Tag Archives: World Champion

HELLO WORLDS!

A NEW WORLD VIEW

Round 1, Heavy Jig.

Canandaigua, NY – So much brilliance, so much drama, so many dancers, so few winners, so this is what it’s all about. We’ve had a month and a half to unwind from the London World Championships adventure. Things do look different from here.

I think back on London and last year in Boston and the world of difference between Renee’s outcomes in those two World Championship events, and how achieving a world ranking this year places her among her peers. It is perhaps, the most sought after level of success in Irish Dance, partly because the chances of becoming the World Champion are so slim for most of the field.

I think about the 94 dancers in Renee’s competition that were unceremoniously eliminated after two rounds, and would have no chance at a ranking this year. Well, maybe next year. That’s what we were saying a year ago. Not recalling at Worlds is a pretty hard pill to swallow after fighting your way into World contention. Credit Irish dancing for commanding dedication as thousands are called each year, but alas, few are chosen.

Of course, it’s not a lottery, it’s about getting on the floor and making it happen, performing under pressure, when it’s all on the line. It’s a life lesson, a wake-up call. When you don’t recall, and competition is all over for you, you can say that just getting here was a great accomplishment, and that’s true, it’s just not much comfort.

Happily for us, this year is different. Renee achieved her world ranking. Even so, we think, gee, we could do better, and we could. Even the World Champion can say, I’ll repeat my feat next year, watch and see. I can tell you, it won’t be easy for her.

Now with a new season under way, we have the benefit of added experience. We have a view of the World stage we didn’t have before, and a new mission that begins with North American Nationals in Montreal next month. It’s the first chance to qualify to compete next year at World Championships and be recognized once again as one of the very best.

For Renee, as with so many of her contemporaries in Irish Dance, it’s high school graduation time, as well. As she, and we, anticipate the change of venue, and the move on to the much bigger stages of life, her mother and I are thankful for her timely rise in the ranks this year. From now on, the girl has charge of her own career, and we can say we have her well prepared and positioned for her future.

As I write tonight, she is enjoying her Senior Prom and time away from training to just be a regular kid with her best friends. We would forgo a feis (competition) so the day could be completely set apart from Irish dance, and it was. Tomorrow, however, she’s due for a 3 hour dance class at 11:30.

Oh, well.

I’ll keep you posted.

Jim

The sacred altar of Irish Dancing, London, 2014.

Canandaigua, NY. It was my dear wife who spontaneously coined it, “the altar”. The few of us chatting together and waiting the painfully long time for the results of Renee’s competition did agree. We were all here to give thanks and praise for Irish Dancing at this year’s Irish dance Mecca, the Metropole Hilton, London, UK. It’s Holy Week, April 17^th, 2014.

We summoned up the last of our energy for the show of enthusiasm due these amazing dancers; for the phenomenal day of competitive dancing which now stretched to nearly 14 hours. We hoped that soon the judges’ tallies would be displayed up on the large video screens above us and we’d know who this year’s Ladies 17 to 18 World Champion would be. Probably more important to Cherisse and I, what would be Renee’s ranking be here among the world’s best? The thrill of actually having this opportunity is as yet, unparalleled in my life, and in the moment I can barely grasp it.

The ball room continues steadily filling with expectant family and friends and it feels to me like a huge family reunion. Many of us reflect on the day’s remarkable competition. Conditions were excellent for the dancers, I thought, and there were so many strong performances in rounds 1 and 2. Only 50 of the original 144 17 to 18 year old ladies had been recalled to dance in round 3. All that was left to do now was to rank them. This would be done by a very distinguished 7 judge panel. How they were able to eliminate 94 of these, the best dancers from 10 countries, I can only imagine because it’s done by numbers; not my forte.

World Championships competitive rankings are a judged affair, and that’s a real key in Irish Dance. I think of it as an art that’s competitive, but more like entering your painting for exhibition in a juried art show. It kind of comes down to what the judges like, as well as how accomplished an artist, or dancer, has become. Still, each of the 7 judges on the panel watching the day’s competition are knowledgeable well beyond the average spectator. To be sure, through the years a lot of consideration has been given to the judging procedures by An Coimisiun, the world governing body, to make things as fair as possible, because it could easily be a popularity contest.

