My Very Late Oireachtas Update!

The bad news is......  I did not make it to the Parade of Champions.

The good news is.... I can continue this blog. Ha!

It has been a little over a month since my Oireachtas. That is just about how long it takes me to come down from all that energy, emotion and momentum.

At awards, I was called out in the top 10. Woo-Hoo!  I stood up there with some of my best friends that I have made over the years. You really do see the same girls over and over and I felt so good to be surrounded by such familiar and friendly faces.  I knew every single person up there. It was very emotional but I will have to say, Abigayle D. from the Claddagh school definitely had the best reaction as she was called out in the top 10. A reaction like that just makes you so happy for them. When they announced that the top 17 qualified for the Worlds, the stage blew up with emotion.

It finally came down to the top 5, then the last 3 and then only myself and Marisa W. from the Wick School stood waiting...... to NOT hear their number.

But I did.

I placed 2nd in the region out of 129. I will admit I was disappointed with 2nd place at first.  Just to be clear, it is 2nd place two years in a row. After all those hours of practice and time spent at the studio, I really wanted that first place. I wanted to make my dance teacher proud when they walked up on that stage to receive that little teacher trophy. I wanted that title. Obviously, I wanted to be in the parade of champions. I wanted to be that winner.

But don't get me wrong, I know 2nd place is a huge accomplishment, especially staying consistent through one of the toughest age groups with some of the most talented girls. 2nd place is feeling better to me now and I really am proud of myself.

Me and my dance teacher, Darren Maguire.

"I will win. Not immediately, but definitely."  

All in all, I could not have been happier with the way I danced.  I could truly see how proud my parents were of me. My dance teacher was proud of how I danced and how I trained leading up to that moment. Plus, when I danced, I had fun. You know, the kind of fun that you really feel it inside, a Disneyland kind of fun. It doesn't get better than that. 

My sister was proud, too! She always supports me,

Also, at this Oireachtas, I debuted my new dress and new look. As you may remember, my grandpa (also one of my best friends) had passed away in June from cancer. He loved all those creepy mythical creatures and we talked about the Phoenix on many occasions. So on this dress, I wanted to do something to commemorate him.  Cami Dudschus, from All for a Jig, captured my vision for the Phoenix perfectly. I feel him with me every time I dance.

 

My new Cami Dudschus dress!

I really consider myself a very blessed person. Being surrounded by amazing friends and the greatest family ever as they watch me succeed in a sport I love is something only a few people can truly say. I guess those are the real lessons in any activity or sport. I am blessed to have friends all over the world all because of Irish dance.  I hope you found some gains in your placements and I hope you found all those positive and great reasons why we REALLY continue in dance even in times of disappointment.

So watch out Worlds, there are a lot of talented Western Region dancers comin'! 

Happy Holidays dancers! Hope you had a great Oireachtas!

~Bella Irish Dancer

"Your friends should motivate and inspire you. Your circle should be well rounded and supportive. Keep it tight. Quality over Quantity, always."

To Irish Dance Moms: The Do's and Don't of Oireachtas.

On a couple of our parent boards and social media, I saw a few first time Oireachtas moms ask for advice. Even though my point of view is a little different, I am going to throw my two cents in from a dancer's view point so that your day with your dancer can go as smooth as possible.

Please fee free to comment below with your additions and pointers.

 

 So, for those first time Oireachtas Moms, this is for you.

The Do's and Don'ts for Irish Dance Moms at Oireachtas 

1. DO: wake up early with a great attitude and then wake up your child. A lot of the days attitude is similar to the first minutes of waking up, at least, for me.  This means you really need to go to bed early. This is hard the night before a big competition but do it even if it means laying in bed listening to music.

2. DO NOT: Rush! It will only make your dancer more nervous.  Allow more time than you think to get all those items done before heading down to the hall. When you rush, you forget.  Trust me you do not want to forget ANYTHING!

3. DO: While you are doing your dancer's hair and make up, have him/her listen to a motivating song to get them pumped up for the day!  Music makes me feel good. Listening to a little Script Feat. Will I. Am's, "Hall of Fame" is a great example.

"You can be the greatest. You can be the best. You can be the King Kong banging on your chest" 

Or my dad would say anything from the movie, Rocky.  But whatever gets them in the right mood is the right choice. 

4. DO NOT: Mention anything about messing up on the hair and make up while you are assisting.  I cannot stand when my mom does this.  When she says, "OOOPS" or "Oh no",  I start thinking that everything is going down hill and it is completely unfix-able.

5: DO:   Fix the wig. If you end up with something you do not like, redo it NOW, not downstairs in the convention hall. Your dancer should not be thinking about their  hair in the hall. As a dancer, your mind is going a million miles a minute prior to check in. Let it be filled with their steps and a winner's attitude.

