Confessions of an Irish dance parent

Our parent “confessions” series gives an inside, anonymous (unless you choose otherwise) look at life in the activities that help define our kids’ childhoods.

In this edition, a Sioux Falls Irish dancing mom takes us backstage for a look at this popular (and timely!) sport.

How did it all start in Irish dancing for your family? What drew your daughter to it?

I saw the amazing Irish dancers perform at the Balleraena Dance Studio recital. Me and another dance mom decided to enroll our girls in Irish dance classes. My daughter fell in love with Irish dance from that moment on. She has been Irish dancing for about seven years, since she was 7, and dances for Celtic Steps.

Talk us through the progression. How did your daughter start off dancing as far as level of participation, frequency of practice, etc., and then how has it steadily increased?

My daughter started taking classes once a week on Saturday mornings. She would dance around the house between classes to practice. About a year after she started classes, she competed in her first Feis. (A Feis is an Irish dance competition.) I can still picture her when she got her results from that first Feis. Her face lit up with a big smile, she looked up at me and asked, “When can we do this again?!” She loved the thrill of competition. She progressed through the levels and achieved Open Champ in February 2020, which is the highest level a dancer can achieve.

What does her participation look like today? How often does she practice, perform, compete, etc.?

She now has classes twice a week, has some private lessons, and she practices at home almost every day.

We can pick out what competitions she would like to go to. It is usually three to four a year. St. Patrick’s time is Celtic Steps’ busiest times of the year for performing. The dancers get to show off their skills they have been working on. They do many performances at schools, nursing homes, pubs and private parties. Celtic Steps also has a recital that the dancers get to wow the audience with their incredible dancing.

How would you describe the travel? Do you have a most memorable trip?

We do travel. We have a lot of competitions we go to in the St.Paul/Minneapolis area and in the Kansas City area. We have also traveled to Chicago, Indianapolis, Louisville, St. Louis and Denver. We usually drive to competitions, and we have traveled by train. A lot of people do fly to competitions.

There are levels in Irish dance. They are Beginner I, Beginner II, Novice, Prizewinner, Preliminary Champ and Open Champ. My daughter’s most memorable trip is when we traveled to Denver and she achieved Open Champ. She had worked hard to earn that accomplishment. We are so proud of her.

The most memorable trip for me was when she achieved Preliminary Champ. She was so excited, gave me a hug, and we both had tears of joy. It was a great accomplishment.

So if we were watching you (and/or your spouse) during a competition, what might we see? What kind of parent-spectator are you?

My husband and I love to watch her compete and shine on stage. The joy on her face makes our hearts happy. I usually stand where she can see me, and I smile. When she comes off the stage, I give her a hug, we talk about how she thinks she danced, what she did that was good and what she can improve on in the next round.

It is always so fun to watch a competition or performance. You get a chance to see all the amazing choreography and steps that all the dancers put all their hard work and practice into. We are always there cheering her on.

OK, be honest, what should parents budget with a child in Irish dancing? A range works fine!

The budget can range on level as well as how much you want to participate. Classes for Beginners are $10.50 for a 45-minute class and Open Champs classes are $31 for a two-hour-and-15-minute class. There are also private lessons you can take. Celtic Steps has an introductory special that is 10 classes for $10 and half off the next session! Best deal in town! 😊 Please contact Lauren with Celtic Steps at 605-595-7981 or [email protected] if you are interest in enrolling in classes. Also follow Celtic Steps South Dakota on Facebook and Instagram at celticsteps_sd.

What’s the coolest/most memorable thing you’ve seen happen during one of your daughter’s competitions or performances?

This is hard to answer. They are all so memorable in different ways, from seeing her achieve her goals or just having fun, watching all the practicing come together to see amazing dancing.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen another parent do in this activity?

This sport may seem like it does get a little crazy with the spray tans, wigs, dresses, shoes, poodle socks, makeup and all the bling, but that is also part of the fun and uniqueness of this sport.

What do you think your daughter’s biggest benefits have been from participating in Irish dancing?

There are so many benefits of participating in this sport. It provides physical benefits such as increased stamina, core strength and overall general fitness. It also improves coordination, balance, posture and promotes flexibility and muscle strength. Irish dance also has mental benefits like learning to listen, following directions and memory building.

It also provides self-confidence, self-esteem, discipline and teaches good sportsmanship. The dancers have a love and dedication to this sport. My daughter has made lifelong friends from here and all over the country. We spend so much time with the dancers and parents at our studio that they are our dance family.

If you could go back and change something about your daughter’s experience in dance, would you do anything different?

There is not much I would change. Knowing how much my daughter loves Irish dance, I wish I would have started her sooner.

What do you wish you had known about being an Irish dancing parent that another Irish dancing parent should know?

When my daughter started Irish dance, I had no idea that there were different levels, and I didn’t know that there was competitions. I am so thankful for the other dance moms that helped me and my daughter navigate the Irish dance world.

Finish this sentence: When my daughter is done with Irish dancing, I hope she …

I hope she can carry on the tradition of Irish dance and pass it on to her own children. I hope she looks back at all the good things Irish dance bought to our lives – all the fun adventures and good friends. I hope she can look back on her amazing accomplishments and know that she should always dream big for her future because she can set goals and achieve them. I hope she sees all the wonderful ways it helped build her up to be this wonderful person she is and will be.