Dance mum diaries
Karmel Schreyer
went to the World Irish Dance Championships in Germany,
and discovered that what is learned there has global applications.
W
hen you think of world-
level competitions,
you probably envision
the Olympics or the
orld Cup. But people who enjoy life’s
more esoteric endeavours also meet
for the joys and challenges of mutual
support and competition, which is how
I found myself watching my own child
compete on a world stage.
You could certainly call Irish
dancing in Asia esoteric, and Irish
dancers in Hong Kong “a rare breed”.
But there they were, 25 of them – 22
students and three instructors from
Echoes of Erin School of Irish Dance
– flying to Düsseldorf this past Easter
for three days of competition in which
they’d represent Hong Kong at the
World Irish Dance Association’s
European Grade Feis Premierships
and Championships, and the WIDA
World Championships. I went in with
no expectations, but definitely learned
some lessons.
Don’t assume you know everything
In the months leading up to the trip,
my daughter spent 15 hours a week
in lessons and rehearsals. Other
interests, including ballet and golf, and
schoolwork, took a back seat. Parents
became fundraisers; I organised a
quiz night and, though gratified by the
support, we still needed more money
for the costumes, props and fees
required to compete. Occasionally I
begrudged the time my daughter spent
preparing, but she never wavered.
And, in retrospect, I regret my lack of
understanding of the journey she and
her fellow dancers were on. Lesson
learned.
Be prepared
Irish Dance Premierships, World
Championships – these are
grand-sounding events, but can
bore the uninitiated. Anyone
expecting
Riverdance
would likely be
disappointed. But, for those of us who
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