Rocking New Mexico!

    This weekend we ventured the 377 miles to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the New Mexico State championships . Despite the first nights ridiculous hotel shenanigans we had a very enjoyable dinner with friends and a great feis! Keelie has been working very hard the last month with her dance teachers to prepare for this feis.

     For those not Feis/Irish dance knowledgeable lol the way it works is.... You start out as a beginner 1 and you learn 4 dances : Reel, Light Jig, Slip Jig and Single Jig. When you compete at a feis you have to place 1st, 2nd or 3rd out of at least 5 dancers to move to beginner 2 . Once in beginner 2 you have to place 1st or 2nd( pending amount in the competition) to move to novice and it gets harder from there. You also start hard shoe dances - Double Jigs, Hornpipe and Saint Patricks Day. Once you have 4 dances at a novice level you can earn a solo dress( the fancy sparkly dresses) from there you go to prizewinner then pre-lim champ then open champ. Each dance is done by age level so "most "of the time Keelie dances with kids close to her age. ( I'm typing via cell phone so excuse any errors in info)

     It was very random the amount of kids in each of Keelie's dances. So some of them had enough to move up if she placed well and others didn't. Her first dance was the reel and she rocked it!. She looked so good, arms and all I thought for sure at least top 3( 7 dancers total) we were so excited to see she got first- it was one of those I'm going to cry moments we were so proud of her. This dance was her first placement into a novice level dance Then her light jig- she rocked it too! A few things she could have done better to earn that top spot but hey we will take 2nd, this dance has been her soft shoe nemesis!!This placement moved her from beginner 1 to beginner 2! Keelie kind of seemed to lose steam and focus at this point... she is only 5..... her slip jig wasn't the best but she got out there and did it and earned a 3rd place, however not enough dancers to move up. The last soft shoe dance was her single jig and it looked pretty good- this dance has lots of leaps- something her little butt has to work a lot on! But she earned herself a 4th place and a lunch break! I initially dreaded this lunch break but it was heaven sent. Keelie badly needed a break. Refueled and focus back on Keelie rocked her Treble Jig and Saint Patricks' day...... her hornpipe on the other hand has become her hard shoe nemesis. No matter how many times she practices it right she always forgets the second step while performing it. She placed 3rd in the first two and no placement in the hornpipe, none of these dances had enough kids to move up except the hornpipe. Due to the lower number of participants at this feis all of Keelie's competitions were combined with older age groups. So as a 5 year she competed in the U9 group for all her hard shoe  dances and to get 3rd with  kids 2,3 & 4 years older then her I think makes her our rock star! We all had fun this weekend, it was a great short family trip even Deklan behaved very well, especially considering the hours we had to wait for results! So 2 more dances closer to her pretty dress and we are looking forward to the upcoming Saint Patricks' events and 2 more out of town Feis's!

   

Octoberfeis

     First of all we would like to Thank everyone who has made an honest effort to attend Keelies Feis's (You know who you are).And also to everyone out of state(and a few at home!) supporting her!! We definitely know how busy life is and understand that people can't attend them all! It has started to mean a lot to Keelie as well as Will and I. And of course our new extended Irish Dance family that we always get to share them with! Keelie is at the age that she has learned what promises are, and has also learned what it means to have a promise not followed through or simply to not have the effort made at all. As her parents Will and I have become very cut throat on protecting her from disappointment that isn't necessary that she face.




   The 2nd Irish Dancing Feis Keelie competed in was the Martin Percival School of Irish dance Octoberfeis in greenwood village. She competed in the First Feis under 7 age group and danced the Light Jig and Reel. She did a great job, placing 2nd in the Light Jig and 3rd in the Reel. She has a lot of practicing to do when it comes to not watching the dancers next to her! Every school has different steps to each dance, so watching someone not from our school blows your whole concentration and at Keelies age confuses the heck out her!


     Some of the  Feisannas do a special dance. The octoberfeis one was a Silly Sock dance. Keelie, her grandma and I made some little Halloween Irish dancers and attached them to fun Halloween socks with stickers. There were about 23 competitors ages 9 and under. Keelie was one of the last to dance. The moment Keelie started to dance the whole Ballroom erupted in cheers and whistles, naturally feeding from this Keelie took off dancing and owned that stage. There's no way to explain the whole scene in words but it was one of those emotionally charged makes this mom tear up kind of moments! Keelie was so into the moment not only did she drop the dance she was supposed to be doing and do her own she also had to be asked to stop dancing when her time was up! The dance was judged wrong and places were given to very good dancers( champions ect) that Keelie had no chance in beating, but she had a blast anyways and we won't ever forget the crowds reaction!

     Keelie won her first trophy and another medal to add to her prized awards shelf and we have a very long break until the next feis due to her surgery, so lots and lots of time to practice!!

