Dancing with unicorns

No one else understands the dance and the love for it the same way you do.

[1122deactivated2211]

[worthallthetreble]

I find it funny that I sewn my own solo dress and then made a dress bag for it and when people find out, they are like, moderately in awe of the solo dress and ABSOLUTELY APESHIT EXCITED for the dress bag. 

Life of an artist, I guess. Simplest thing might look the hardest.

[fayrees]

I guess there are more people who sew their own solo dresses than those who sew their own dress bag. :D

[worthallthetreble]

Left Leg Go Die Question

So, during the deeply philosophical time of applying the left eyeliner, I was thinking: do the left-handed dancers have the same problem with left leg as the right-handed dancers do (or have problem with right leg instead)? 

I don’t know it this dominance of one side goes all the way down or it’s exclusively for the hands. Sorry for the silly question and thanx for the answers!

[little-red-lily]

I always thought Irish dancers had trouble on the left because we learn everything on the right first and thus it simply gets more practice. Like, typically you’d learn the right foot of a step or a jump or a treble on the right first so it gets more practice sooner. But I’m right handed so that could be completely wrong haha

[poofsandpoodlesox]

I’m a lefty! And I definitely have trouble with the left foot of my steps. Usually it’s the transition parts going into jumps and moves; I think lefties get confused more easily with directions (least I do! Can’t speak for us all). I always have to redo a move slowly on my right foot when learning it on the left. It’s like when I get to it on my left my brain has no clue what to do and I literally stop and have to repeat it in the right to isolate each movement so I can teach my left side lol! However, sometimes I can do a move easier on the left than on the right. For me it kind of depends on the move, but I’m definitely more dominate with some things on my left side. My arching is much stronger and I have more of that straight line angle on my left foot than my right, but my balance and ability to isolate beats is more difficult on my left, probably bc we do learn and practice more on the right side.

[funnydressesweirdhairanddance]

This is very interesting, the academic in me wants to do research on this (I wonder if there are studies on this already)! I’m right-handed, but my experience in learning steps is very similar to the above ^

I’m slower in learning steps on the left, and definitely have to go back and do the steps slowly on the right to understand what I’m supposed to be doing on the left and still it feels like I’m doing things weirdly backwards and for example rocks feel very odd on the left, as if my legs don’t match the way they do on the right, if that makes any sense.

[fayrees]

I’m left handed and I’m still better on the right mostly, but I feel like that’s a matter of practice - my right leg catches new movement easily, while left struggles more, usually when I’m being shown the movement on the right first - the first one to learn the movement is usually better.

Also when it comes to jumps, when having the right one in front/doing stuff they’re better, as my left is usually the “support” leg and is stronger for take offs and things like those. 

When it comes to real life, my right hand/side of body is absolutely useless, but when dancing, I tend to prefer right because it’s always been “right first”.

Sorry if this makes no sense.

[nintenduh64]

what

[theshinybuckles]

When did Irish Dancers start sacrificing carriage for leg height?

I have watched a lot of videos for the Parade of Champions from several Feiseanna and I find a lot of these strong and powerful dancers are bending or arching their back to get that extra height in kicks or lifts. I even see it blatantly in action shots.

Is it just me that feels this way?

[achieversarebelievers]

🍀🦄🌏 Whatever happens tomorrow I feel so lucky to have the support I have from the people I love the most and the opportunities I have to dance💞 To be able to dance is a gift in itself and something that will forever be a big part of my life🍀 #fortheloveofdance

[fayrees]

I finished my minor degree studies on Monday and since then I just enjoyed the fact I don’t have to study several hours a day after a month or so and that I don’t have to do another 568484+ things around.

So much I completely forgot to tan for the feis. I’m leaving tomorrow.

I hope there will be the “Palest Competitor Award”.

[lots-of-treble]

How to handle an epic wipeout in the middle of dance class

[sky-dance]

Ahaha I’m happy I had quit that at 6…

[worthallthetreble]

All I can think of is @fayrees and her incredibly graceful almost-split in the middle of the Heavy Jig. That thing was so life-changing will have it burned in my retinas for the rest of my life! :D

[fayrees]

You just have to make the best of every situation. :D

And I had no other choice (falling on my legs was not an option). :D

[theglasgowreel-deactivated20210]

An app I really need someone to invent

when you hear a piece of Irish music and you don’t know the specific name of the tune being played, you open the app while the music is playing and it  will tell you it’s name, history, and then list musicians who have recorded it. 

Someone please get on this.

[fayrees]

My boyfriend is this kind of app :D

[worthallthetreble]

The good thing about not being insanely talented is that you have to stop expecting and you have to start working. 

Three years ago at this time of the year I was injured and miserable, constantly thinking about what could’ve been and what big goals that are escaping me. So I changed the school, I faced the potential I was actualy working with, I was working my ass off through re-learning the basics, through more injuries, through my own unhealthy mindset…. And now, three sweaty, bloody, sometimes desperate years later, it paid off. I moved up from Primary, in which I was stuck for years, in the span of two feisanna. 

M not saying m on the top of the world, the real hard work barely started… But there is something amazing about knowing where the success came from.

[fayrees]

I’m so happy for you. :3 See you in Open in a bit. ;)

[worthallthetreble]

My bb!!!

[fayrees]

Love :3

[fayrees]

Past few months, I’ve been pretty excited about taking another Grade exams. Determined I can make it with my upcoming state exam, and I’m sure I could.

Now I know the best idea would be to scrape the Grades as I’m drowning in piles of texts for state exam, with entry exam for master’s studies the same day.

It breaks my heart. I’m just not sure if undergoing everything is worth my mental health.

[worthallthetreble]

A fantastic thing happened to me the other week

Some of you know my family is not very happy with me dancing. It’s not like they are discouraging (anymore), but they kinda leave me to it and don’t share my enthusiasm for destroying my body in the class every other day without getting anything solid in return.

And just last week my mom met, after several years, our sorta-vaguely-friend (friend of a friend, you know the drill) who is quite a big name in the theatre and choreography. And this amazing lady remembered me, and asked my mom if I still dance and how m doing. My mother told her I do but that m constantly hitting the wall because of injuries and that I’m refusing to give up. And this epic dancer/choreographer/teacher, who’d had a lifetime of professional dancing, lifetime of struggle and injuries, said:

“I completely understand her.”

“Her”. Meaning me, the amateur dancer, who will never be a professional, who will never become a champion. She didn’t brush me off as someone who has no potential anymore, who is not even a pro, whos injuries are minimal compared to hers. No, she understands what it means to love dance so much you just can’t give up, no matter what level you are on.

Dancer is a dancer. Love is love. She can relate.

And it is so encouraging! I think it made my mom finaly realise it, why I can’t give up no matter how much it hurts, physicaly and mentaly. 

It’s been just so amazing to hear that…

[worthallthetreble]

I just love dance so much.

You can’t really tell because I am not that good at it, I am not an Open Champion or making up amazing steps and I can’t improvise to save my life or all the stuff people associate with being a passionate dancer. 

But I love it so much. And I don’t really know what to do with that love because it doesn’t show and most of the time I just limp my way into and out of the class, simply because I can’t give up on it and that’s all. 

But that’s it. That’s it for me.

[1122deactivated2211]

New Zealand. 2000.

[worthallthetreble]

“Fall down seven times stand up eight.”

[fayrees]

I’m so sorry. I just love how you dance and this is such a shame. Stay strong, you beautiful human dancer you.

[balkonzwerg]

My friend is selling her dress! It would fit a tall, slim dancer. She’s asking 700€ plus shipping, message me for details! Please share this post ☺️