Irish dance diet - The three levels of performance

Performance-ready Irish dancers
Photo: deviantART user ukapala

April is a big month for many Irish dance organizations. The World Irish Dance Competition in Boston for An Coimisuin dancers, and the World and European Irish dance competition in Germany for WIDA are both held in April. Good luck to all of you ladies and gents working so hard. How do you make certain that you are ready to perform?


How I'm doing on my Irish dance diet:

Month: 4
Weight: 144
Weight lost: 11 pounds
Muscle gained: 6.5
Total fat loss: 17.5

You practice your Irish dance steps over, and over until you think you've got it just right. But how do you feel when you hit the stage? Chances are, if you've performed, you've had days when you fly across the stage, and others when you can't seem to get your feet to obey you. Much of your success onstage will depend on what level of performance you are at.

When performing onstage, there are three levels of performance:


1-Memorization

At this stage you are worried that you might forget a step. An observer may be able to see it in your expression as you mental calculate what comes next.

How to get past this step? Practice, practice, practice until your dance becomes engrained into your muscles and you  no longer have to think about what your body is doing.

2-Self-consciousness

You are worried about what you look like to others. Are my feet turned out? Does my dress flatter my figure? How do I look when I leap?

How to get past this step? Perform your dance for anyone who will pay attention--your mom, your dog, onlookers in the grocery store. Prepare your costume, makeup and hair beforehand so that you feel confident.

3-Letting go

Now you are ready. Your steps are a natural extension of your feet, and you can turn inward and give the full expression of emotion and drama to your audience. This is the time to shine.

Have you ever experienced the third level of performance? How did you get there?

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A new WIDA feis in the western United States is accepting registrations for May 18, 2013. It is open to all platforms. For more information click here. 

Readers: Are you an adult Irish dancer or a dance school, competitive or not, with a story to share? Would you like to inspire others to feel your passion for Irish dancing and culture? Do you have a question about Irish dancing? Please visit www.christydorrity.com. 

How to find a four leaf clover for St. Patrick's Day - ten facts about the lucky charm - VIDEO

Faith, hope, love and luck; the four leaf clover.

Photo: flickr user annais 

What better time to search for four-leaf clovers than coming up to Ireland's feast day, St. Patrick's Day on March 17th.

Have you ever searched for a four-leaf clover? 

Hunting for luck has been a spring tradition dating back the pagan period, when four leaf clovers were sought after as Celtic charms. Today the four-leaf clover can be found on basketball jerseys, airplanes, and even cereal boxes. Here are a few facts you may not know about the cute little clover:

Shamrocks and four-leaf clovers are not the same thing. A Shamrock has three leaves, said to represent the Trinity. 

1. A four-leaf clover is a mutation of a shamrock, and can represent faith, hope, love and luck.  

2. Alternately, the four leaves stand for Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and God’s Grace.

3. The term "shamrock" comes from the Irish word, seamrog, which translates to "little clover"
During the reign of Queen Victoria, the shamrock was identified as a sign of rebellion and independence from the British crown 

4. To wear a shamrock on a military uniform was classified as a crime punishable by death.

5. The shamrock has been registered as a trademark by the Government of Ireland.

6. Clovers can have more than four leaflets:  the most ever recorded is twenty-one.

7. It has been estimated that there are approximately 10,000 three-leaf clovers for every four-leaf clover.

8. For good luck, a four leaf clover can be included in the bouquet of an Irish bride, and also in the boutonniere of the groom.

9. According to Nathaniel Colgan, the botanist and author of The Flora Of County Dublin in 1904, people even ate the shamrock in times of famine.

10. No one can agree on which type of clover is the original shamrock.

And how do you find a four leaf clover? It's as simple as a keeping an eye out for the shape. A three leaf clover often has a tiny triangle at it's center, while a four leaf clover forms a square. Want to know more? 

Check out this fun video:
 

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Readers: Are you an adult Irish dancer or a dance school, competitive or not, with a story to share? Would you like to inspire others to feel your passion for Irish dancing and culture? Do you have a question about Irish dancing? Please visit www.christydorrity.com. 

