Parade of Champions: a book review

Parade of Champions: Inspiration for Irish Dancers is my newest favorite source for Irish dancing inspiration.  The book takes a look at 57 different people involved in Irish dancing and brings straight to you the secrets of their success.  Many of the top names in Irish dancing today have contributed, and high quality photos accompany nearly all the inspirational messages.  As St. Patrick's season approaches (with worlds a month and a half away), I highly recommend Parade of Champions for Irish dancers of any age and experience level.

Hands down, my favorite part of this book are the encouragements and personal stories!  I am finding myself in yet another dancing rut, facing months injury recovery this year, and after reading through Parade of Champions, I am ready to face this year and get back into my dancing! (Safely, after healing of course.)

My second favorite part of the book is the variety of dancers (and teachers!) that are included in Parade of Champions.  There are of course blurbs from the top dancers in the world, but there were quite a few names I didn't recognize right away.  I also really enjoyed seeing dancers and teachers from all over the world being represented.

I also really am a fan of the quality of pictures used.  They are so vibrant and colorful!  I think that we will all look back in ten years and be able to accurately reminisce on the feis fashions of the mid-2010s.

This book is available for digital download (which worked very well with my Kindle app), or in actual physical form, and can be found by visiting their website.

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Goals: Do my PT exercises every other day

Days till Os: 275

Boston Bash: Days 3 and 4

Thursday, March 28th

Like Wednesday, Thursday was a frenzy of running around everywhere in Boston.  The morning was a special nod to Big who loves the Red Sox.

The middle of the day was my team support moment for the junior girls eight hands and figure choreography.  It was also my first look at the worlds stage I would soon be dancing on.  While watching the junior ceilis, I was mentally planning how the senior figure would look on the stage.

Maple junior girls figure

The night was a hectic nearly nightmare of late buses and north of Boston suburbs coupled with wine and paint.  The end result is pretty good if I say so myself.  (If you live in a major metropolitan area, I highly suggest looking into wine-and-painting night deals on LivingSocial or Groupon!)

Friday, March 29th

Friday was strictly dedicated to watching each second of the senior ladies solo competition.  I was there most to support the two dancers from my school in the senior ladies competition.  I was there to catch up with dancers who I hadn't seen in a while.  There was also a part of me that was there to see the top dancers in my age group completely rock the stage.  How could I pass up the opportunity to watch Claire, Olivia, Nadine, Simona, and Siobhan?  I couldn't is that answer.

Me, Emily, Colin, Kelly, and Nora.

During lunch, I played around on the stage.

Then recalls were announced.  It was a tense and overwhelming experience, and I wasn't even dancing!  Getting to watch Claire Greaney's set dance was one of the most fabulous and inspiring moments of my dance career.  I think it was perfect.  I also made sure to record which dancer did which set, and I took my data and compiled it into a pie chart upon my return from Boston.

After watching dancing all day, my little group was ravished, so we went on a search for Mexican food and margaritas.  We stumbled upon this trendy Mexican restaurant a block and a half away from the dance action that just happened to be participating in Boston's Restaurant Week.  It was a win-win situation.

Goals: finish all the Boston blog posts!
Days till NANs: 51

Blog Challenge: I am grateful for...

1. Physical therapists.
2. Athletic tape and ankle braces and Advil.
3. The TCs who take time out of their day to help us choreograph steps, improve our dancing, and make dance class a fun place to be.
4. Happy and positive team members.
5. Tanning salons to receive that "natural glow" in the middle of fall.
6. Wigs that make hairdos a snap.
7. Sock glue.
8. Duct tape.
9. Padded ghillies, and...
10. Supportive dance friends who cheer each other on, despite being each other's competition come Oireachtas day.

Goals: Stamina tonight, rest my legs the next three days.
Days till Os: 10

Irish dance is cool, people.

At least, that's what dancers Peter Harding and Suzanne Cleary of Up & Over it have to say in this post for the UK's Fringe blog.

The article goes boils down to the statement that although Irish dancing itself is an old folk art form, the performance and show aspect of dance is a relatively new concept (beginning in 1994 with Riverdance).  In a world that now hosts not only Up & Over It, but also Taptronic and Prodijig, how could Irish dance be seen as anything but cool?  I have posted earlier in the year about these aforementioned groups (and others!) that are pushing the boundaries in performances, but this post sums up the essence of why mainstreaming is so important for this dance style.

Take a few minutes for yourself today, and read what's said.  

Do you agree with what the article has to say?

Goals: Stamina
Days till Os: 29

Blog Challenge: Inspiring video

In honor of back to school and back to dance, September's blog challenge is to post an inspiring dance video.

One of my favorite inspiring Irish dance videos is the trailer to Jig.



I first saw this trailer right before I left for New York to compete in my first open champ feis.  At the time, I was training for my first world championship.  Being able to watch this video on the daily gave me that much more excitement for the competition I was about to dance in.  Watching such awesome dancers live out their own worlds journey, even if only in a two minute video clip really gave me that extra boost to practice.  The makers of the trailer packed in all the quintessential elements that I love about Irish dancing.  And come on, Mike Stobbie did such a good job on the music that you can't help but move.

