TCRG Exam

I am currently studying for my TCRG, which is an Irish Dance Teacher Certification Exam. I am taking it in June 2016 in Dublin, Ireland.

I have been studying since November of 2015 and am getting all different types of feelings about the exam approaching. The exam is costly- it's about $500 to take it so failing isn't an option lol. You also have to know a lot of information... more than one would think.

What you need to know:

1. 40 dance tunes and their timing and number of bars- the exam has a blind test where the examiner will play 19 of the 40 tunes and one has to name the write tune, give the number of bars in the dance, and the proper timing.

2. 30 ceili (team) dances- you are expected to know the music, timing, and movements (including the number of bars it takes to complete each movement and the entire dance). There are two parts for this part of the exam. There is a dancing portion where one has to dance a random ceili selected and there is also a written portion where the examiners ask whatever they want basically lol.

3. Solo dancing- you have to know 7 traditional set dances, 6 non traditional set dances as well as 2 hard shoe dances, and 2 soft shoe dances. The examiners will randomly select dances for you to dance and you must remember the dance, have proper timing, and proper dance technique. 

4. Teaching- the last section is the teaching portion. One will have to teach a randomly selected ceili dance and also steps chosen by the examiner.

My hopes are to pass the exam and to one day become a judge and travel the world! I am excited for what my new journey will bring and fingers crossed I pass lol. 

Worst Irish Dance Injuries

Like any sport, there are injuries. I have played travel soccer, lacrosse, Ice-Hockey with boys, gymnastics, and softball but my worst injuries com from Irish Dance.

My Worst Injuries Include:

1. Sprained Ankles: In most ways these are worse than breaks- and yes I have had several broken bones from my clavicle in hockey to feet from dance but sprains take a lot longer to heal and can be tricky. In my opinion, I would rather have a break and be in a cast for 6-8 weeks knowing I will get it off than to be wishy washy for weeks on end due to a sprain. 
2. A Dislocated Knee Cap: Yup that hurt. I went for a jump in dance and something just didn't go right when I landed. I was in a lot of pain and had to go to the doctor. The physical therapy was the worst part of this injury- I really had to make sure I was doing the exercises.
3. Achilles Tendonitis: This was due to improper stretching and lack of warmups. This happened in high school when I thought stretching and warming up was stupid... no you really need to do those. This injury made me mad because it was honestly preventable if I had just been more caring of my body.
4. Shin Splints: These hurt just running...now imagine jumping and pounding the ground while having shin splints. Yeah, not fun at all. The amount of Advil I consumed is impressive.
5. Plantar Fasciitis: WINNER OF WORST INJURY EVER: This injury sucks and I feel so bad for anyone who has it. Plantar Fasciitis is basically when the muscles on the bottom of your feet tear and snap. I didn't know what it was at first, when I got it two years ago. I kept dancing on it and the pain got worse and worse. It hurt so bad that I couldn't even walk. I remember going home for the weekend and crying because it hurt so bad to walk. I would say I have a very high pain tolerance- I danced with broken bones, stitches on the bottom of my foot, etc. so when I say it hurt, I can't even explain the unbearable pain. I later found out that it can occur from lack of stretching in your calves- or having tendonitis in the achilles... so make sure you stretch properly! I also had to tape my feet from that moment on, which was horrible.

I have had a lot of injuries in my dance career, but if I learned one thing it is to always stretch and warmup properly. It's important to listen to your body and know your limits. We are blessed with bodies that can tolerate things like working out so don't abuse your body!

What do you do once you quit?

I have been getting a lot of questions on what I am doing after quitting/retiring from Irish Dance. I have to admit- not having your day revolve around training or Irish Dance in general is refreshing in a way. I feel so much more relaxed and have a lot more time on my hands.

So many of us have damage/ injuries from dance it's hard to find a workout that works but isn't hurting you. I know for me it was tough... from all my injuries in dance running on treadmills or anything of that nature is out of the question. Swimming is a great exercise for post-dancers because it doesn't put stress on your joints. I have always loved swimming and am happy now I can do it more often. The other plus side of swimming is that you can do whatever you want! There is no right or wrong to swimming- you can really listen to your body and make adjustments to your workout routines!

The other exercise I am getting into thanks to my dear friend Sarah is Insanity. She has always done the Insanity workouts and loved them. After dance I realized maybe this will be a good workout. I'm not going to lie it's really hard but it also is a great workout, which I highly recommend.

