Irish Step-dancing: Not Your Typical Sport
More by Julia Cobb
NEIRAD enilno edition
Darien High School senior Catherine Becker and junior Lizzy Van Ingen both share a hidden passion and talent-- competitive Irish step dancing. The fact that the cast of “Riverdance” continues to tour the United States has contributed to the popularity of Irish step dancing. Since the original Irish step dancing production “Riverdance” became a worldwide sensation in 1994, interest in Irish step dancing has grown in the United States and elsewhere. Irish dance schools were established in order to teach Irish step dancing.
Becker and Van Ingen began Irish dancing when it was offered as an afterschool program at Royle and Holmes elementary schools. They were both naturals and quickly learned to imitate the beat and rhythm of the music with the movement of their feet. Becker and Van Ingen have continued dancing at the Pender Keady Academy in Stamford. On average, they practice dancing six days a week throughout 48 weeks of the year. Each dance class typically lasts between two and three hours. Classes consist of practicing the steps, drilling tricks, and building stamina.
One of Pender Keady Academy’s dance teachers, Erin Pender, explains "I compare Irish dancing to sprinting. It is nearly impossible to do for more than three minutes at a stretch. The dances provide a rigorous workout requiring kicks and high jumps, intricate foot work and attention to poise.”
This extensive practice regimen has enabled both Becker and Van Ingen to advance to the open championship dance level-- the highest level of Irish step dance performance. Becker and Van Ingen attend feises (local competitions) that take place about twice a month. “These are very stressful because you are competing against the best in the region. If you don't like to be judged on first impressions, Irish dancing is not for you,” Van Ingen said. When competing in a feis, the panel of between three and five judges scores you on your technique, style, and athleticism. Judges award each individual a raw score out of 100 points which is then tabulated to determine 1st place, 2nd place and 3rd place winners.
In addition to adhering to the strict dance schedule and dance step requirements, all dancers must wear a curly wig, stage make-up, a custom made dancing dress and special shoes when competing. This costume is a longstanding tradition. Failure to compete in this costume results in a deduction of points from your overall score. This costume is what makes Irish dancing such a unique sport. “The costumes are generally custom made. For individual dances each girl has their own unique dress with unique fabric and sequin pattern. For group dances, girls wear their specific school dress and match their partners,” explains Pender.
A 90 minute documentary entitled Jig will be released in the second quarter of 2011. Directed by Sue Bourne, it will feature the 40th Irish Dancing World Championships which were held in 2010, which brought thousands of dancers to Glasgow, Scotland for seven days. This documentary will further the Irish dance sensation worldwide. Click to view the intense trailer.
What many people don’t realize about Irish dancing is the intense time commitment that this sport demands. Darien High School Junior Leslie Yuen, friend of Lizzy Van Ingen, explains, “I never appreciated how much of a commitment Irish dancing is. Lizzy puts a lot of time into her practice and competitions and manages a very challenging dance schedule. Most people don’t realize how time consuming it really is.”
Abby Becker, Darien High School junior and Catherine Becker’s younger sister, explains that Catherine is at practice after school from 4-7 pm and then she goes to teach private lessons or larger classes of young kids.
“When people ask me if she plays any sports and I tell them she’s an Irish dancer, the common reply is that it doesn’t count as a sport.
However, "the physical shape she needs to be in in order to just get through one dance is equal to or even greater than that needed to play other sports,” observes Abby. Like any activity, you get back what you put into it and Catherine has put a substantial amount of time and energy into dance in order to get to where she is today.
Becker and Van Ingen’s commitment to Irish step dancing doesn’t stop with dance competitions. They give back to the Irish dancing community by teaching two beginner and advanced beginner dance classes a week. Another Pender Keady dance instructor, Kathleen Keady, said, “Basically, they are responsible for teaching the students the basics and the building blocks which create successful champions."
One of the biggest challenges is that in these classes the girls range in age from three to ten. On top of this weekly commitment, Becker and Van Ingen each give two or three private lessons a week which are one-on-one lesson where they focus on the specific needs of an individual dancer. Through their efforts, the community should expect to see additional young dancers reaching the championship dance level during the years to come.
Read more about the tradition of DHS Irish dancers in Neirad's profile of Allison Wetterauw: May print 2009 Page 3