Festivals, Dancing, and Heritage!

   This past weekend was an absolute blast! Will and I decided to sign Keelie up for her first Irish Feis, and crazily chose the Longs Peak Scottish/Irish Feis to do so! The kids, their Godmother Danielle and I drove up to Estes Park Saturday afternoon and met up with my parents. We had a fun evening at the YMCA of the Rockies lodging. Keelie went swimming with grandpa and some friends from dance and after a very wide awake Deklan finally fell asleep I managed to get a couple hours of sleep! O-dark thirty comes fast!!

     The process of putting Keelie's hair up and her wig on can be rather lengthy but I managed to get it done, go eat some breakfast and make it to the fair grounds in record time- an accomplishment for our family!! The Feis started at 9 with figure danced slotted first. Keelie was registered to dance the 2 hand reel- which is a 2 person reel dance. The solo reel and solo light jig. We got Keelie dressed, she ran thru a couple practice dances with her partner and then headed backstage. I thank god for Danielle, cause without her I would have been one lost confused mess!

      There were 2 stages one large and one smaller stage. Inside the large tent were 3 different stages all in a row. Each stage hosts the same dance but different age group. Dancing got underway, it seemed to end as fast as it started!! They get going and don't stop rolling- i made a rhyme, retarded I know! Anyways.... Keelie danced the 2 hand- and she did a really good job! I was so nervous I wanted to cry- sad I know, but I guess someone had to be nervous and Keelie sure wasn't! Very short break in-between, quick run thru of the next dance and back on stage. Keelie was a bit confused and grab the girl closest to her on stage- still thinking she was dancing the 2 hand and refusing to let go. Another dancer from the school finally told her she had to dance by herself and she let go! All week prior to the feis we had practiced with Keelie, she new not to wave to anyone and if she forgot the steps to just keep dancing! And keep dancing she did! Each school has different steps to each dance- so it can be very confusing. You try your hardest not to watch the dancer next to you and remember your own steps- of course for Keelie that was a little hard! It was so crazy in the tent with a million dancers and people watching. Keelie started her reel, in what seemed to be the right steps and from there on out I have no clue as to what dance she was doing! But hey she kept on dancing! Her third and final dance went about the same- her little butt danced all over the stage- she was even told by one of the helpers twice that her dance was over and she needed to stop- she gave him a not so happy look and walked to the back of the stage. 

     

       We did this feis to get the experience, and did not expect Keelie to place in anything, but to her happy surprise she got a 4th place in the 2 hand reel! We are so very PROUD of her!! She wore her medal proudly for majority of the day- showing it to everyone! Keelie loves the stage- she begged to go back on and dance - so to avoid temptation we went and walked the festival. After enjoying a few things with some family friends, we ate some yummy food and will and my mom spent some time looking into our family heritage. Will was able to find his family line- the Clan Macraes and my mom found the Clan Ross. After doing a bunch of research today we added the Clan O'Briens and the Clan Campbell's to our lineage line! Will is beyond excited to have discovered all his family colors and crests and is already planning our festival trip next year! I will enjoying the fair with my 2 men dressed proudly in their kilts( oh yes will is beyond stoked for his kilt and will be putting Deklan in one as well) and my daughter who will be dressed in her Shirley temple wig-- I can't wait!!

FEIS FUN!!!!!

For all our Family and friends here is a tentative schedule for all of the upcoming feiseannas .Keelie will be competing in!! Tentative- meaning after we see how she does at the first one this weekend!!

Keelie will pretty much always dance on the Sunday of the feis( for now)

and will usually be one of the first dances of the day! It will be awesome to see anyone who comes to watch and support Keelie. A few *rules* to be noted(not my rules-ones we were warned of!) Pictures are not really allowed during the competition( so sneak them!) DO NOT go anywhere near the stage or adjudicators table. Please be very quiet, no clapping or anything during the dancing, and for Keelies sake of staying focused don't wave at her- she has been practicing all week not to wave at anyone from the stage( she loves to wave) :)

Longs Peak Feis 2011
Scottish-Irish Highland Festival
Estes Park, CO - Sep 10, 2011 to Sep 11, 2011
Website-http://www.scotfest.com/Scottish_Festival/Home.html
*This Feis you have to buy tickets for- $20 online to get in the festival gate


Oktoberfeis
Friday Sept 30, Sat Oct1, Sun Oct 2                                          
Double Tree Denver Tech Center
7801 East Orchard Road
Greenwood Village, Colorado
Website--http://www.octoberceilimor.com/index.htm


Celtic Steps School Feis (Will have more info soon)
October 29
Denver, CO


Colorado Fall Feis 2011 (Will have more info for this one as well)
Loveland, CO - Nov 6, 2011