I am still taking it easy when it comes to working out. I have done the set routines and a strict schedule and decided to be more leisure to it. However, that being said I do enjoy exercising and continue to do so about 5-6 days a week!

Action Shots

If you ask any Irish Dancer they will all have the same response. Action shots are one of the best things from Major Competitions. No matter how you did, it's exciting to check online to see if you got a good photo to post or not.

At competitions the photographers will take pictures of girls during their first two rounds. Usually the higher level of major- the better quality and quantity of photos one has to choose from. But, each dancer will be guaranteed a starting shot of them pointing there foot and then hopefully the odds are in your favor for a decent action shot.

At awards the photographers also take pictures. Obviously, they are there to take photos of girls and their awards but they also take action shots of peoples reactions to their results. At awards the announcer will first call out the numbers for world qualifiers or the top ten dancers. Dancers will run on stage in tears and excitement. Then they wait on the back of the stage while the announcer annonces the awards starting from the lowest place to the highest place. As one can imagine, the suspense builds especially when you get to the top 5 and are counting down to the winner.

Action shots are the craze of Irish Dance at the moment and we are anxiously awaiting the worlds 2016 photos to be posted. Fingers crossed the odds are ever in our favor for a decent photo!

Post Worlds Thoughts

Well I am finally home and feel like I made the right choice in retiring. I had bittersweet emotions at Worlds, and at times felt like I should continue dancing because it's what I am use to. However, I know I made the right choice for myself and know there is better things to come in the future. We had quite the adventure!

Day 1: We landed Monday morning and ate breakfast at our hotel, walked around Edinburgh, Scotland. We went to Real Mary's Close and the Dungeons of Edinburgh tours. Real Mary's Close is an old street that was accidentally built on top of- we were able to go down and see what the town use to be like and how they tried to prevent the black plague from spreading. In the dungeon tour, we learned all about Edinburgh in the 18th century and how people were treated- Scotland is brutal with their witch trials, tortue devices, and myths of cannibals.

Day 2: We explored the Edinburgh Castle and went to the Elephant Cafe, which is where JK Rowling wrote Harry Potter. At night, we went to a ghost tour. We walked around the town late at night and were told famous stories of hauntings in Edinburgh.

Day 3: We left for Inverness, Scotland. We stopped at Rosslyn Chapel, where the final scenes of the Da Vinci Code take place. Then we went to Stirling Castle and drove through a national park. We spent the night at Culloden House, which is Forbes' ancestral estate.

Day 4: We went to Culloden Battlefield and explored their museum. We then rode a boat in search of Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. We explored Urquhart Castle for a bit and went to eat lunch and then drove through Glen Coe. We spent the night at Inverlochy Castle and explored the highlands.

Day 5: We went to Lochmond and ate lunch there while exploring the town. We then drove to Glasgow, Scotland. We went to a couple museums and prepared for my dancing. At night, we went over to watch some other Chicago dancers.

Day 6: Dance day! It went great. I danced to my best potential and my teachers said it was absolutely beautiful. This made me happy because I couldn't of asked for a better way to end my competitive dance career- I danced at worlds, and placed in the top half. It was a fantastic day!

Tan Legs

People often wonder why Irish Dancers tan their legs for competition. To be honest there isn't really a clear answer to this.

Some say it shows off our muscle tone, like in body building competitions. In body building, one uses tanner to the extreme to showcase their muscle definition. Other says Irish Dancers tan their legs for a better stage look. The lights on stages, especially the majors, are very bright; the stages also have backdrops usually with bright colors. The tanned legs are thought to make one not looked washed out while on stage.

Nowadays if you don't tan your legs at a major competition, you'll stand out. I couldn't tell you if it would be in a good or bad way. However, I see both sides. It may make judges notice you, but I hope you practiced if you want that extra attention ! haha :) On the other hand, you may look out of place. Like at the Worlds, everyone tans their legs. If one were to show up with untanned legs then they may look inexperienced and judges may not watch you.

Irish Dance is a subjective sport so it's up to dancer, teachers, and family whether or not tanning is for them. My personal preference was to only tan at the majors and not small competitions. Also, younger age groups are not allowed to tan, wear rhinestones on their dresses, and makeup; this is to keep them looking natural and not like Toddlers and Tiaras.

Dressmakers

Another question I get a lot is: Who should I get my dress made from?

This is a personal preference. Each dressmaker offers something unique. Cost clearly has a huge part in it; each dress maker has its own price range and one can order rhinestones for an additional cost. Some dress makers allow you to customize your design but this also depends on your dance school. Some schools only allow the teachers to design the dress with the dress maker and some dance schools will only allow their students to get dresses from certain dress makers.

