was overjoyed.  I have never received comments like this on my dancing, so I must have killed it!

Surgery updates:

• One week until my surgery!  I will be having arthroscopic surgery on my right ankle to tighten up the ligaments I've now torn multiple times, and to clean up the scar tissue.  I will be non-weight bearing for three weeks, followed by time in the boot, and finally ten (or more) weeks of physical therapy.
• Until then, I am continuing to go attend as many dance classes as I can.  I have one tonight, and my last pre-surgery dance class on Monday.
• My hope is to be back into dancing enough to attend the SRO.  As a team dancer at the very least.

Help me get rid of some of my extra dancing stuff!

• Check out this post on tumblr.  I have two pairs of heavy shoes and one wig that are available for pay what you can plus shipping from Virginia.  If what you can pay is just shipping, then I'm okay with that.  I'd really like to ship these off by Friday before I move!

Goals: Pack everything at home and classroom, finish grades
Days till Os: 178

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

CCE Feis 2013

In my first local feis since 2011 (hello, injury year), I was able to debut my new look!

I am now the Star Spangled Girl With the Curls full time at every feis or major I will go to.  I cannot express just how much confidence wearing this beautiful dress gives me.  I am so happy with how it turned out from my initial concept, to Elevation's digital design, to real life dress.  I can now truly embody the spirit and fortitude of Captain America.  I'm not a perfect dancer, but (hopefully) a good person.

Being that I had only competed twice in the past year and a half, my feis morning was spent fighting nerves.  I was on an adrenaline high just from anticipation alone.  Anticipating competing, not forgetting my steps, and just how my new costume would go over.  Moving certainly helped my uneasiness.  When I found a quiet place or my own corner of a stage to warm up on, I was fine.  It was the sitting still that was the worst part.

Senior ladies were the first thing after lunch.  The stage manager allowed us to choose our own order for the day which, while not a mistake, is definitely not something most dancers want to do before we compete.  Personally, I'd just like someone to tell me the order so that we all don't have to piddle around and wait for a brave soul to volunteer to be first up.  Having danced with these ladies for years now, we just did the mature thing and played the nose game.

Somehow, I still ended up in the first rotation for reel.  My first round didn't feel completely horrible, but I felt bored by my steps (a problem which has since been solved).  My set round was something I was actually looking forward to for a change.  Since the Oireachtas, I have slowed the speed down by one click, and it's made a difference with my rhythms.

Although I didn't end up placing (7th out of 12, missed it by one measly point), I still feel like I'm right on track with my dancing.  This is one of the best placements I've had since I've moved to opens, and right now I'm after consistency (and improving my turnout and rhythms and arch...).  I also greatly enjoyed, and am still touched by, how many compliments I've received on my Marvel-ous new dress.

Goals: Master new reel changes
Days till NANs: 38

Mini Update

1. Just one week ago, I was in Boston for the World Championships   My figure choreography team had the chance to compete for a title, and we came just one place shy of a recall medal!

2. My new solo dress arrived the day that I returned from worlds!  I'm not ready to post a full picture of it yet (patiently waiting for the day when I'm all dressed up for a feis).  I'll tide you over with a sneak preview:

3. My red plaid dress will be up for sale shortly.  Check back later for more details!

4. Nationals update:

• I will be in Anaheim July 4th through the 8th.
• My TC has a vendetta to get us all super fit in the coming months, which I am really excited about.  I'm chasing after a recall.  I would be so happy with a recall.  Being fit with super stamina will help!

5. Summer feiseanna

• As I sit here writing this, I'm fervently trying to register for the CCE feis in May.  I cannot count how many error messages I've received.  Fingers crossed that I get in! (Edit: I got in!)
• I will also for sure be present at the Old Dominion feis because my dance school runs it.  I'm planning on both competing, and probably managing a stage.

6. As for other blog happenings, I will be playing catch up in this next month or so.  I plan to write about Boston over the course of four posting in the next month, as well as writing about St. Patrick's day and other random things I have to tell you about!

