These are the original archives of my performances from the old site. Like my feis results, I didn't keep up detailed performance entries very regularly after the first few. Later ones got written up on my Livejournal, and I'll go grab them eventually. As with my other archived entries, I have edited nothing. The format, the spelling, and every error are saved for posterity. I also may have forgotten some of our smaller shows or appearances.

Recital 2002
St. Patrick's Day - Waterford Asst. Living Show
St. Patrick's Day Parade 2002
Miners Coalition Party
KHQ News
Celtic Storm
The Advent of Yule
Davenport Hotel Show (all I remember from this is we made some huge mistakes in our dances)
Retirement Center Show
St. Patrick's Day Parade 2003
Folk Life
Spokane Highland Games
Spokane County Fair
Celtic Harvest
Celtic Odyssey
First Night Spokane
St. Patrick's Day Parade 2004

Recital at the Mothergoose Progressive Coffeehouse (Spokane, WA - March 2002) Ahem, ahem. Is this thing on? ::taps mic:: Ahem. I HAVE NO BLOODY IDEA HOW THIS RECITAL IS SUPPOSED TO WORK!
We have a nursing home show for St. Pat's the day after, but apparently we're doing the same stuff at the recital as we are at the nursing home show, except for the fact that it is all classes, so they aren't going to have two Opening Reels, two 8-Hands (of the exact same kind) and all that. But, of course, if the floor is large enough, they could put two on stage, or combine the Opening Reel into one big dance, but this is of my own inference. Who knows what we are really doing! I know I don't.
I haven't really been thinking about the recital much, what with a feis (and mind you, my first) preceeding it and all. But when the time comes, I think I'm going to be filled with more pride and joy than anything else.
I am an Irish dancer, hear me treble!

Okay, so the coffeehouse was huge! We did some warming up, joked around with Alex, Devon, and Johnathan. Rebekah came with her sister Bridgette a little later, and we joked around some more.
We ran-through the performance, which combined both of the St. Pat's shows into one. It worked really well.
We ran through the Opening Reel (our class was to be the first to dance), then we practiced lining up, went through the figures, then once we finished, we discovered that some Highland dancers (two) and a pipe band would be there for the end of the show to do a little performing. We also discovered we'd be teaching the audience The Waves of Tori. Of course that dance took us three days to learn.
We rushed into the changing room, had a quick "dinner" (during which Cait congratulated me on the feis), changed into costume, practiced a little in the back hallway (wow, was there a ton of blue and gold dresses...), and lined up for the Opening Reel.
A little guest speaker who was talking about things that clearly no one was interested in, talked for about five minutes, during which Cait told us to sit. A lot of pictures were taken, blinding me at random times.
We lined up, went through the Opening Reel reely well, had a ball, smiled a lot, kicked high, leaped high...it was so fun!
After the Opening Reel the next dance I was in wasn't for a while, so we talked about camp, a lot. It was really funny. We laughed a lot, did some heel clicks, and had a ball.
We sang Tell Me Ma for the little kids (well, only the chorus...only Deirdre, Cait and Claire sang the rest), then after a time, it was time for our Long Reel. That was fun. The three hand went quite well.
After the Long Reel, we had another break for a few dances, until Glenaid Rince (the 8-Hand). We messed up at the beginning because only our half stood in first, then did the set-up, but that's alright.
We did really well! The audience roared, cheered, shouted, wooped, hollered! It was great! Sooo much fun!
We were done after that, and that's when the Highland dancers arrived. One was in the Irish Jig costume, one was in the traditional vest and kilt. A few of the younger girls had really in depth conversations with these high school-aged Highland dancers, about the dancing types, then they danced for the Highlanders, and the Highlanders practiced the Jig for the little kids. Rebekah and I practiced butterflies and flutters (which Cait calls diddlydums), then we went out and listened to Deirdre. Alex had us fetch his water bottle, only Rebekah and I didn't know which was Johnathan's and which was Alex's, so we got Johnathan's on mistake, so Alex had us go get his. He sooo owes us ;)
When the pipers came in, most of us cringed at first. They were loud! The Highland dancers were cool. One of the pipers commented that when the Haran dancers performed at their recital last October (which I went to), they stole the show. Needless to say, it was great!
The room was really, really, really hot! Come to think of it, every room was hot, but we had a blast! Can't wait to do it again!
The live band definitely helped!

St. Patrick's Day Show (March 2002) We have it all in order, so far. From Opening Reel, to what formations we make after we're done. Of course Deirdre has a big piece of paper to help us get the correct order, so that will help. It's a really small show - maybe only thirty minutes, whereas the Recital I estimate an hour or more.
We're to show up only a half-hour early, stretch, then get ready for the show. It's divided by class (Friday class goes to Sullivan, we go to Waterford), and we get to go to Waterford, a veeerrrrry fancy pancy retirement home/apartment place.
Am I ready? Most definitely!