Countering any attempt to reduce Irish dancing to mere popularity, you’ve got to hand it to the dancers and their teachers. They have individually, and together, assembled the most incredible, virtual non-stop, day-long show. Where the shoe meets the floor, that’s where the proof is undeniable. Irish dancing is not only a display of competitive skill, it’s an extreme sport. 40 measures of music clicking along, you dance, you bow, it’s a blur and “ding!” you’re done. Next!

Those few moments on stage have to be perfect. How do you achieve that? Lonely hours of stretching, drilling, sprinting through your dances, over and over; constantly having to correct the same little mistakes until you finally stop making them, then making your left foot leads look as strong as your right foot leads, perfectly in time, missing nary a beat, while keeping your posture arrow straight, your arms tucked neatly at your side. Also, make sure you’re exquisitely made up, wigged, bejeweled, dressed to the nines and perfectly tanned, thank you very much, and oh, make it all look completely effortless.

If all that happens at precisely the right moments, you have three chances to make your mark in the rankings and one competitor’s marks will crown them World Champion until next year when they’ll have to prove it all over again, or not. So, it’s only right that a total fuss is made over these dancers who recall at Worlds. It’s no accident they’re standing here at the awards ceremony.

As the results were displayed score by score, there came a number of surprising and varying official opinions about who this year’s champion would eventually be, and there was not a drop less drama than the room could contain when those final numbers were read out. It’s a very graphic representation of your standing based on your performance that immediately begins to settle out of the scores 1 to 100. In those moments, being at the top can still feel just like being at the bottom; when a half point can separate one place and the next. I believe there was a tie for 15^th. Renee claimed 37th place.

Needless to say, it’s been a welcome culmination of an entire year’s hard work and focus on this one goal. You made it. You punched your ticket for World Championships and now you know where you stand. The accomplishments of every boy and girl there competing at Worlds are somewhere around super-human because of their dedication to perfecting their dancing, and the teachers, their dancers, and the parents, the grandparents and the siblings, and, and, and…

It’s truly a world community effort to produce this order out of this chaos and the 48^th World Championship of Irish Dance was at day’s end, 7 days end to end, a very chaotic and orderly affair. Trophies and medals awarded, names and rankings, recorded.

So, nothing much left to do now about Worlds but set sight on next spring. Next up: North American National Championships (NANs) in Montreal, week of July 4^th.

Stay tuned.

Jim

End of Tour

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Renee takes 3rd place at the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Region Oireachtas in Philadelphia.

Canandaigua, NY. The weather in December here is questionable at best, but it’s at least the time when we can rest from our dancing travels and give thanks for both what we’ve accomplished and what we’ve managed to survive during the last 10 months. For those who have followed these rather randomly timed blog posts, I think you’d agree, there are two things that remain consistent: the ups and the downs.

I begin with a picture I’ve posted before. https://feisfunder.wordpress.com/2013/06/08/june-buggin/ It predates the inception of the feisfunder blog, https://feisfunder.wordpress.com/2013/02/13/the-feis-funder-blog/ back to 1 year ago now.

The 2013 tour rode high on this rather amazing feat, of which we had no reasonable expectation. Top 10 was more the general goal. Top 5 was OMG, making 3^rd, OMG, OMG. Second place would have been OMG, OMG, OMG, and 1^st place, well, you get the idea.

We left on our annual Thanksgiving pilgrimage to Philadelphia in the half frozen early morning fog left in the wake of a crushing mix of snow and freezing drizzle. Winter had arrived. A wonderland to be sure, but energetically speaking, the feeling was a little “off”. We were just thankful the roads were safely passable, because we already had our tickets punched. Renee’s competition was in two days on Black Friday.

Last year’s road to Oireachtas (oh-roc-tuss) was paved with obstacles, the largest of which as I recall, involved Renee’s poor showing at the few available competitions in September and October. She was really off her game and we were, shall we say, concerned. But being a true champion, she didn’t panic, she just kept dancing, working hard, come what may. As mentioned earlier, our expectations were high, but not that high.

