A CASE of MAGIC: Life of an Irish Dancer

"Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another" - Anonymous

Back in September Makenna started taking weekly dance classes at the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance. The steps, the fun, the dance that comes from putting all the steps together, the stage presence along with the pretty dresses, curly hair, special shoes and potential for makeup all has MC intensely passionate about the sport. She skips around the house doing her hop 1,2,3's and is always practicing her jig moves. Always. In fact just the other night she was in her room and was of course supposed to be asleep. Scott was showing my mom and I a video that included Irish Music and all of the sudden we hear the pounding of steps upstairs in tune with the music. We all had a laugh and told MC to go. back. to. bed.

Last month she was added to a performing dance troupe and in the past week she has performed at a nursing home, a brunch for an association, a doctor's week celebration at a local hospital and the Elmhurst Irish Parade. Each time she gets on stage she has the biggest, widest, sustained smile I have ever seen and she takes in each moment with unified glory. She is in her element and she shines.

Trinity is much more than a dance company. They make it fun without the pressure and teach the kids so much more than the jig and the reel. They reach out to the community and show the kids the gift of entertaining others and making them smile. The older dancers lead the younger dancers and Makenna will eventually be exposed to the beauty of winning and losing at competitions as well as cheering on her friends. They have a track for the dancers to follow as they learn the dances which eventually leads to earning a solo dress; of course MC already has her eye on that goal. Actually, she already has plans to compete in Ireland just like her older dance friends. Wherever this sport will lead her, it is so great for right now and we are all really enjoying seeing her excel and so very happy.

Last Sunday we headed out to the parade ready to share our irish spirit and watch Makenna dance through the streets. She couldn't of been more excited.

Silly face Rylan.

The show captain paired the younger girls with an older dancer and they marched beautifully through the streets of Elmhurst. She waved, she danced, she smiled and enjoyed her first parade experience. The photographs I think say it all.