Presented By
NTIF 2012 Dance Performers
First, a word about compeditive Irish Step dancing. Competitive Irish dance is governed by a board in Ireland, An Coimisiún le Rinci Gaelacha, and is serious business amongst the participants.
The Fèis
The Fèis, roughly pronounced as fesh, plural Ffeisanna (Irish) or Fèisean (Scottish) is a traditional Gaelic arts and culture festival.
In Ancient Ireland communities placed great importance on local festivals, where Gaels could come together in song, dance, music, theatre and sport. The largest of these was the Aonach, the great festival at Tara, which was then the city of Ireland's Ardrí, or "High King". These feiseanna were a rich opportunity for storytellers to reach a large audience, and often warriors would recount their exploits in combat, clansmen would trace family genealogies, and bards and balladeers would lead the groups in legends, stories, and song.
In the modern Fèis there are 6 levels of competition at local Feisanna structured by age groups: Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Novice, Prizewinner, and then the champion levels of Preliminary Champion and Opens Champions. Each level has requirements of the number of 1st places that must be achieved for each dance (reel, light jig, single jig, slip jig, treble jig) in order to move up to the next level through the grades, the first 4 levels. Once those levels are mastered one moves into Preliminary Champs were a minimum of two 1st place wins must be achieved before one can move into the Opens level. The standard of competition at the Preliminaries and Opens is very high and the dancers are truly amazing to watch.
Feiseanna are held all over the world, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, all over Europe, South Africa, the USA and Canada. The local Fèis, that takes place at the same time as NTIF, is called the Texas State Championship Fèis and is run by the McTeggart Irish Dancers of North Texas. This event was born at the NTIF and for the first few years was an integral part of the festival. It's growth over the years forced it to relocate to larger facilities at the DFW Sheraton where it attracts compeditors from many of the surrponding states as well as Texas.
In addition there is at least one major competition that dancers want to compete in - the Regional Oireachtas (the word "oireachtas" literally means "gathering" in English). The Southern Region Oireachtas took place the first week of December in Washington DC and dancers from Texas there were working to qualify to compete in the North American Nationals Competition to held in July 2011 in Nashville, and the biggest of the big - the World's Irish Dancing Competition (Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne) to be held in Dublin, Ireland in April of 2011. Less than half will qualify for Nationals and only the top few dancers in each age competition will qualify for Worlds. In the Irish dancing sport, World's is their Olympics.
Worlds were held in Glasgow in 2007, Belfast in 2008, Philadelphia in 2009 and returned to Glasgow for the 40th Anniversary in 2010. The World Oireachtas (Oireachtas Rince Na Cruinne) is typically held Easter Week.
In order to compete at a Fèis in North America, a dancer must be registered with An Coimisiun le Rince Gaelacha and its subsidiary the Irish Dance Teacher's Association of North America.
In Texas we are fortunate to have some of the best dance schools in the country, and naturally some of the best dance students. At any given North Texas Irish Festival we have World's level competitors and World Medal Holders dancing for us.
Celtic Cadence Dance Company
Award-winning stepdancers from Hill Irish Dance School present a spirited Irish dance experience showcasing traditional and modern dances of the Emerald Isle. Combining colorful costumes and athletic dancing with the irresistible cadence of Irish jigs and reels, these talented Irish dancers will have audiences clapping along with the beat of their feet.
Cass Academy of Irish Dance
Since being established in 2005 by director Erin Cass, TCRG, Cass Academy has been captivating audiences in the Houston area and beyond! Traditional Irish Dance lessons are offered in three locations for girls and boys of all ages- The Woodlands & Katy (Houston) and Cedar Park (Austin).
Cass Academy's competitive success has led their students to compete at the local, national, and world levels. You don't want to miss this electrifying performance group!
Emerald School of Irish Dance
The Emerald School of Irish Dance was first established in 1968 in Vermont, moved to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area in 1977 and has been teaching and promoting the art of Irish dance in North Texas ever since. Directed by Emily Touzin, a native Dubliner, and Leslie Touzin Middleton, TCRG, Emerald dancers have performed in shows throughout the North Texas area, including the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center with the world famous Chieftains, the Bass Performance Hall with the Trinity Irish Dancers and the North Texas Irish Festival, to name a few. Emerald dancers can also be seen throughout the year at local pubs, schools, corporate events, festivals and weddings.
This award winning school's students enter Irish dance competitions throughout the US and Ireland, placing in the top 10 in both solos and figures at the Southern Region Championships held every year in December. Their dancers have consistently qualified for the World Championships and the North American National Championships.
The Emerald School is host to the Emerald Bluebonnet Feis, May 12, 2012 at the Westin Hotel D/FW Airport which is a competition for Irish dance, music, singing, art, and even baking.
Classes are open to children and adults - for fun or competition - in Dallas, Lewisville, and Arlington. They are happy to dance at the NTIF 2012 where they have performed since the NTIF first began. Note also that the Emerald Dance stage is named for them.
Inishfree School of Irish Dance
The Inishfree School of Irish dance has been teaching world class dancers for over two decades. At present we offer classes in over ten locations around the USA and in Mexico. Inishfree Texas itself has four sites. San Antonio, Austin, Buda and San Marcos.
Our teaching staff consists of an all male group of world class dancers. Patrick McCarthy, Neill Reagan and Pierce Beach.
Patrick McCarthy TCRG was born and bred in Belfast, Ireland and has been a consistent top three dancer at all of the major world Irish dance competitions. On top of this he has toured for two years with Michael Flatley on the Feet of Flames World Tour. Following this Patrick danced both principal lead roles in the Lord of the Dance production in the North American Company.