Waterford St. Pat's Show
My mom and I were the first ones there. I was probably an oddball, seeing as how I was in a dress with Celtic designs, two pairs of shoes on (one pair protecting my ghillies, and the other, my ghillies), and an assortment of other "non-traditional" looks.
Soon, most of us where there. We talked, attempted to attach brocks by using mine as an example (Cait put mine on), I was attacked by all of the little girls (and was saved by my neighbor Lauren and Rebekah's little sister, Bridgette) who all wanted to "play with me" and attached themselves to me. How this happened, I will never know.
Deirdre arrived with Cait and Claire from the Sullivan show, and Alex and Johnathan arrived as well (we were beginning to worry about those two).
The tiny lobby was packed with dozens of the senior residents, and some of our parents, and it was hot!
Deirdre lined us up for the Opening Reel, which we did amazingly (Rebekah and I nailed our quivers - yay for us!) then we lined up for the 8-Hand, which was really fun, but it was squished due to lack of space and a grand piano.
After that, Cait danced her Slip Jig and Deirdre told how Cait qualified for Worlds, but due to lack of money at the time, couldn't go. How positively sad!
Then Deirdre talked about St. Patrick, and was joined by Claire and Cait to sing "The Prayer of St. Patrick", after which was the last dance, the Long Reel.
We lined up, the little kid's 3-Hands went first, then the older kid's 2-Hands, our 3-Hands, Cait's hardshoe solo, the 6-Hands, then it was over.
It was a half-hour long show, which went by so fast, it's almost as if it never happened! But oh how fun it was!

St. Patrick's Day Parade (March 2002)

So far, no information at all other than "it's been at 11:00 AM previous years, so it may be at that time again" and "we're going to have a banner and soundsystem, and don't wear your ghillies, wear black ballet slippers." Other that than, it's a mystery. Hopefully, hopefully we'll get more information either at the Recital or the Feis.

More parade info! We're towards the front because the St. Pat's parade in Spokane really sucks (they put everything in that parade).
We are to meet at the staging area by the Spokane Arena at 11:00 (the parade is starting at 12 PM under the threat of two inches of snow) dressed in our costumes, but not our ghillies. Instead, we're to use black ballet slippers so we don't ruin our good shoes. My left ghillie is coming apart now because we had to dance on carpet at our recital.
There is a truck with a soundsystem. Not sure if/what we're dancing, but hopefully Deirdre will tell us.

St. Patrick's Day Parade, 2002
When I woke up, snow was blanketing the ground, but it was melting. The point was just that it was cold enough to snow!
I got into my costume, and carried my brock safely on a hanger, as they wrinkle sooo easily. I was wearing black ballet slippers, secured with black electrical tape.
When we got to the staging area, dozens upon dozens of floats and other advertisements lined the parking lot. I got out, Cait attached my brock, and I covered my arms with the sweatshirt. More and more people filtered into the area, and soon everyone (minus Alex and Johnathan and the older Amy N.) was there. It took quite some time before we left, during which we cowered from the clowns, jumped up in the air a lot, and were just overly hyper. It was really cold, and we were freezing.
After a while, the parade began to move, and we walked onto the route. Every once in awhile, Deirdre, Cait, or Claire would tell us to do a certain step or do threes. A few times she'd have us run out and do a 6-Hand, 3-Hand, and Devon and I did our 2-Hand. Cait and Claire danced hardshoe a lot. People would shout out "DANCE! DANCE!", and when our row of people (Rebekah, Devon, Krystal, Jessi, Erin and myself) got to carry the banner, Rebekah was interviewed by a radio station. A couple of news broadcasters ran hurridly over to Cait and Claire's feet as they did some complicated hardshoe steps, and they panned over us with a camera as we did threes.
Cait and Claire sometimes did some softshoe, though not as much because of the concrete roads.
We had so much fun! I can't wait until the next St. Patrick's Day Parade!

Miners Coalition Party (April 2002) Albeit I have no idea what the name of this performance is, as I just learned of it two hours ago, it should prove to be fun.
Cait said we'll just do recital steps.

