PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Irish dance students at Scoil Rince Bréifne Ó Ruairc have found support in their peers. 

 

The Irish American Club of Berkshire County opened the school in 2021, offering "high-quality traditional Irish dance" classes to children and adults in Pittsfield. In addition to dance instruction, the school also offers an Irish music class. (An explanation of the school's name can be found here.)

 

The students have also been able to build friendships and experience new things, such as dancing for community events, taking a trip to Ireland and participating in competitions. 

 

"Whenever in this space, everyone accepts you for who you are and doesn't judge you. And it's just a really accepting place," champion dancer Maris Darby said.

 

The most recent championship competition in Pittsburgh proved to be a fruitful occasion for every dancer, with each placing in almost every dance class they participated in, Executive Director Jennifer Darby added. 

 

The three-day North American Open Championships event had various competitions at several levels, including solos, awards and teams. The students demonstrated their support for one another, which they built in the classroom through the friendships they made.

 

"Irish dancing is such a community, like at competitions we can have two people in the same competition but we chose to cheer just as loudly for both of them," dancer Evelyn Rathbun said. 

 

"Like if you get placed lower than the other person you still scream at the top of your lungs for their wins."

 

Whether you win or mess up, their peers support and cheer each other on, dancers said. 

 

"Everyone's seen you at your highest point and your lowest point, and they always give support," Maris Darby said.

 

When people cheer you on, it makes the performer feel better than they would if they weren't being cheered for, dancer Aibhlinn Quinones Johnson said. 

 

When you are doing well but only have one person cheering you on, it does not feel as good as having a group of people cheer you when you don't do well, she said. 

 

Even if you didn't win, you're still being recognized for the hard work you put into getting there, Jennifer Darby added. 

 

Maris Darby became an champion, or craobh ghrad, after winning the Under 13 Ardghrad Award competition, placing her at the highest level in the Cumann Rince Náisiúnta (CRN.)

 

"Maris Darby qualified for Worlds in 2021 and has traveled to compete there in 2022 and 2023, placing 12th in the Under 12 championship in 2023," Jennifer Darby said. 

 

CRN was established in 1982 in Dublin, Ireland, by Ita Cadwell. The "widely known" dance organization "has successfully maintained the integrity of traditional dances, while actively encouraging the development of new and innovative work."

 

To become a champion, dancers must win their way through every dance and level as they age. Getting to the fifth level becomes much harder once they reach the fourth out of five levels. The dancer must win the whole championship to become a champion. 

 

Dancer Grace Pickering qualified for the World Championships, after winning all her remaining dances in the mean ghrad level. She is now at level four, and her next goal is to become a champion. 

 

This achievement qualifies her for the CRN World Championships, which will take place in Killarney, Ireland, in June.

 

One of the school's under 10 six-hand reel team won their championship by performing the "Fairy Reel." 

 

Dancer Rose Garrison participated in her first solo championship and placed 14th in a large group. It was her first time performing in a solo championship as she just recently became qualified. 

 

"To qualify [for solo championship] dancers must have achieved ardghrad standard or higher in at least 3 solo dances, and meanghrad standard or higher in the other 2 dances," Jennifer Darby said.

 

"Most dancers do not earn a placement at all the first time they compete in a championship," 

 

Students said the experiences they have had while attending the Irish dance school has given them  myriad skills including flexibility, balances, time organization, confidence, and more. 

 

Although it is challenging you feel confident with yourself because you were able to accomplish it, Pickering said. 

 

"It's really fun, because the harder you try, the better you get. The better you get the harder the stuff you can do," she said. 

 

It is "cool" to perform at other areas in the community like Hancock Shaker Village because your friends get to see you perform, dancer Owen Rathbun said. 

 

Unlike at competitions, performing for events in the community allows their family and friends to capture the competition so they can look back on it later, dancer Evelyn Rathbun said. 

 

"I think it's really amazing, cuz it brings you so much joy performing and since you can take pictures and record it, you can see, when someone captures all the happiness in just one picture. It just looks amazing," Maris Darby said. 

 

There is also not as much risk when performing for the community during events, so you can try things you can not do during competitions, dancer Rose Garrison said.