If you're looking to get a custom made dress there is a lot that goes into it. You'll need to talk to your teachers, parents, and do research to make sure you're happy with your result.

Steps to order:
1. Contact/ research several dress makers to get an estimate and to find who truly will make you happy.
2. Measuring/ Dress Fitting- usually teachers will handle this since each dress maker has their own form they would like filled out.
3. Patiently wait for your dress to be made. Sometimes a dress maker will send you a proof of your dress.
4. You will give the dress maker a deadline for the dress and your dress will arrive in a giant box on your doorstep. This will be one of the most exciting days of your life!

Gavin Doherty is a popular dress maker so I have included a small documentary on him.

My current dance dress is made by Siopa Rince in Ireland. She was lovely to work with; she skipped me several times for dress fittings while I was away at school and did everything I wanted and more.  My mom, dance teachers, and I designed everything about my dress and truly tried to make it elegant, timeless, and age appropriate yet stunning. 

I absolutely love my dress and it has brought me a ton of luck! It'll be weird to sell my dress after worlds. I hope it brings the next owner just as much joy as it has for me. 

A Typical St. Paddy's Day

A huge question I always get is, what is it like to be an Irish Dancer around St. Paddy's Day?

I can tell you it's very interesting... I am going to list some of the experiences I've had...

• You'll have countless drunks asking you to do a jig and asking if the curls are real?
• You'll have countless drunks cheering for you when they see you in costume/wig
• You'll have beer spilled on you
• You'll be able to enter bars at a young age because you're there for the entertainment
• You'll get to walk in the notorious parade and be featured in all sorts of media- TV, newspapers, etc.
• You'll travel from show to show- St. Paddy's Day shows start around the end of February and go until the end of March. It's common to miss days of school because you're dancing on the news or at private shows. 
• Be prepared for long days- You'll go from show to show (literally). You won't have time to eat and there have been days I had a show at 8 AM and went until 1 AM the following morning.
• You'll experience things people never will- Being in the North Side Chicago Parade, being featured on certain news segments, and dancing for private parties including Mayor Daley.

It seems crazy, but I wouldn't redo anything about St. Paddy's Day Season. Nothing is better than experiencing the moments I did with my family, friends, and teachers. I wouldn't trade it for the world. If you're lucky enough to be Irish, then you're lucky enough! 

The Financials of Irish Dance

Irish Dance is an extremely expensive sport. One doesn't realize all that goes into the competitive side of Irish Dance. It's remarkable how much people are willing to spend.

Soft Shoes: $50-85 (if competing in majors it's recommended to have 2 pairs)$95-
Hard Shoes: $95-165
Poodle Socks: $9-20
Tanner: $12-40
Buckles: $20
Tape for shoes: $5
Athletic Tape: $5
Bloomers: $10
Dress: Used- $800+ Custom- $1500+
Wig: 100+
Headband/ crown: $50+
Classes: 100+
Private Classes: $60+
Feis Registration: $60+
Major Registration: $200+

Others: Makeup, duck tape, travel fees, hotel fees, bags/containers, etc.

As you can see, Irish Dance is an extremely expensive sport, which is why people take it so seriously. There aren't any cash prizes at competitions; people just want the titles. I can honestly say nothing feels better than winning a competition or qualifying for majors; every dime spent feels worth it.  The best way I can explain Irish Dance is, "From the outside looking in it's hard to understand. From the inside looking out, it's hard to explain."

What are the Worlds?

The World Championships is the most prestigious dance competition in Irish Dance. The Worlds are the equivalent to the Olympics and less than 1% of dancers qualify for the event.

How do I qualify?
1. You have to qualify for an Oireachtas (regionals).There are seven competition regions in North America: New England, Eastern (Mid-Atlantic), Mid-America (Midwest), Southern, Western United States, Eastern Canada, and Western Canada. In order to do this for the age groups U-13 and below, you must get a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in your prize-winner level dances. For the age groups U-14 and higher, you must be in the level PC (preliminary champion) and place in the top half at least one time at a Feis (local competition that isn't a major). A dancer that is in the age group of U-10 or younger can be entered at the discretion of their teacher.

2. One must recall at the Oireachtas. Here you either qualify for the NAN's (North American Nationals) or the Worlds. To qualify for the Worlds in a single year age group, 5 dancers are qualified for the first 20 dancers, then one more is qualified for every 10 dancers there are beyond the first 20. All World medal holders are automatically re-qualified for the World Championship the following year, so the age group receives one additional qualifying spot for every medal holder. To qualify for the NAN's it's the top ten plus 25% of the total entrants. 