  A little side note: In 2012, I put my wig on poorly and I ended up redoing it in between rounds. It was a nightmare for me and my mom.  I even dropped my placement that year. I do realize that this was not because of my wig, but I am superstitious. I think it kept me from focusing on what was important.

6: DO NOT: Keep adding more makeup when you are all ready in the ballroom. Before going on stage, definitely do a few touch ups but don't do it often. (My mom needs to work on this one. HAHA!) Let your dancer drink lots of water which means don't do touch ups until right before they go on.
Fussing over make-up makes your dancer nervous.

7: DO: Make sure she is working on preparations like stretching.  Don't let her fool around with her friends before competitions. She will not be focused.  Make sure she gets time with her dance teacher without you. They will get your dancer properly warmed up and in the dance mindset.

8: DO NOT: Let your dancer just walk around the center.  If they are going to watch a friend dance, make sure that they are with their dance teacher. Don't risk missing a round. You will be disqualified. I don't think the Oireachtas judges smile too kindly on being late.  I've never done it and I wouldn't want to push this. This day is not really about socializing until you are done with your rounds.

9: DO: Give a good Mom pep-talk. I don't know how you guys do it. My mom always finds the right words to calm me down and to get me focused to win! Focus on stage presence and confidence: the practice part is behind you. Leave the last minute dance tips to their teacher and let your part be telling your daughter to walk on like a champion, even if they don't feel like one yet.

"Fake it til you make it"  

10: DO NOT: Let your dancer get cold in between rounds. Make sure they are stretching or running through their dances. A cold dance is not a good dance. Do exercises like ankle and hip rotations, as well as, calf and hamstring stretches.


BEST OF LUCK!

Oh and most importantly, go out there and have fun. Don't just go for the experience. If you put in the practice, do your very best.

You are already there, why not go for the recall?

Top 25? Top 10? Top 5? Top 3?

~Bella Irish Dancer

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you"ll land among the stars."

~Les Brown

An Irish Dancer's Thanksgiving!

Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow and the end of 2013 is around the corner, I would like to look back on this year and tell you WHO in my life I am so thankful for. 

I am grateful to my mom for taking me to Maguire Academy of Irish Dance when I was a little burned out with ballet.

I am grateful for my teachers. I would not be anywhere in dance without my Irish dance coaches, Darren Maguire, Maeve Croke, and Helen Buck. They have taught me Irish dancing in the best way possible. They have pushed me and encouraged me when I felt like I could not do more.  There are no words that could really describe exactly how grateful I am to have them. They believe in me when I have my doubts during practice and guide me to my goals even if it seems a little high and out of reach. They have given me this passion I have for dance and I get to take that with me throughout my life.  That is a gift that keeps giving. 

 I am grateful (at least, today) for the millions and millions of drills we do at practice! I know it has made a difference. (If they read this, we will probably be doing more drills).  The details are very important in placing.

I am grateful for my faith in my teachers. I know that no matter how long it takes, Mr. Maguire, Ms. Croke, and Ms. Buck will get me to the parade of champions on the WORLD stage!

The best teachers in the world!
2nd place Oireachtas 2013

I am so thankful to my Mom and Dad. Without my parent's support,  I wouldn't even dream as big as I do without them making me think it is possible.  London for the World Championships is a great example.  Without their encouragement, I wouldn't be at the dance level I am and I wouldn't have this blog.

I am, especially, grateful to my little sister, Riley. In 2011, when I won 5th place at the Oireachtas, she was one of the first people I saw on stage.  She had made her way to the front row and was balling her eyes out.  She may have been more excited than I was.  I am so grateful that she supports me and pushes me to be competitive.  And I know I owe her many thanks for sitting countless hours at local feisanna.

A big thanks to all my grandparents and my uncles and aunts. They always support me and motivate me to be the best that I can be.

I am so thankful for my dance school.  I am not just talking about my friends in dance class.  I am talking about all the beginner mom's who stop to ask about my dancing and text me congratulations. I am so grateful for the older dancers I watched that made me think I can do better and be better. That means so much. I am so grateful for all the families that make up our GREAT school at the Maguire Academy!

Maguire Academy of Irish Dance, Arizona,-Texas 

Last but not least, I am grateful for all my followers on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and on my blog. You guys truly motivate me and help me improve my writing for school. Plus, I love expressing my feelings to people who feel the same way I do. I love hearing all the feedback from you and seeing what you think.

What are you grateful for?

Happy Thanksgiving,  Irish dancers!

"Today I choose to live with gratitude for the love that fills my heart, the peace that rests within my spirits, and the voice of hope that says... all things are possible"

~Unknown