OT: dd8 got first MEDAL, for Jig!

[taximomfor4]

My dd, who just turned 8, has a host of special needs...SID, hypotonia, small stature, vision impairment, kidney abnormality, intention tremors, (probably) partial seizures, balance issues, a cyst in her brain, .....

She is THE most persevering child I have ever known. She will try a new dance step 50 times before getting it right, but keeps trying anyway. She has been doing Irish Dance for 2 years now, and has competed in several competitions (feisanna). At the Cincinnati Feis this weekend, she got her very first medal!! It was for 5th place, which is usually awarded a ribbon, but at this feis, they did medals. She is over the moon! She had no less than 7 meltdowns that day, but got through each of her competitions (4 of them).

Oh, and her hornpipe dance didn't get a medal (probably got last place, actually), but she was soooo proud of herself anyway for it,too. She just learned hornpipe recently, and ended up losing her place on stage. She came to a dead stop, but then remembered what steps to do next and FINISHED. Her timing, because of the pause, ended up terribly off, but when she was done, her grin was HUGE!

I immediately thought of sharing with you all here, since I KNOW you all understand how much it takes for our kids.

 

[Selket]

Congrats to your daughter! That sounds like a wonderful accomplishment and I bet it will make her even more eager to keep with the dedication to learning new things. It takes a lot of confidence to perform in front of a crowd -and judges and then to do so well! She has every right to be very proud of her medal

 

[skoopman]

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That is a big accomplishment and she should be very proud of herself!
Suzanne

 

[minkydog]

Good for her. What the world needs is more jig-dancing

 

[taximomfor4]

thanks all! Talk about a proud mommy moment!
She has been practicing with renewed vigor. AND....she is dancing at an Irishfest nearby this weekend. She LOVES performing before an audience. Her favorite is dancing at Nursing Homes. She looks at the audience, and people catch her eye and smile...she smiles back, and looks so happy! The competing is tougher, because last year her older sister got medals at most every competition while she never got a single one.

I just knew this would be a great place to share!

 

[riu girl]

AWESOME!!! You must be so proud.

 

[dclfun]

Wow!!!!!!!! That's an amazing accomplishment! A proud Mommy and family moment indeed. My heart is melting...please congratulate your daughter from the "Disney people" ---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

GOOD for HER!!!!!!


That is really neat. Thanks for sharing with us.

 

[taximomfor4]

Hey, just wanted to say that dd competed again in Irish Dance yesterday, in another town, and placed in her REEL now...3rd place which means that next year, she competes at a new level.

You guys, I know, are the people who can best understand how I feel. It's not pride that she is placing, it is pride that she is working abnd persevering and keeping up with her fellow dancers, for the most part. She works so hard, practices several times a day with NO input from me. I tear up when I watch her dance, with her great big smile every time the judge catches her eye. Hers, I think, was the only smile out there.

This was at a festival.

 

[faeflora]

Congratulations that is awesome!!!!!

 

[eeyore45]

CONGRATULATIONS Indeed!!

Not only do I understand your pride, and excitement (your posts did give me goosebumps!) I also understand how hard those dances are!! My dd9 is also an Irish Step Dancer (my oldest son has 'disABILITIES') she started 1 1/2 years ago, just started heavy shoe actually!! I will have to share with her your dd accomplishments - she doesnt want to do any feisanna - just the school's feis so far!!

Maybe your dd can be an inspiration for mine!! I'm hoping to get her to do the South Bend feis next year!!

 

[taximomfor4]

CONGRATULATIONS Indeed!!

Not only do I understand your pride, and excitement (your posts did give me goosebumps!) I also understand how hard those dances are!! My dd9 is also an Irish Step Dancer (my oldest son has 'disABILITIES') she started 1 1/2 years ago, just started heavy shoe actually!! I will have to share with her your dd accomplishments - she doesnt want to do any feisanna - just the school's feis so far!!

Maybe your dd can be an inspiration for mine!! I'm hoping to get her to do the South Bend feis next year!!

Please. Share Rissa's story with her! Rissa loves to dance. She is 1 1/2 yrs into Irish Dance also, and LOVES to perform. The nursing home residents eat her up!! They catch her eye, and she just lights up. I was worried about the whole Feis thing, because of the crowds, pressure, etc. In Rissa's Beginner year, she didn't place a single time in 4 different cities. It took her 3 before she even realized that placing existed, though. For her a feis is just another place to perform. Every show and every feis, she cries at least twice before even putting on her shoes...crowds, anticipation, the neckline of her costume, WHO KNOWS!

Oh, and she started hardshoes a couple of months before classes stopped for summer. I let her compete in hardshoe in one feis, but she really doesn't like hardshoes...too loud and the shoes bother her feet. So this last feis, I just put her into the soft shoe competitions.

Good luck to your dd. Perhaps once she tries a feis, she might get addicted like we did! And maybe some day we'll see you at the South Bend one. It's not terribly far from us, I don't think!

 

[KirstenB]

Congratulations! You were so kind when I posted on the Community Board asking if anyone else had a child with hypotonia (our 11 mth old was just diagnosed, and accepted into Early Intervention), and you were very informative.

I was just thinking about your daughter today, and hoping you all were continuing to do well! I'm having a little bit of a tough time accepting our daughter's condition, and your daughter is very inspirational to me. Thank you and please continue to let us all know of her victories!

 

[RunDanceSkate]

Another Irish Dance mom here. You must be so proud. There is nothing like the feeling of watching your child do something they love. My DD is 9, she competes U10 Novice, and my heart just melts when I see her smile as she dances. DD loves to dance at nursing homes as well.

I can't post photos yet but if you go to irishdancing.ca, she is wearing a pink dress with hearts and stars and a bun on the first page. On the memories page she has on the blue school dress with gold embroidery, short curls and the worlds biggest smile, futher down she is alone in front of the Canadian flag with full curls. As well in a pink and orange dress she is with the Leprechaun. She has Alopecia Areata as well as other medical issues so she gets lots of wigs LOL.

My favourite photo is linked off the first page bottom right, news and updates.

 

[taximomfor4]

Awww,RunDanceSkate, I looked at the pix you mentioned. Adorable!! Maybe we'll see you at a feis one day!

Thanks, everyone, for sharing my excitement!

Beth

 

[spiceycat]

Hey, just wanted to say that dd competed again in Irish Dance yesterday, in another town, and placed in her REEL now...3rd place which means that next year, she competes at a new level.

You guys, I know, are the people who can best understand how I feel. It's not pride that she is placing, it is pride that she is working abnd persevering and keeping up with her fellow dancers, for the most part. She works so hard, practices several times a day with NO input from me. I tear up when I watch her dance, with her great big smile every time the judge catches her eye. Hers, I think, was the only smile out there.

good for her!!!!

she is far braver than I was - then or now. I hate to speak, dance or anything in front of people.

you have a right to proud!