April 17, 2002:
Guess what? When the surgeons were taking out Deirdre's appendix, they saw something suspicious, and guess what? It was colon cancer! Yes, Deirdre has colon dancer. She got surgery, and most (if not all) of the cancer is removed (it was in it's earliest stages - luckily).
Anyway, we still had the go-ahead to go on with the recital. It turns out that the place we practiced at is the home of the newly formed Kelly School (I think that's the name) of Irish Dancing, which was started by some dancers with the Haran School - a lady and her sister, both very excellent dancers.
The studio was an old two-room schoolhouse with a little stage at one end. It was larger than the Kettle studio that the Haran school has (or so I thinnnk, it's been a while), and it was decorated in lovely Irish memorabilia! It was very cool.
The school was obviously new, because they didn't have that many dancers there (in fact, Alex and Johnathan are in one of their choreographies), and those that were there, weren't the most spectacular dancers - not to be mean or anything. They were all good, they new the steps, but their executions weren't the best thing I'd ever seen.
Anyway, it was a long drive up the studio, which was up in the country. We arrived at about the same time as everyone else, except for Cait, who was late (for obvious reasons). I noticed how many of the dancers were from the Kelly School, and I am plum assuming that they are going to be in it, too. None of their dancers are in our amazing hardshoe choreography (which I will talk more about later).
They had a dance that was one big "long reel" sort of deal, with a light jig in it, too. And they also had a slip jig, which had some very nifty steps in it.
We re-arranged our Opening Reel so that there are more dancers in it (from our school). Unfortunately, only five people from our class showed up (Krystal, Johnathan, Alex, Rebekah, and myself), the rest were Friday night and Saturday morning people. The new step I'm doing is 123 point kick back, and Down-Up-Up, for a change in steps.
We ran through it a few times to get it right, and then we re-arranged the Long Reel. I still do my three-hand, but we changed the order, and have a new 6-Hand. We basically combined the classes into one, instead of two individual classes. I took someone's place in the 8-Hand, and all the while the students of the Kelly School had to watch. I imagine it got rather boring after awhile.
When we finished practicing our performance steps, the Kelly School got to do theirs.
It was a long wait until we got to attempt our Opening and Long Reels again, but it gave us a break, as we were there from 6 PM to 9 PM.
We tried our show Reels a few more times, before we switched to the Treble Reel choreography.
We come in through an arch (my line), then after eight beats, we go around the person in front of us in the arch, then at the next eight beats, we slam into the Treble Reel with our hands on our hips, which the first row (mine) does the first part of the first step (slam step brush back hop back), then the second row does the second part (slam step brush back hop back), then the third row does the last part (slam step brush back hop back brush back hop back brush back hop back), then we all do the switch whip step, we drop our arms on the left foot and do the same steps, then Logan or Cait (or both) will do a solo hardshoe step, then we go into the right foot of the second step, join hands on the first slam, raise on second, then we do a cool finish by crossing our leg like they do in the ending of Riverdance.
After the rehearsal ended, I was invited to come on Friday nights as well as Saturdays, which I said yes, and then also on Mondays for extra classes as well. I'd really like to go to that one as well, but we live farther away from it, and my mother works, so it would be hard to do.

April 22, 2002:
We had another sponanteous rehearsal at the Grange. It was actually interferring with a class at the Kelly School.
We went over each dance in order with no help from Caitlin, other than filling in for missing people.
I was in every dance, except the Kelly School's Opening Reel, because I was substituting for this person and that person.
I loved the Slip Jig, but sadly I won't be dancing in it for the performance.
Anyway, this rehearsal wasn't nearly as long as the last one. Actually, it was only about an hour-and-a-half long.
I think we're somewhat ready.

Performance:
I arrived already dressed, except for my brock. My mom brought a video camera so she could send the performance to my grandma in Illinios.
Anywho, we filed into a large room below the area we would be performing, and ran through everything. It was really, really, hectic, as most of the moms were confuzzled about this and that, and the little kids have a tendency to not listen to anything at all, so that added to the confusion.
Anyway, as soon as we were ready, we filed upstairs and waited outside the doors. Our Opening Reel lined up along the wall. It was extremely stuffy and hoooottt! I was dying of heat stroke before we started dancing, but as soon as we did, it was a little bit better.
The "stage" area was really small, and we were kicking each other, and smashing into each other all of the time.
As soon as it was over, I was rather happy, as the audience was seemingly uninterested (except for a lady who clapped out of time...annoying!!!).

Celtic Storm (June 2002) Practices:

June 10, 2002
We practiced in a gym at an elementary school. The floor was really slippery and so my dancing was pretty bad because I wanted to keep my grip as best as I could, so I didn't make high leaps or high kicks.
We did the Opening Reel a thousand times and condensed it a little. After that we did the Long Reel over and over and over, and finally did the 8-Hand over and over and over. Nothing special.

June 28, 2002
There was a feis practice a few days before, but it's just the same as the above practice, except we used Gonzaga Prep's auditorium, and it was much better.
We arrived five hours early by request of the parents and Cait so that we could run through the entire show. We started rehearsing about two hours before show time and so did all of the other acts.
The stage was really slippery, but very large, which was good.
I ran around with people for quite a while, browsed the auction items and watched other acts rehearse.
Once showtime hit, we were already completely ready, but we had to wait for about a half-hour for the Highland dancers, pipers, and Irish Roots Band to end before we went on. And boy, was it awesome!
The little kids went out, the music started...what's this? Clapping? No, more like whooping and shouting! As they started to dance, more clapping and shouts could be heard. It was so awesome!
The clapping got louder as each act went out, and when we started, it was like this roar of shouting and clapping and whistling, and all we were doing was softshoe! Once we got off and the boys started, the crowed jumped a few hundred decibles (but that always happens when the boys dance).
The clapping stayed like that through most of the program, and it increased when the Kettle dancers did their hardshoe a capella (which always rocks) and kept on going as Logan danced to LOTD music with some ballet dancers (although the spotlight was on Logan and his hardshoes - the guy is nothing short of amazing! He did these double back clicks, and WHOA that was awesome!)
Celtic Storm went great! Deirdre came and wished us luck, which was really awesome. I hadn't seen her in so long. I'd talked to her frequently on the phone about feis stuff, though.
You know a performance goes well when the audience is on their feet, and they were! It rocked!

Story to share? Information to add? Correction to make? Webfeis trauma to rehash?

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