Munich Feis

When we first moved to Munich, the girls both signed up for Irish Dance as an after-school activity.  Once a week they would meet, learn a new step and practice until they got it perfect.  Stinkerbell didn't enjoy it as much as MadHatter did, so she found another activity to do on that day.  MadHatter, on the other hand, fell in love with the music, the movements, and her teachers.  If you have been around her for any period of time in the past two years you have probably had the privilege of watching her dance.  And dance well.  She has rhythm, she has precision and she can get those really long legs of hers into positions I can't even think about without pulling a muscle. 

The one thing I could never get her to do though was to take her grade exams or enter the competitions put on by her dance school.  She just didn't think she was ready to get up in front of the judges.  But her teacher, Ms. Lucy, convinced her that she was more than ready and that the only way she could move on to her hard shoes (the ones they are all wearing in Riverdance) was to pass her level 1 and 2 exams and MadHatter agreed.

On our way...

Last Saturday was the big day.  Up first, the grade exams.  There are 12 levels in Irish Dancing and you must take the official grade exams to be able to move on to the next level or to compete on a national level.  I am not sure she is going to want to go that far but it's nice to know she can if she wants to.  She was nervous!  Having never performed for judges before it was understandable.  And having to do it behind closed doors in front of your peers makes it even a bit scarier.  When she came out you could see the relief on her face, though she was a bit nervous about how she did.

 The four BIS girls before their exams.

 Opening their results.  She passed both levels!  On to level 3.

She was so relieved to have passed that she wasn't even nervous for the competition rounds.  

The rounds consisted of doing the single dances in pairs (or small groups).  She competed with her easy reel, light jig, slip jig and single jig and finished it up with a solo performance of her slip jig.  Quite intense for her first go at it.  I snapped a few pictures but they really don't do the dancing as much justice as the video's do...

 Awaiting her scoring on one of the group rounds.

 

 The judge was none other than the lead dancer in Riverdance and arguably one of the best in the business.  She is a former 5 time World Champion, a principal dancer with Riverdance, a tv personality and luckily, a good friend to our own Shane McAvinchey, who is one of MadHatters teachers.

After a few hours of dancing (and watching the more experienced kids dance), it was time for our results.  MadHatter took home 5 medals in all placing as high as 4th place!  It is safe to say that she is hooked and is already looking forward to her next competition in June.