3.  If you don't qualify at Oireachtas for Worlds you can qualify at the NAN's. In order to qualify it's 5 for the first 20 dancers and 1 more for every 10 dancers after that.

What's a Recall?
The scores from the first two rounds (soft & hard shoes) are calculated and the dancers with the highest scores are asked back to dance their 3rd and final round, which is their set dance. The Oireachtas and NAN's recall the top 50% of the total entrants, and the Worlds recalls the top 30%. 

When are the Major Competitions?
July 4th weekend: NAN's
Fall: Oireachtas (each region has a different time- the Mid-West Region is over Thanksgiving)
October: All- Ireland Championships
February: All-Scotland Championships
Easter Weekend: World Championships

Everything Comes to an End

The biggest question I get is: Why are you quitting? Usually I just shrug my shoulders and say it's time but there's a real reason as to why.

1. My body can't do it anymore. I have to stretch 3x more than the average dancer, I have to train 3x harder, and my feet just can't handle it anymore. I've had multiple injuries from pulled muscles, stress fractures, sprains, and plantar fasciitis. The harder I train, the harder it is on my body and my body is telling me it's over. After dance practices I am in pain, sometimes it's hard to walk.

2. I outgrew it. There was a time in my life that I love putting on the wig, makeup, tanner, sparkles, etc. but now I just don't look forward to it. I enjoy some parts since it's part of the sport, but mostly I think it's ridiculous.

3. I've accomplished all my goals. I set high goals for myself, and they took me years to achieve, but once I finally achieved them I lost motivation. I knew it was time to quit when I looked back on my career and didn't have any regrets. There wasn't a single time where I thought I wish I could've done better.

4. Graduation is coming in 3 short months and dance just doesn't fit in with my life anymore. I've noticed through my several internships that having a job and dancing is a lot harder than dancing while in school.

Even though it's common to dance past the age of 21, I am happy I am quitting. I've had the greatest memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Even though I am quitting my competitive dance career  after Worlds in March, I know there is more for me out there; I will be taking my teaching certification exam in May 2016 and going from there. I will always love Irish Dance and am so thankful I have had the experiences that I did; I look forward to what the future will bring!

Relax

Diets are very common in the competitive Irish Dance world, as well as other sports, but I think they are more harmful than good. "Dieting" is very damaging to a persons mental health and one must be careful how they phrase eating habits to younger dancers. Telling a 7 year old that Nationals is in a few short months and you shouldn't be eating ice cream or drinking soda is detrimental to their mental health in my opinion. Eating junk food is normal; that's something we should do. I am not saying go overboard on the junk food but if you want an ice cream cone...get it; it's not going to keep you from placing, which sadly many people believe.

I have never been put on any form of diet thanks to my parents. My mom has always been an active dance mom and was aware of dieting in the dance world, which is why she made sure to keep me from it. Sadly, dancers look at top dancers who naturally have long skinny legs and want to be just like them (I don't think our media helps) but parents need to be more aware of it. There are several top dancers, even world champions who have different builds than the tall girls, and that is healthy. Everyone is built differently, and that's what makes them beautiful, unique, and fun to watch.

I have a different build than most dancers. I am short compared to most of my group and have more of a muscular build, but that doesn't mean I am any worse of a dancer than the taller girls. In some ways it made me work harder and get noticed. I had to find the dance styles that looked best on me and showcased my talents. I've placed 5th at regionals while eating McDonalds when I wanted to, ice cream when I wanted to, and many more delicious meals. It's possible to be successful and be a normal kid/teenager.

I also wish more dancers realized it's okay to have a life outside of dance. I love dance, I love competing, I love practicing, I love the friends I have made, I love traveling the world, and like most I love seeing results. Everyone practices, everyone wants to get better, but try not to miss out on things like Prom, Clubs, joining a sorority, and many more opportunities because of dance. Coming to college I set of goal of qualifying for worlds and I was hesitant about getting involved on campus because of my dance training. In high school I was a variety soccer player, and a member of several clubs and organizations all while dancing so I thought College could be the same. I joined a sorority, made friends that will last a lifetime, held several positions within my chapter, and joined organizations on campus all while still training heavily for Regionals, Nationals, and the World Championships.