This year, after a rocky National Championships of Irish Dancing on ice, in which she still managed a World Championships qualifying 20^th place, Renee’s results were consistent, 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd, and we logged a lot of competitions. She had out-danced every competitor she would face in Philly at least once from the 2012 Oireachtas on, helped largely by her come from nowhere 3^rd place finish.

This year’s Oireachtas had some potential for high drama with last year’s top finishers going head to head. And before, I mean minutes before, the 1^st round was to begin, we learn last year’s winner and reigning World Champion has pulled out due to illness. Talk about a game changer.

Then we learn last year’s 2^nd place finisher who was the first scheduled competitor in the round has suffered an asthma attack back stage as the next pair of competitors came on to dance, much to our surprise. She would eventually, and thankfully, make it back to dance her rounds successfully.

Renee performed well in the first two rounds, her slip jig being one of the jewels of the competition. We would learn later that after two rounds she stood in 4^th place, an excellent position from which to mount the podium. Her 3^rd round began with equal polish and precision. One of her coaches, standing beside me, was duly impressed with the first step. Renee was going along nicely into her second step and then she said, “She made a mistake.” What? Where? Because her dancing was sharp and on time, and her finish was strong.

It wasn’t until I could see the panic on her face as she returned to the back of the ballroom where we were standing that I realized that her podium shot was probably doomed, and her teacher confirmed it. The trained eye can see what the untrained eye cannot. Of course, it was the one thing none of us wanted to believe, but Renee’s tears told the story. She had it going and she was so close, and in the blink of an eye it all came apart. The judges must reward the dancer who performs most near to perfect, and they did. Renee’s mistake cost her 10 places and she finished 14^th.

With about 120 dancers in the competition, 14^th is not too shabby. A lot of dancers would give their new shoe buckles to be in Renee’s position, but falling from 3^rd to 14^th is kind of a wake-up call, reality check and a bummer all rolled into one. This year’s top 5 were all fabulous dancers and wonderful young ladies whom we’ve been blessed to come to know. We wish them all their well deserved congratulations.

This year’s affair was yet more proof that victory goes to the best prepared, and that winning has a game plan. At this level you can’t fake it and make it. There were a lot of girls obviously taking very careful aim at the top 5 places since last year’s event, some of whom were probably pretty disappointed in 2012, and some who were probably pretty lucky that Renee made that mistake in her 3^rd round this year. All in all, a pretty bitter pill for us.

Cherisse and I had high hopes for her success in getting to the podium this year especially, as competition falls off as kids go on to college, and I suppose more serious pursuits, next year. A local feis (Irish dance competition – fesh) might have just a few competitors in the older age groups, 18 and up, and the major competitions have perhaps a third or a quarter the number of entrants 18, 19, 20 years old and older.

We look forward to another couple of years during which Renee can continue to compete and attend college close to home. It will mean a significant change of tour for us, and maybe that will be good, because a young lady needs to take some things in her own charge. Safe to say, I think, Renee will always be a dancer. She’s certainly earned her stripes in my eyes. Still she may only have scratched the surface of her dancing potential. Ah, when you’ve got your whole life ahead of you, it’s grand.

Well, being a Monday, the time to rest up and relax has come to an end I’m afraid because it’s time to start tuning up for World Championships. London, here we come.

Happy Holidays and God help us all.

Jim

Worlds Away

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Waiting for a recall (pay no attention to that date).

Boston. You’re always hopeful, but by this time Renee was beyond caring about it. She had resigned herself. The bobble in the first round had doomed her, even though her soft shoe round was excellent. “Lovely” was how Donna, her Irish choreographer described it. And it was, but it was not enough as absolute perfection is what the judges expect on the World Championship stage.