Neill Reagan ADCRG started his dancing career at the age of five. Since then he has won the Eastern regional championships, North American championships and was one of the first ever Americans to win the World Championship title. On top of this Neill has danced throughout the world with acts such as The Chieftains, The Wolftones, The Commitments and many more.
Pierce Beach hales from the Southern region where he has competed for over 12 years and has won and been a top contender at the regions Oireachtas. Pierce has also danced numerous times at All Irelands and worlds and is a medal holder from both competitions in both Solo dancing and team dancing. As well as this Pierce has danced with the Chieftains and Eileen Ivers.
All three teachers are proud to help spread our art form in Texas and throughout the USA and enjoy both the competitive and the performance aspect of Irish dance. Following a fantastically successful Oireachtas in 2011 we look forward to our pupils representing Texas at the All Irelands, Worlds, and American National Championships 2012.
Jackson Irish Dancers
Jackson Irish Dancers, founded in 1998, is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to spread knowledge, enjoyment and understanding of traditional Irish dance through instruction, performance, and social gathering. In other words, we started this group so we’d have more folks to dance with… so far, it’s working! We offer classes and are available for performance bookings or to call your next céilí. Our performances feature traditional Irish set dancing, céilí dancing, and solo dancing, under the direction of Catherine Sherer Bishop, MFA, TCRG.
Maguire Academy of Irish Dance
The Maguire Academy of Irish Dance is directed by Darren Maguire, ADCRG, and Maeve Croke, TCRG, with studios in Tuscon, Phoenix, Dallas, and Houston.
Darren Maguire relocated to Tucson in the summer of 2006 to open the Maguire Academy of Irish Dance after ‘hanging up’ his Riverdance shoes. Having danced with the world-renowned show for ten years, Maguire performed on many of the world’s most notable stages, including Radio City Music Hall, the Kremlin and the Great Hall of the People, in China.
Irish-born Maeve Croke started dancing at a young age, winning many championships. She has performed with Lord of the Dance, Rhythm of the Dance, and Riverdance.
Darren and Maeve expanded the Academy to Dallas in the spring of 2008, and to Houston in the summer of 2011. In the four years they have been in Texas the young schools have enjoyed much success. This past year, thirty-five dancers traveled to Orlando, Florida for the Southern Region Oireachtas where they competed in teams and solos resulting in numerous recalls, twelve North American National Championships qualifiers, and one Oireachtas Champion who qualified for the World Championships in Belfast, Ireland this spring.
The Maguire Academy of Irish Dance offers classes for any dancer with a love or interest in Irish dance and culture, in range from four years old to adult.
McTeggart Irish Dancers
The McTeggart Irish Dancers perform throughout the North Texas area, and compete against dancers from all across the United States when they attend a Fèis. Qualifying students also compete at the Southern Region Oireachtas, the North American Nationals and internationally in England and Ireland. Students of all ages are welcome to join for instruction in both competitive and non-competitive dancing.
The McTeggart School of Irish Dancing was established in 1939 in Cork, Ireland. The first director was Peg McTeggart, the eldest of four sisters, all of them champion dancers. The school soon spread throughout the whole of County Cork due to the efforts of younger sister Maureen McTeggart Hall, TCRG and ADCRG. In 1958 Maureen McTeggart Hall and her family immigrated to the United States, bringing with them the art of Irish Dancing and introducing it to the Western Region of the United States.
Maureen McTeggart Hall began teaching in Denver in 1976 and has built one of the most respected schools in the nation. McTeggart schools have consistently qualified dancers for the World Championships in Ireland and proven to be a top school in competitions. A past chairman of the Western Region, Maureen McTeggart Hall is a vice-president of the Irish Dancing Commission and has adjudicated at the North American and World Championships.
Shandon-O'Regan Irish Dance Academy
Under the instruction and direction of Kay LaGreca, T.C.R.G., the Shandon-O'Regan Irish Dance Academy is a certified school of traditional Irish step and ceili dancing in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Shandon-O'Regan is registered with An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (the Irish Dancing Commission), the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America and The IDTANA Southern Region.
Classes meet weekly in Richardson and Fort Worth. The Richardson studio is located just east of Central Expressway at the south east corner of Arapaho and Bowser. New dancers are always welcome!
Michael and Susan Harrison
Spurred by Riverdance and the spotlight it shone on Irish dance, Michael and Susan began taking Irish céilí and step dance lessons from the Emerald School of Irish Dance in 1997. They were hooked. Travel to Ireland in 2001 introduced Michael and Susan to Irish set dancing, which they study and practice locally and via dance workshops in North America and Ireland.
Susan is a certified céilí dance teacher, having obtained TMRF certification from An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha in 2007. Michael and Susan teach traditional céilí and set dancing via recreation centers and workshops. They also call the Celtic Céilí dances for the Southwest Celtic Music Association at the Sammons Center for the Arts in Dallas, monthly céilís at Trinity Hall in Dallas, and the Saturday evening NTIF céilí annually.
Lone Star Ceili Band
The Lone Star Ceili Band was born out of the Richardson Sessions at Cafe Brazil. It is a union of the members of two bands, Happensdance and the Irish band known as Jigsaw. More could be said about these musicians than could ever be written on this page.
The pioneering efforts of Ken and Peggy Fleming and Kevin Alewine have spearheaded most of what Dallas has seen of Irish music in the past two decades. They have played in several bands known to Irish music lovers and have helped to form many related events such as the O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat and the Trinity Hall Sessions, thus fostering the interests of untold numbers of musicians, listeners, and dancers. This Irish powerhouse joined forces with Happensdance members, Mimi Rogers and Allison Hicks to bring the spirit of the Irish ceili to the contra dance floor.
Irish music has long been a staple for the bands that have played at the Dallas contra dances and never has it been played with such accuracy and ease and with such respect for the tradition as with the LSCBand. This band is splendid addition to our growing wealth of music.
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