Mainly what I am trying to say is that it's all about balance. Go to the birthday dinner your friend invited you to. If you were going to practice that day move your practice to another day, but make sure you follow through with it. You can still have fun outside of dance while still working and training hard. It's important to remember that dance like other sports isn't just about the competitive aspect. It's about the friends you meet and the places you had the opportunity to travel to. When I look back, I am not going to remember what place I got at the All-Ireland's in 2012; I am going to remember traveling to Ireland and sightseeing with my grandma and mom while meeting up with old friends. When I look back on my college years I am not going to remember when I practiced/how I trained, I am going to remember my friends cheering me on and all the memories I made at Bradley. Those are the memories that matter the most so don't miss out them just take a deep breath and balance your schedule; I promise you it'll be worth it.

Dancing in College

There comes a point in your dancing career when you need to decide whether you want to continue dancing in college or not. There is not right choice but your own. I know some people base their college decision on whether the school has a dance studio- but there are other ways to be successful in college.

I personally made the decision to dance in college because I knew deep down I didn't achieve all of my dreams, one of them being the World Championships. I was lucky enough that my school has a great gym, which includes 4 dance studios (I didn't know about this when I chose Bradley, I just got lucky). The staff at Markin has been incredible; they allow me to reserve rooms for practice and they make sure I have access to whatever I may need like a stereo. However, I know people just as successful in the dance world who don't have access to these things. Some girls I know practice in their trainers( gym shoes) in a hardwood gym and use their own stereo like a ReelBoom. When I lived in the dorms, I also bought a couple of Jubilee Tiles so drill my dance bits on, which helped a lot.

My best advice however would be to video tape yourself as much as possible. I noticed I started to get better at dance when I could honestly critique myself. It's important to also look at yourself dancing in a realistic mindset; Yes, there are several dancers out there better than me (I am no Nadine Martin) but each week I would slowly start to see myself improve from my last video. It's easy to watch yourself and pick out everything you do wrong but I think it's important to also point out to yourself things you do well. Clearly, you are in the level that you are in for a reason, so it's important to remember you don't stink. Videotaping myself also helped me understand the comments my teachers gave me more. Before I had a hard time grasping their comments since I didn't have anything to compare myself to.

Another piece of advice I would offer is to block out practice time. I love dance, but I hate practicing and I hate stamina/endurance work (I've never met someone who does) so blocking out time is a must. I like to practice right after my classes because I know if I go home I will keep pushing back practice to later and later and possibly the next day. The problem with this is once you push it back a day you will just keep pushing it back, and before you know it a week has passed. Treat your training as a class; don't cheat yourself or you will only cheat your results.

As Worlds get closer, I will post more about preparation and Scotland. Until Next Time! See you all at the Worlds in a couple months!

Traditions of Irish Dance

Irish Dancing has grown over the past decade; more people are interested partly due to publicity of the sport like in the movie JIG, and Riverdance. There are several different opinions on Irish Dance and it's old traditional looks to the new glitz and glamour but one thing everyone can agree on is the history.

In 1893, the Gaelic League was established to preserve the elements of the Irish Culture, focusing on language and organizing dance classes and competitions. This league founded An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha in 1929. Today the Commission is responsible for the certification for the certification of teachers and adjudicators as well as the development and promotion of Irish Dancing. The commission organizes all the major competitions including the: Oireacthas (regionals), Nationals, All-Ireland Championships, All-Scotland's, and the prestigious World Championships (equivalent to the Olympics). 

Dances feature prominently Ireland's mythology and history, which keeps the traditions alive in a modern world; many dances are named from places in Ireland like the Ceili (team dance) Antrim Reel and The Gates of Derry.

Being an Irish Dancer I get many questions that have traditional responses. The most popular ones are:

1. Is that your real hair?
-No it's not. Some people use their actual hair to either curl or make a unique hairstyle but the most common big curly look Irish Dancers have come from wigs. You can get any color wig you want- mine is blonde because it looks better with my dress. No, I don't dye my hair; if you have a different wig color you simply buy the washable spray dye and use that for a Feis (competition) or show. The purpose of the curls comes from tradition. Back in the day, girls would curl their hair to look their best for church, and following church would gather at parties and dance.

2. Why do you dance with your arms at your side?
-Irish Dancing was a form of rebellion against the Queen of England. The parties following church were often held in people's barns. If you think about a barn door you will notice that it split with a top and bottom half and either can be open at a time. At the Parties the top half would be open and as English soldiers passed by, they wouldn't notice that people were Irish Dancing because the arms were blocked by a lower door.

3. Are your shoes tap shoes?
-No they are made of fiberglass tips and have a much larger heel.