Irish step dancing...are you "jiggy" with it?

[nuts4sn00py]

Anyone here have any kids that do Irish step dancing? Both my DD who is 10 & my DS who is 9 step dance. DD has been doing it for about 3 years. My DS just started this year. We did our first Feis today & DS came in 1st in both his competitions! (Wasn't too hard, as he had no competitors, but he still got high marks & great comments). So, lets talk some soft shoe & let me know about your kids & how long they have been dancing. Or if any of you are dancers, or have been dancers. I know there are alot of adult dancers out there also! Kathy

 

[Barb D]

My 11yo DD plays the "fiddle" on her viola, and thought step dancing would be cool to do along with the fiddling. She's taking a 5-week summer class, just to see if she likes it. I think she's decided not to continue though; she's having fun, but she'd rather have more time for basketball!

I took 4yoDD with me to big sister's last lesson, and she was thrilled! Her natural state of being is leaping around the room kicking her feet, so step dancing will be perfect for her. I'm going to start her on it as soon as she's old enough (maybe this fall.)

 

[DMickey28]

I wish I Knew about Irish Step Dancing when I was little. I love it now but I just watch it and "pretend" to be able to do it.

Adult lessons??? I don't think I can move like that.

 

[nuts4sn00py]

I wanted to take adult lessons, but found out I have arthritic knees, so no dancing for me! I can't believe there aren't more steppers out there. I wish I could do it again, it's definitely great exercise, but alas it's not to be! Hope to see more posts on the topic, I can't believe NY has all the Irish Step dancers!(Just kidding)! Kathy

 

[deedee67]

My daughter took Irish step dancing for two years starting in 1st grade. Her teacher had a great reputation for sending his students to the World Championships in Ireland (we only decided to join his school because it was the closest to our home not because of his reputation). People traveled from several different states to learn from him. My dd enjoyed the lessons for about a year and a half when she was still in the beginner level. She was not expected to compete in a feis at that point.

She did quite well with the soft shoes and she started to dance in hard shoes during the second year. However, once she moved up to the more advanced level and started to dance with children who were competing she really started to dislike it. Her teacher (while always nice enough to my daughter) would scream (and I do mean scream!) and belittle the really good dancers right before a competion. He got really intense. My dd was so not used to this type of behavior that she really recoiled from it. I would always watch the other parents to see how they handled their child being treated this way. They were okay with it! The dancers were too. I guess they felt this was the way to get them to be the best and to win. I found the parents in this school to be terribly competitive.

That is just not for our family. All my daughter wanted to do was to have a little fun learning and to perhaps put on a recital at the end. I tried to have her join another Irish Dance school but she was scarred from this experience. It's too bad because I do think she seemed to have a bit of a talent for it. Oh well, now we just watch it whenever we can because it is something we really enjoy.

 

[nuts4sn00py]

Hi DeeDee67, I can't say I blame you daughter for not wanting to continue. The school we go to the kids can go on to compete or just learn Irish step dancing. The school we go to is pretty relaxed. While the teachers may occasionally yell (mostly to get the kids attention), they are pretty easy going. I don't remember being yelled at when I took it as a child, so I wouldn't want my kids to be subjected to constant yelling or berating. They receive alot of praise & it shows in their dancing. While the Feis are competitions, the girls all root for each other, even if they are competing against each other. Not only have they learned something from their heritage, but they have also made many friends, which I think is much more important than the awards. I didn't "push" my kids into dancing either, they asked to do it, which I think also makes a big difference. Sometimes the parents take it waaayy to seriously, which is something I never understood. Whatever a child decides to do, sports, dancing, arts & crafts, etc., it should be fun, not something they "have" to do. As long as my kids enjoy Irish step dancing I am happy. As much as I want them to do it, their happiness is the most important. Maybe when your daughter gets older she will decide to go back & hopefully she will find a school where having fun is more important than competing. Kathy