2013 Goals and Aspirations

It's amazing how far I have come in the world of Irish dance.  When I started in 2007 as an adult beginner, my only goal was to simply learn anything and everything about this amazing dance form I have admired for so many years.  A year later, my goals shifted to the realm of competitive dance; something I swore to myself I'd never do after spending nearly a decade as a competitive gymnast.  Little by little, I upped the ante for myself from getting to novice, to preparing for prizewinner, to competing at my first Oireachtas and moving to the champ levels.  Now that I'm at the top level of dance, it's weird to me that my goals have hardly changed at all.

Granted, I did spend 75% of last year injured or recovering from an injury.

For 2013, my goals include to:

1. Continue to improve my turnout and cross technique in my dancing,
2. Begin to place more consistently in my competitions at feiseanna,
3. Recall at nationals, and ultimately
4. Qualify for the world championships as a soloist.

I aspire to be the best team member I can be by coming to practice with a pleasant and helpful attitude.  I aspire for good health and stamina.

In other news for this year...

• Feiseanna and majors I will be present at:
• World Championships (March)
• CCE Feis (May)
• Old Dominion Feis (June)
• North American Nationals (July)
• Rhythm of Ireland Feis (October)
• Feis Culkin (November)
• Southern Region Oireachtas (December)
• New dress, new dress by Elevation Designs!
• If you're wondering where the Shut the Feis Up posts disappeared to, the author (my boyfriend) has enlisted in the Army.  He is currently at basic training in Georgia, so he is unable to continue to write blog posts.

Goals: Work through new hornpipes and reels

Days till NANs: 179

Mini update

Injury recovery

• May 16th was a big day for me.  After 98 days of injury recovery, I went to dance class, put on my hard shoes, and danced.  I can only do hard shoe dances at the moment due to not being able to jump/land on my bad foot without it hurting, but at least I can dance!
• I am still going to physical therapy, and am halfway through my second round of six weeks.  I will go back to the podiatrist at the end of June and hopefully he will graduate me from PT!

CCE Feis

• I kicked off the summer feising season by going to cheer on and watch my fellow 18&O champ dancers.  Congrats to them, and good luck as they continue preparing for nationals!
• In honor of being able to dance again, I also purchased some killer red ghillies to match my dress for award ceremonies and other fun things.

Old Dominion Feis

• This is my dance school's feis, so you can guarantee I will be there helping in one way or another.  (When I know what I'll be doing, I'll post it here so you can come say hi!)
• Old Dominion Feis also marks the start of my fifth year of feising!

Irish Dance How-tos:

• I did not do one for May.  I confess, my schedule is uber busy teaching full time.  Do not despair because there will be two in the month of June!  I am planning to have the first up on my blog and ready for you on June 6th.

Other things

• Curious as to what is my dance bag? (Come on, I know you secretly are.)  Check out Moira's blog, On My Toes to see a little collaboration post I did there!  Also, check out her latest post on joining the 'Mad Abs June' challenge!
• I'm going to go see Riverdance at Wolftrap on June 17th!
• If you're a regular reader, you may have noticed I changed the banner at the top of my blog just for fun.  What do you think?
• My school year is done June 15th.  Bear with me for minimal posts two more weeks as I finish teaching.  I'm already getting geared up with blog post ideas for this summer!
• On May 18th, I attended my own graduation ceremony since my college doesn't hold one in December.  Despite receiving my diploma in the mail in February, my graduation is officially official now!

Goals: PT exercises and stamina
Days till Os: 181

Say WHAT?

Got lots of updates here...

Feis Report: CCE Feis
Ta-da! The first time I've ever placed at a prelim feis! There I am in fourth place. I'm going to go ahead and say that the CCE feis is my favorite feis ever. I love the venue, the stages are nice (but slippery), and it's really well-run. The schedule this year surprised me. Typically, old ladies prelims is one of the last competitions of the day, but at the particular feis, we were the fifth competition. it was nice to be done and out of there by 1pm. Overall, I'm really pleased with how I did, the only thing that I felt I could have done away with was my nerves. I'm sure it was mostly due to it being my first feis since the Oireachtas in December. Luckily, I have one more to get nerves out of my system before nationals...
Up next: Old Dominion feis, June 19

Riverdance, farewell performance:
I went with a few other girls from dance class to the performance last Thursday, and seriously, it was the best I'd ever seen it. Aside from spending it with awesome people, and seeing about half the dancers from my dance school there, the experience was completely awesome. It was a refreshing change, having seen Lord of the Dance back in April. Live musicians, not pre-recording the dancers shoes, the dancers being spot on... My only complaint was that the lead singer had multiple issues from a pedogological standpoint, and I feel like I could've done it better... Other than that, it was a performance I will remember for the rest of my life. I know this will sound so cheesy, but it's things like this that remind me why I do this stuff. I act about the same as a kid in a candy store while I watch. One can also not forget the failed attempt at getting picture with the dancers. Oh, we stalked them alright, and stood outside of their bus giggling for a while with no proof of our efforts, other than feeling like a creeper.

