Dance Teachers Hit the Road

Many dancers across the world felt the loss as feiseanna were cancelled following the distancing guidelines imposed by Covid-19 restrictions. Despite these new obstacles, dance teachers have risen to the challenge, coming up with new and exciting ways to keep the light of dance alive.

 

When the Erickson Academy was forced to cancel the Queen City Feis, an annual tradition in Cincinnati, Ohio, McGing Irish Dance teachers dreamed up the McGing Irish Dancers Porch Feis. "For many of our dancers they only attend 2-3 feiseanna a year and this was one of them, so we wanted to do something special since we couldn't Feis." Madeline Duckworth, TCRG shared. When Mary McGing Duckworth and Madeline Duckworth came up with the idea to bring the feis to the dancers, the entire teaching staff was onboard and so excited to help! So on May 9 they hit the road; 7 teachers and 42 judges drove more than 300 miles all over Cincinnati. All told they visited 42 houses with 60 dancers participating.The teachers acted as judges (and musicians!) and many had their husbands and/or children with them too. The teachers made their own signs for every dancers that they were visiting. Each dancer also received a medal and everyone won 1st place. Duckworth told IDM, "It really was a special day and lifted the kids spirits." 

 

Two weeks later, inspired by the McGing Front Porch Feis, the Cleary School hosted their Feis in Place. As Los Angeles County remained on lockdown, Cleary teachers spent three days traveling back and forth across Los Angeles to see nearly every student perform in their driveway or patio.

Each family had the feis stage set up - complete with a judging table.

Team Cleary families went all out! Families put out adjudicator stations complete with treats. Some had registration tables and stage signs. There were feis vendors and musicians. There were official feis photographers and raffle baskets and feis hospitality. The weekend even included a family special and soda bread competitions.

Everyone was a winner, from the family, friends, neighbors and even random dog walkers came out to watch and show their support, to the dancers, who all placed first. Cleary’s Katie Dean TCRG told IDM, “It was a ton of work, but all for fun and a great experience…felt like what we all needed!”

View more photos of these events on the McGing Irish Dancers and Cleary Irish Dancers facebook pages.

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