This year’s 16 to 17 year old champion is a name we know well, Paige Turilli. Congratulations to her. She is now a 3-time World Champion – very impressive. So too was the fact that she had to get up off the floor to accomplish it. Loud, shocked gasps filled the ball room as she went crashing down on to the front of the stage just a fraction of a step into her first round. Interestingly, a fall does not end your round, while the slightest slip virtually ends your chances. The judges allow the dancers involved, three in this case, to exit the stage immediately, and then return a few sets of dancers later to “re-dance”.

There were 144 girls who danced in Renee’s competition this year. Only 50 would “re-call” to dance a 3^rd round and be rewarded with a World ranking. That’s the way it works and it’s no mean feat to be recalled, regardless of where you wind up in the ranking, as these are all the best dancers in the world from the previous year. The dancers from Ireland, Eire, as they’re referred to, are the traditional favorites for obvious reasons, which makes Paige’s accomplishment all the more impressive. She’s from the Inishfree School on Long Island. Third place went to another American, Melissa McCarthy, last year’s World Champion, from the Harney School in the New England region. Sandwiched between the two of them was the lovely Irish girl, Ellen Kennedy, who graces the cover of this month’s edition of Irish Dance Magazine.

I felt Renee’s performance was admirable, and the improvements she was able to make in her dancing were noticeable, and noted by her toughest critic, herself. More importantly perhaps, choreographer, Donna Griffin, who delivered some very intense tutorials while in Boston, and last month in London, saw improvements. Still, the distance between a World class competitor and a World Champion is quite vast, and it’s almost impossible to realize until you’ve witnessed it.

Beginning a new competition year now, I’m heartened by Renee’s resolve to go out and re-qualify for Worlds. We will have our sights set on London for the entire year, no doubt, her first “major” coming on July 4^th at North American National Championships in Anaheim. She will have a new set of dances to perfect and she’ll take them to probably a dozen or more local feisianna as a means of preparing them for her toughest competition, the aforementioned NANS and the annual Philadelphia campaign, the Mid-Atlantic Oireachtas.

I’m very glad that Irish dancing comes complete with a very high bar to be reached, not just in terms of the skills and steps necessary, but also the acuity of the performance, the ability to “bring it” when it counts. It is after all, just a precious few minutes overall that a dancer has the opportunity to make an impression. The best dancers are not only foot perfect, but they have a noticeable style, which is to say, they must dance to the music, and they must have that certain something extra that distinguishes them.

Some begin with the sureness of foot, but with a certain reticence for the performance aspect – great technically, but not that captivating to watch. Renee has always been the other way around – a true performer who loves the stage, and whom the stage loves, but whose technical aspect needs more polish. Judging is weighted a bit more to the technical side, and that’s to be expected. “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.”

True to her past experiences, the first time out at the “majors” have all been kind of a bust, but always result in very determined and impressive performances going forward with much improved results the next time around. We’re confident this year will prove out the same and that’s sufficient to keep the train moving down the track. And if the dollar doesn’t go bust, we’ve got enough to make it to London next Spring.

Now as I reflect on the previous post, having the first World Championships behind us is a welcome relief, but an ever beckoning beacon as well.

Be your best everybody.

Jim

To Boston and the “Big Show”

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Renee with Sheila Hayes, Feis Rochester 2010: 2nd Pre-lim win.

Canandaigua, NY. Not sure why, but I’m thinking about how one week from today, we’ll be heading home from Boston and the World Championships of Irish Dancing. Then we can say, ”Okay, been there done that.”

Conjecture on my part really, as we haven’t had the experience yet, but with all the intense preparation and the anticipation lately, I’m almost anxious for it all to be over, even before it’s begun. Like another chapter completed, a page ready to turn, there’s a new chapter and a new beginning we’re about to see, ready or not. Of course, the outcome of our adventure will color that experience, and we’ll move on from there, the wiser, having run ‘round the block a few more times.

At present and in reality, I’m too green to be jaded about the whole thing. I’m just trying to stay focused on getting there, getting it done, putting another notch on the Dodge and rolling home until it’s time to roll out again. Renee is pretty nervous. I think the best thing for the nerves right now is just to get into your shoes and drill.

