Life of An Irish Dancer

Well, I have had about ZIP time to write lately, so I am doing like 3 posts right now! TEE HEE! What can I say, I'm a busy girl, and the reason I'm so busy is what I'm about to write about. So let me fill you in: Being an Irish dancer requires dedication and desire to work hard and get the job done to perfection. The judges in irish dancing are more particular than you could possibly imagine. If your poodle socks aren't the same height, glued to your skin, or bright white, you lose points. If your skirt length is too long, short, wide, or tight, there goes some more points. If the top portion of your dress doesn't fit right, or isn't fancy enough, deduction. Your wig needs to have crisp curls, your bangs must be slicked back, your crown in position, and no fly away hairs. Your shoes must be tied right, with no bunny ears from the bows, and if they come off that's a major point loss, especially if it flies off while you're dancing and fatally hits someone in the audience or (even worse) the judge. And I haven't even gotten started on the dancing part yet. Posture and arms must be tight and remain position at all times. Your chin can't be too high or too low, must always be straight forward, no slumping your shoulders, back straight, and arms tight down at your sides. Your foot work must be so precise. If you miss a step, do it sloppily, or get off time, those are major portions of bad. Your make-up ideally must match your dress, and your number must always be visable, tied on tightly with a matching ribbon, or clasp around your waist. Kickpants under your dress must match, and be the right kind. Those are the basic requirements for solos.

Teams (figures) are more difficult in some area's and easier in other. Instead of focusing on complex steps in teams, you are focusing on unison and sharpness, dancing as one. Everything about every member of the team must match. The wigs, the socks, the shoes, the dresses, the kickpants, the crowns, and the dancing. The team that can make themselves most look and dance like a "single dancer" are most likely to win. Like in solos, your feet must be turned out and crossed. Leaps must be high, tight and fast. You must be graceful when you need to be graceful and attack when you need to attack. When wearing hardshoes, you must get all the tapping sounds down loud and clear. You must stretch your legs and move across the floor. You must be better than everyone else to win. You must be sharper, higher, most graceful, most exact, more crossed, louder, and tighter in everything you do. Only then can you win metals and trophies to advance to the next level and eventually become a champion and dance in World Championships around the world.

Here are links to videos of examples of solo and team irish dances:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va83mW2t3yc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OraC81Mc1WA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5FEJAa-3aA&feature=PlayList&p=96D80290C894CDAD&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1