Dance Diary in April

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April 2, 2002
Ah, well. I'm back from the dead, I guess you could say. St. Patrick's Day was fun. Our school had it's recital on the 15th, and we were in the parade and three (count 'em, three) shows on the 16th. One show was at a pub downtown (Turley's Irish Pub), one was out at the media booth by the parade (the media booth is where all of the news people are, and we danced for them and got on every channel that night), and the last was for a St. Patrick's show at our school. Only the Prelims and Champs came to this one. The Beginners through Prizewinners had a show earlier that morning right after the parade.
On the 31st of March, we were taped on a special for Maureen's sister, Tara, who placed at the World Figure Skating championships. We did some dancing and eventually got the whole room into a fun ceili! But with the sweets come the not-so-sweet, and after I went home, we were all greeted with some unhappy news: my evil cousins have returned for two weeks!!! Ack! I know, it's simply wretched, but what can I do?
Well, I missed the March Webfeis due to a busy schedule and a mildly sprained ankle (which is healed), and I was plumb tuckered out of competing last month, as it has been a very busy few years of Webfeiseanna.
Oh, I saved the worst news for last! Three of my elder cousins pushed me down the stairs and I broke my collar bone. My doctor said that it's perfectly fine to compete at the end of this month, as long as the Ajudicator lets me have my arm up in a sling. Da will talk to him/her when the time rolls around.
Keelin (Ah, what the hey, Caoilfhionn) gave me the goahead to compete at the end of this month, too.
In dance news, I've been learning the steps to the new Sets that the WebCoimisiun just introduced. Some are really fun, others really challenging, and all are really nifty! Siobhan is scheduled to take the WTCRG in Ireland in May, and Caoilfhionn is going to get the WADCRG this summer, too, so we'll be on break from May to July! In June, though, Caoilfhionn said she'd bring down a substitute, but she couldn't be sure if we'd have the sub in July and May, so we tentatively said break would happen then. Siobhan comes back from Ireland in late July, and class will resume. Caoilfhionn is staying over in Ireland to teach until September, again. She did that last year, if you remember.

April 21, 2002:
Sorry I haven't written in so long. I've been quite busy. My cousins have disappeared, and I'm dancing in Webfeis next weekend.
In happy news, I'm going with Maureen, Andie and Mairéad to California for a skating challenge! As you know, I also went to CT for a figure skating competition in which Tara (Maureen's older sister), and Sarah (Andrea's older sister) were competing.
I rode with Andrea up to CT. We were rather hyper, as I brought candy along, and, well, we were excited about the coming competition!
When we arrived, we checked into the hotel and met up with Maureen, Mallory and Tara. Tara and Sarah went off together to practice, go over routines, etc., etc., and so Maureen, Mal, Andrea and I wandered about, were gathered up again, and went to the competition.
It was excellent! Sarah skated sooooo well! I was amazed at how she moved! We cheered really loud, but most of Andrea's cheers and whistles were at this sexy skater. She dragged us around to go exploring, but honestly, I knew it was to find that skater!
Maureen wasn't with, and I was curious as to why, so we went looking around for her, but she wasn't there! It was as if she disappeared! But luckily, Tara found her wandering around, and looking altogether miserable.
But after that, as we were leaving for a dinner party, and Maureen's family gets a call stating that her older sister is pregnant! It was quite an interestng experience. Mallory and Maureen jumped up and danced, as they had their shoes, but since Andrea and I didn't, we stayed and shoved food in our mouths. It was great fun! I love to eat.
Right now I'm in the car going home. We were at one of Aiobh's feiseanna It's raining, actually, and we're waiting in the ferry line to get to Inis. Aiobh is asleep.
Whoa! Lightning!

April 27, 2002:
Dance has been rather depressing, lately. I love to compete sooo much! I settle for anything! 4ths, 3rds, 2nds, 1sts, but Andie doesn't, and I'm a little bit annoyed/worried/angry.
She got so mad because of her 3rd at the last Webfeis! When you go to a webfeis of any kind, just placing is an honor! I hardly get as much 1sts as she does, but I don't get angry about it, and I don't consider dropping Irish dance because of a bad placement: evil people, yes, bad placements, no!!!!
It's silly to think that one "bad" placement can get you down. Real Champion dancers are happy when they get 6th! Argh! Honestly! This has been making me angry since it happened.
At my first Webfeis, I didn't even place, and now I'm an Open Champion.

Go figure.

I entered the April feis just before they suspended them all. I'm practicing for when it resumes, because I thought I danced really well, and it's my first Championship competition, as I didn't go last time. Family matters.
My collarbone is still set, meaning my arm is in a sling. The adjudicators didn't mind at all! I felt really stupid at first, doing my Championship set dance with a sling, and then my Championship Slip Jig the same way, but after a while, I just got used to it.
I have three more weeks with my sling and brace.

I just the point of this entry is simple: I'm not really enjoying Irish dance, what with Reese disappearing, Andie thinking of quitting (for baby reasons in my mind), and my arm in a sling.
What I thought would be the funnest thing ever, turned out to be the worst thing ever.

April 30, 2002:

Listen to this! Okay, what with the suspension of the commission last month, and it's newly semi-reopening, I have decided to switch to Damhsa! And there's why: there is no suspension! So if I get the spot in Damhsa, I'll still be able to compete in this month's Webfeis!
It's so great!
But there is a major uncertainty regarding Andie. I'm not sure if she'll be taking second session at Damhsa - or Irish dancing altogether!
Aoibh is off to Worlds in five days. I hope she places well!