Interview with Gyula Glaser, co-creator of Camp Rince Berlin Irish dance workshop - PHOTOS

Gyula Glaser and Nicole Ohnesorge
creators of Camp Rince Berlin for Irish dancers
Photo: courtesy Gyula Glaser

"There are not many other jobs where at the end of your working day an audience of people cheers and applauds for you on stage."

~Gyula Glaser

Please welcome Gyula Glaser, European Championship Irish dancer, performer and teacher. Gyula learned to Irish dance a the Ronan Morgan School in Budapest. He lives in Berlin, Germany.

Christy:  You are one of the creators of Camp Rince Berlin, a workshop for Irish dancers; how did this awesome opportunity come about?

Gyula:  My partner and I (Nicole Ohnesorge - Tap Connection) have done a few workshops together in Berlin which were very popular among adult dancers in the area, so we wanted to make a bigger event for them. A week-long program of Irish dance classes at different levels for dancers with different aims and needs. And so there was Camp Rince Berlin, which will be held for the 4th time this year between the 24th - 30th of June. It has indeed become an international event, as we have dancers attending from different parts of the World.

Christy:  With roots in Hungary, and now Germany, how did you discover your love of Irish dancing?

Gyula:  Like many other at the time, I was also first influenced by one of Michael Flatley's production that I saw on television around 2000. I was fascinated by the footwork of those dancers. A few years later I had the opportunity to take classes at the Ronan Morgan School in Budapest. I soon realized that this is definitely something for me and so I wanted more and more. About 3 years after I started dancing, I decided that I want to become a professional dancer so I went to the dance school 6 days a week to take part in competition and show classes as well.

Gyula Glaser Irish dancer
Photo: courtesy Gyula Glaser

Christy:  I see that you have performed and competed widely. What have been your most memorable moments?

Gyula:  On the competitive side, definitely winning my 3rd European title was something very special as I knew that it will be my last competition, so I just wanted to give it socks and have a good time. On the performance side, having performed in Breandan de Gallai's Noctu in New York was an experience that I will never forget. I was also lucky enough to perform with Magic of the Dance at the Cinema for Peace Gala in 2010 in front of celebrities such as Leonardo di Caprio and Liam Neeson.

Christy:  Which do you enjoy more, performing Irish dance, or teaching the sport to others?

Gyula:  I enjoy both performing and teaching Irish dance very much. Performing in front of different audiences every night is very rewarding. In all fairness there are not many other jobs where at the end of your working day an audience of people cheers and applauds for you on stage. That is something that keeps dancers going and the feeling is very addictive indeed.

Teaching has other challanges and rewards of its own. When you see a child or an adult perfecting a move based on your instructions, or just as you see them progressing further in their competitive life, are very nice moments indeed. In my teaching experience it is very important to handle every student invidually. One way of explanation might be perfect for one student, but it may not help others the same way. I always try to give as much individual advice as possible during my workshops and classes.

Gyula Glaser Irish dancer
Photo: courtesy Gyula Glaser

Christy:  Does your school support adult Irish dancers?

Gyula:  Absolutely. At the Berlin based Tap Connection, where my partner, Nicole Ohnesorge, is teaching, there are many adult dancers as well as kids. Camp Rince Berlin was specially designed for adult dancers in the area as the adult classes are taking place during the week in the late afternoon and evening, so everybody who needs to work can attend them.

Christy:  What do you feel is the future of Irish dance in Germany?

Gyula:  Irish dance is still popular in Germany. There are many different Irish dance productions touring and attracting audiences around the country, and generating interest in this beautiful art form. There are always new trial students coming in to classes, because they would like to try this dance form as well. German dancers are very dedicated and hard-working, and I am very much looking forward to see their drive taking them further. I hope that in a few years time, the first generation of young German dancers will take the stage in bigger Irish dance productions.  

Gyula Glaser
Photo: courtesy Gyula Glaser

Christy: Thank you so much Gyula. Good luck in both performing and teaching. 

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A new WIDA feis in the Western United States is accepting registrations for May 18, 2013. It is open to all platforms. For more information click here. 

Readers: Are you an adult Irish dancer or a dance school, competitive or not, with a story to share? Would you like to inspire others to feel your passion for Irish dancing and culture? Do you have a question about Irish dancing? Please visit www.christydorrity.com