Goals: PT exercises
Days till Os: 79

Five things injured dancers want to hear

Building upon last injury's 'five things dancers are tired of hearing' post, here are five things injured dancers want to hear.

5. "Wanna hang out?"
Just because I'm injured doesn't mean I can't be social.  Offer us rides to grab dinner or dance class.  Come over and have a movie marathon while we're stuck on the couch.  Having friends around us gives us something to take our minds off the injury and helps the time pass faster!

4. "Hey look, you're off of crutches."
...Or out of your boot, walking with no braces, etc.  Noticing the little victories fills us injureds with such pride.  These 'little victories' are huge leaps up mountains to us.

3. You will be able to dance when you're healed.

Definitely from an authority like your doctor.

2. Short and sweet messages of inspiration.
It doesn't have to be the longest or most inspiring story.  A simple "You can do it" or "My heart goes out to you" can do wonders. (But please, saying 'You'll be better soon' may not be your best option.  See this article for why.)

1. You are healed and cleared to start dancing again.
Again, from an authority like your doctor.  There is nothing like being able to return to your passion.

Goals: Heal some more
Days till Os: 108

National Dance Day: Why Dance Matters

I was going to make this really awesome video of me Irish dancing in various well-known DC locations to celebrate National Dance Day in our nation's capitol.  However, recent injuries say no, which brings us here to this interesting post: why dance matters.  Here are a few of my reasons.

Dance is fun.  It is my hobby.  But more than that, it's my passion.

Dance keeps me fit.  It keeps my mind strong.

Dance can be difficult, but there is always a lesson to learn, always a positive benefit.

Dance brings people together.  All races, all ages, all genders.

Dance brings me joy.

Dance matters.

Why does dance matter to you?  
Join the movement and check out http://whydancematters.org/

Goals: More healing
Days till Os: 125

Solo dress designs

Lately, I've been a little bit obsessed with designing solo dresses.

A lot of my designs are inspired by gymnastics leotards I see.  After being a gymnast for a large chunk of my life, I can't help but to pull inspiration from these designs.  Many of the leotard designs you see at a competition are asymmetric designs and flashy with rhinestones.  As such, I have always wanted an asymmetric solo dress since before they were the thing to have. (How hipster of me.)

It's my secret goal in life to see these designs turned into cloth-and-rhinestone physical beauties.  Especially for other dancers to wear.  Any takers from dressmakers?

(Note: all dresses are watermarked with my tumblr URL because a) that's where I've been posting them, and b) I don't want them stolen.)

Goals: Practice Friday and Saturday since I've been in Cedar Point the past few days and there's a feis this weekend
Days till Os: 137

Going Traditional

A few weeks ago, a brilliant and gutsy idea occurred to me as I was browsing Dance-Again.  I want to attend a competition in a vintage and traditional solo dress with natural hair and minimal make up.  Why?  For the simple reason of wanting to know what it was like dancing in the older, traditional styles.  When I say older, I am referring to mostly the pre-Riverdance era of costuming.  There's just no replicating the exquisite and intricate knotwork of these dresses of old.  There is also a certain poetry in the way they flow while dancing, especially while spinning that dresses of today just don't quite capture.

As I progressed as a dancer, I got sucked into the pageantry of feiseanna.  I am not complaining about this. I love getting gussied up in my fancy dress and my fancy hair with my fancy make up to compete against others.  I believe that the costuming part of Irish dance is all about showing your best self to the adjudicators, and the way us Irish dancers do that is to take the "authentic Gaelic dress is desired" and kick it up a few hundred notches.

Observing the trends of the last few majors, senior ladies really have the gamut of costuming appearances.  Some dancers keep the ever-voluminous curly wigs, while others are opting for natural and classic updos.  Recently, dressmakers has started using more and more traditional Celtic symbols in their dress designs, which balances out the just-as-current bold and often asymmetrical geometric designs.  Even the colors used in dresses range from one, to the rainbow.  So why not break out a vintage dress?

Why not: As fabulous as this looks in my head, I do not see myself as a trendsetter in the dance world.  My TC would think I am crazy.  I do not know when I can feis again, and I only attend a few feiseanna a year right before majors.  Also, finding a vintage dress in good condition that's my size and my price will be a feat in itself.

All wussiness aside, I have put together a few looks that would be smashing (or so I think in my mind).

Traditional ID looks by sekubik featuring shoes

What do you think?  Would you ever don a more traditional look?

Inspirational #14

Via beatup

Goals: Practice every day possible
Days till Os: 19

Inspirational #13

Need inspiration? Watch this video, copy down the words. (disregard the gymnastics if you want.)

A little blast from the gymnastics past. Tweeted by Nastia Liukin earlier this week.

Goals: Stamina

Days till Os: 69

Inspirational #12

I just watched this, and now I'm so motivated to practice. I'm dancing hornpipe/reel at the Oireachtas, and after seeing the first (1:50) and third (3:07) hornpipe steps, I am so ready to hit the dance floor and make my steps look that amazing.

