I have been reflecting on what it means to feel like a cultural insider vs. outsider, and how that shapes my understanding of ownership and protection in the traditional arts. I explore why competition in cultural arts spaces can feel so fierce, and how insecurity and scarcity mindsets can limit us.
Irish dance contains multiple styles, each shaped by different histories, regions, and communities, and those differences matter to how we learn, teach, and perform today. I reflect on how festival, competitive, and “old style” forms have been defined and policed, and how dancers navigate expectations about what “counts” as real Irish dance. I ask what it might look like to honor these lineages while also making space for experimentation, hybridity, and dancers’ own evolving relationships with the tradition.
When I came up with my new mini-slogan, “There are many ways to be an Irish dancer,” it came from many, many years of trying to figure out where I want to position myself in this wonderful, complex world of Irish dance. A slogan is one thing, but explaining the decades of experience and lessons that led to it is another.
We were happy to be back at the Southern Maryland Celtic Festival in St. Leonard again this year!
We had a great St. Patrick's Day this year! Although March can be a stressful time, this year we prioritized fun and connection.