I could say that this sort of living vicariously through the girl is driving the three of us crazy, but as a practical matter, each of us has our role to play in getting “Worlds” accomplished. So, there’s very little time or space for fantasy. But, yeah, we’re getting a little stir crazy.

Thinking about Renee taking the stage at Worlds for the first time I’ve noticed causes Cherisse and I to feel as though our lives depend on successfully completing this World Championship mission, and Renee can sense that, I’m sure, as it reflects pretty accurately our day to day since Nationals last July in Chicago. Cherisse and Renee especially, but we’re pretty kinetic with one another. So, God bless Renee, doggedly dancing like her life depends on it.

When you dream a big dream, you better be ready for the drill you signed up for. I try to give her the very best encouragement I can think of, which in the immortal words of James Brown is, “Git up offa that thing, dance, and you’ll feel better.”

Here’s hoping everyone survived and has great memories of St. Patrick’s Day 2013. We felt privileged to have the benefit of a very well attended fund raiser that will help us a step along the way to Worlds. So, our thanks go out to the Young School and our local Quaker Steak & Lube for putting it on. We are lucky to have so many families involved at the Young School now. Our collective tribute can really help out the many Young School dancers now competing at major competitions throughout the year. There is strength in numbers.

I’m very pleased that joining us at Worlds will be our close family friend, Laurie, as well as my eldest daughter, Jessica and her daughter, my eldest grandchild, Asja. They get how big a deal this is and they don’t want to miss it. Many others in our family and circle of close friends were hopeful of being there too, but we appreciate how big a stretch it is for someone to step into our Irish dancing lives, and take it on, if only for a day or two. We consider it rewards for making it to the “big show”. It really is what you want to show to the world of your art, your vocation, seeing so many great dancers from all over the world there to compete for a World ranking. Some 6500 competitors are expected I hear.

I’m guessing it’s the same at every school, where there’s a celebration for every dancer that gets their wins at Pre-lims and makes it to Champion level. Thanks to the near divine inspiration of Sheila Hayes and Donna Griffin, Renee was transformed into a Champion dancer in fairly short order. With close monitoring and encouragement from Rachel and Paula, her devoted and erstwhile instructors, she was able to nail down her three required first places in the space of 6 feis’ at pre-lim and enter her first Oireachtas as an Open Champion.

That summer brought us some very sweet and exciting moments, but as it turns out the prize is yet another starting line. We emerged from the desert and found ourselves in the foothills of another range of high peaks to be scaled: winning 1^st place against the Champion competition; doing it again to prove it wasn’t a fluke; winning against the Canadians in Canada; qualifying for Worlds; winning a podium place at a major; what’s next?

Seems we’d only just begun to dance when Renee stepped out as a Champion dancer after 6 years in the grades. Now it’s on to the “Big Show”, the baseball term which, of course, I stole. A few years back, I stole a moment with Irish dance legend and teacher, Ms. Sheila Hayes, and I asked her if she thought Renee could make it to compete for a World Championship one day. Her student, two-time World Champion, Donna Griffin was standing with her outside during a break at our yearly dance camp. “How old were you when you won your first majors,” she asked Donna. I believe Donna replied that she had been 12 or 13. That was Renee’s age then, as an Open Prizewinner. Sheila thought it over for a minute, and finally said, “Well, she’s a hard worker.”

Dancing in the “big show” is a high honor, and I realize I put Ms. Hayes on the spot, but I also knew that Renee would never settle for less than a shot at the very top. She just needed a kick to get her rolling.

Sheila Hayes, if you’re out there, thank you, God bless you, I am indeed shocked and thankful to have exceeded your expectations perhaps. I feel the hand of destiny must have had a hand in it, as now we find ourselves among these elite of Irish dancing.

When you see your child’s passion ignite, and the fervor come pouring out, it’s very impressive, because you see the hand of God in it. You see the connections that power the process. How amazing will it be to walk among so many with similarly impressive stories of hard work and triumph, now all in Boston, in the “Big Show?” It will be amazing, that’s for sure.

Be sure to watch for my post-Worlds wrap-up.

Peace.

Jim

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