Days till Os: 118

Oakley Rebellion

Remember this?

The contest closed shortly after World Championships, and although I was not the grand prize winner, due to your support and votes on the Facebook contest, I won for the month of April! I am now taking an opportunity to THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, for without your support, I would not have won! I should be receiving some nice Shaun White Holbrooks in the mail anytime now, and I will think of Irish dance every time I wear them.

Here's the official website featuring the winning video entry.

I find it interesting that I was one of two women who entered the competition (I think). Not that it's necessarily a bad thing, or that it was open only to men, but it is interesting. I do suppose the competition was catered more to men. The prizes were men's sunglasses. The model videos are all of men (albeit, cute/sexy/hardcore men). I didn't purposefully set out to prove that I can compete with the boys, but now that the contest is over, I can certainly see that as an ulterior motive of mine, being that I have a competitive edge and a thirst to prove myself to others (read: I'm slightly cocky. What? I have faults too.).

For this contest, we were showing how we were rebellious, how we overcame obstacles in our life to succeed. My "rebellion" in the beginning was how late I started dancing, and how I still succeeded. My "rebellion" was how Irish dance is not mainstream, and here I am entering a contest for a company known for superior mainstream household names like Shaun White and Lance Armstrong. My "rebellion" after the fact was that I was a women entering a mostly men's contest, and showcasing an art form and a culture to those who otherwise wouldn't have see it. The 1300 views my video has proves that.

Goals: Get ready for Old Dominion, keep up with new non-dance workouts

Inspirational #11

I have now mentioned my Pump it Up playlist multiple times, and I'll bet you've been wondering what's on it! This is what I listen to while getting in the zone for a competition, when I'm driving to a competition, or when I just feel down in general. Here it goes:

"Airplanes" B.o.B

"Bad Romance" Lady Gaga

"The Climb" Miley Cyrus

"Don't Stop Believing" Journey

"Dueling Violins" from Feet of Flames

"Dynamite" Taio Cruz

"Evacuate the Dancefloor" Cascada

"Final Countdown" Europe

"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" Daft Punk

"I'm Shipping Up to Boston" Dropkick Murphys

"Like Toy Soldiers" Eminem

"Lovegame" Lady Gaga

"Olympic Fanfare" John Williams

"Paparazzi" Lady Gaga

"Party in the USA" Miley Cyrus

"Poker Face" Lady Gaga

"Pump It" Black Eyed Peas

"Remember the Name" Fort Minor

"Rocky Road to Dublin" The Dubliners

"Stronger" Kanye West

"Take it Off" Ke$ha

"Temperature" Sean Paul

"TiK ToK" Ke$ha

"Can't Touch This" MC Hammer

"We R Who We R" Ke$ha

"We Will Rock You" Queen

"The Wild Rover" Dropkick Murphys

"Zombie Nation"

Goals: Practice every day now

Inspirational #10

Over the weekend, I made a video to enter into the Join the Rebellion contest from Oakley, in hopes of winning $400 worth of Oakley gear, and my video featured on their website, among the likes of Shaun White and Lance Armstrong among others. I didn't expect it to get many viewers, as it's just for a contest on Facebook. Little did I know that less than 24 hours after posting it, the dance.net community would find it, and it would have it's own thread.

< edit > The Diddlyi community has found it as well, and it's currently a featured video there, with the most views today. Who knew I'd go viral in the Irish dance world?! < /edit >

I am extremely flattered and a little speechless that everyone is praising how inspirational the video is. I did not mean it to be that way, and I sort of can't believe it in a way, that I'm inspiring others to dance, and even one person to come back from a 15-month hiatus from dancing. Did I mention how honored I feel? This is unreal to me.

I would appreciate if you would vote for me after you watch it! (Yes, you need a Facebook) And thank you for your support and the kind words!

Goals: Stamina

Days till worlds: 17

Inspirational #9

I have been dancing for almost three and a half years now. The other weekend, I put together a montage of my treble jig dancing clips from when I first started dancing until this past November Oireachtas prep. I don't know about you, but I think it's so cool to see how far I've come, and I find that in watching this, I inspire myself!

Goals: Don't overdo it... and turnout exercises

Days till worlds: 50

Inspirational #8

After having back to back days of intense dancing and conditioning exercises, I feel a little beat. My quads are sore. My abs are killing me. My shin splints have flared up. And why? For my six minutes on a worlds stage to prove I have a right to be there among the dancers that have been dancing 10+ years. No pressure.



Goals: Turnout, stamina
Days till worlds: 67

Inspirational #7

Goals: Same as before

Days till Os: 5

Inspirational #6

This is going to show how cheesy I am, but I now always listen to this song before I dance at any competition. This started at the Oireachtas, and I did so well, I guess I should continue...



Goals: Same as previous, oh, and new ghillies...
Days till NANs: 69

Inspirational #5

Don't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worse,
that you must not quit.

Goals: Packing lists, continue reviewing figures and keeiping up stamina
Days till Os: 11