And oh yeah, the senior ladies are doing jigs for the Oireachtas this year. (say WHAT?!) It's a good thing that I learned these at the workshop over new years and haven't practiced them since January when we found out senior ladies are doing reel/hornpipe for nationals. Tell me, on what planet does that make sense? At least I know I'm not alone in this craziness. All the other senior ladies are in the same boat as me, having to learn new dances with only five months to perfect them. Unless they have been super on the ball and been doing all four. Which I most certainly will be doing until nationals is over.

Nationals:
It's nice to see they have the schedule out for nationals. My days will look a little like this:
July 3rd: Arrive in Orlando at 5pm
July 4th: I'm in competition 1B, so hornpipes at 8am, reels at 9:30pm, and sets (if I recall) at 3pm. Awards at 6pm. Then Disney fireworks, probably at EPCOT, since it's just across from the Swan and Dolphin hotel where we're staying/the competition is happening.
July 5th: Figure at 5pm, awards at 7pm.
July 6th: Go crazy in Disney World
July 7th: Leave Orlando

Preparing for nationals is like a totally different mind frame from the Oireachtas. I am not feeling any pressure at all right now. Although there is less than a month, I am not freaking out. I don't know if this is because it hasn't hit me yet, or if I don't feel as anxious because I know how these big competitions work now. I nationals it is a good opportunity, if not to see how I place against dancers outside my region, then to see and watch dancers from around the world who have been doing this their entire lives. I'm really not going into this expecting anything spectacular. I think I will gain more from the experience, and if hey, I come home with a medal, than that's all the more icing on the cake. Going to Disney World with your best friend will be an experience in itself.

Goals: Re-learn slip jig and treble jig
Days till NANs: 26

So I Welcome Myself Back to the Blogosphere...

(I need something to keep my dancing accomplishments straight. A place for goals and improvements. A place to tell everyone how much I love dance. A place to write about my journey to my first Oireachtas. For if it's written down, it's more likely to get done...)

Current:
Level: Prizewinner. (You non-dancers won't understand what this is, but basically I'm the level under champs. The really good people.)
Long-term goal: Make it to preliminary championships by the end of the year. That, and to recall at the Os for solos, and hopefully do a ceili too!
Thing I love about dance: Watching a group of complete beginners transform to solid dancers in reel and light jig, and knowing it was all because of me. (I teach a beginner class at Wakefield Friday afternoons)
Thing that irks me about dance: Prizewinner competitions. Dancers need somewhere between the Southern Region-required 2 first places, and the individual school-mandated 8 first places. This causes the same girls to win dances over and over again while they wait for that last first, not giving us other girls a chance. It forces us to be competing aganist all but prelim dancers as prizewinners. Fair? Not really. It does have it's good points: us not so good prizewinners now have motivation to really work hard and perfect our dances. This would be proof of that.

(I'm going to get some videos up here to show my current dances, just as soon as I set up my Jubilee tiles arranged correctly in the basement. Hopefully, some progress will be seen between now and the Os!)

Feis report: CCE feis
It was held at Mt. Saint Mary's on Memorial day weekend. I'll say it was my first real feis back since my transfer to Maple (Lady of Knock doesn't count, I didn't have all-Maple steps). I had all new steps for all four dances, and excepting the minor brain fart on my reel, they all went well. I won my treble jig and slip jig, my last two dances I needed to place out of novice (hence the prizewinner status now)! I didn't do so hot in my prizewinner dances (reel and hornpipe). The reel I understand: I screwed up. Hornpipe needs more confidence and sound. Watching my competitors beforehand, I realize how timid my hardshoe is.
Next feis: Old Dominion, June 20

Goals: set up Jubilee floor, make current videos to post
Days till Os: 182