North American Irish Dancing Championships

North American Irish Dancing Championships
By: Hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Region and IDTANA- Irish Dancing Teachers Association of North America

Describe:

Disney World, Orlando, Florida, The Dolphin Hotel, thousands of Irish Dancers (male, female, teachers), dance costumes, hard shoes, soft shoes, wigs, poodle socks, hairspray, fake tan, crowns and tiaras, winner’s podium, dance stage, musicians, (nervous, excited, crying, smiling) dancers, sashes, stuffed animals, photographers, Irish crystal and awards, dancers practicing and stretching, vendors

Analyze:

What kind of preparation is involved?
How often does one practice/ prepare for the NAIDC?
What are the qualifications to be able to participate in the NAIDC?
Do you have to be Irish to be an Irish dancer?
What is Irish Dancing?
When did this art begin?
Where and how did Irish Dancing begin?

Interpretation:

As the smell of hairspray and fake tan fills the air, the day of an Irish dancer begins at a very early 6:00A.M., maybe earlier, to begin preparation for a long day of hard work, nerves and excitement at the North American Irish Dancing Championships. Also known as Nationals, this competition takes place over the course of five days. Dancers, Irish and non-Irish, prepare for this competition for many months by practicing 4-7 times a week, eating right, and stretching. Each dancer has two opportunities in two rounds to dance in front of a panel of three judges. Scores are ranged from 0-100, with a 100 being first place. From there, the top half or one-third of dancers with the highest scores, have the opportunity to dance in a third round, dancing by themselves.
Irish Dancing originated in the early 400s. During the invasions of the British upon the Irish, the villagers would go to the hilltops and tap out messages to warn the townspeople that the British were invading. While Ireland was under British rule, the British forbade any of the villagers from activities. When the villages would have meetings, they would dance around with their arms by their sides, so when the soldiers passed, it wouldn’t be noticeable that they were involved in activity.
I enjoyed competing in my seventh Nationals in Orlando at Disney World. Although I didn’t place as well as I hoped, the experience was fantastic. Many dancers went home excited, while others were disappointed. Competing in large competitions such as this one is very difficult and involves much preparation and time.

Judgment:

I found my experience at the NAIDC both successful and unsuccessful. The venue was not very good to support the art because of the large size and the amount of distractions. Although the venue was not up to standards, the music was very traditional and well played. The experiences differ though, depending on how well one placed at the competition, but to be able to compete in Disney World was a fantastic experience.