Welcome to Reel Treble #32!!
In this issue, we get acquainted with Kasey, a.k.a. FeisForFood, a Mid-Atlantic prelim dancer.
Name: Kasey
Dance.net Name: FeisForFood
Member since: July 2006
Years Doing Irish Dance: 3 exactly
Age: 18
Dance School: Cara School of Irish Dance
Organization: An Com/CLRG
Competition Level: Preliminary Championships
Region: Mid-Atlantic, US
How old were you when you started Irish Dance and how did you get started?
I was a week short of my 15th birthday. My little brother (now 11) and I saw a show at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA and fell in love.
How many classes do you have a week?
I used to have 4, but I'm recovering from metatarsal injuries right now and it's just 1-2
How often do you practice at home?
Not as often as I should. I don't have much space, and I'm afraid to over dance and make my injuries worse.
Did Irish Dancing come naturally to you or did you have to work at it?
It came naturally up until Prizewinner. I really had to work hard to get out of there.
Does Irish Dancing get in the way of your school work or social life?
It used to be my social life itself. I love Irish dancing with all my heart, but I realized that it was pushing out my friends, family and other interests so now I keep all of that in mind when I have lots of classes and competitions.
What do your friends think of your dancing? Do they support it?
My friends think its cool, but they're sort of sick of hearing about it...haha. So I don't really talk about it much. They always say they want to come to competitions to watch me and then they never do.
Do you do figure dances?
Figures are big at my school! We focus mostly on 8-hands for majors, with some 4-hands too. For local competitions we'll enter as many 8, 4, 3 and 2-hands as we can. Pretty much everyone is involved in something.
What does your dress look like and who made it?
My solo dress (now for sale) was a 2005 Siopa Rince, royal blue with silver, orange and green. Right now I wear my school dress for my Prelim as well because it was custom-made and fits better than my solo and it's in better condition.
What brand of softshoes and hardshoes do you wear?
Rutherfords for both.
What is the farthest you've traveled for a feis?
We aren't able to go this year, but usually we go up to Connecticut (4 hour drive) for a back-to-back in January. We're spoiled in my region and could feis once or twice a month without traveling more than 2 hours.
What is your favorite feis and why?
My favorite feis is Feis na Cara, hosted by my school. It was held for the first time earlier this month and was a blast! As for more established competitions, I'm a big fan of the McDade Feis.
I could just say I'm all about love. Love of dance, love of friends, love of culture. - FeisForFood
Have you ever been to a major championship?
I competed at NANs in an 8-hand in 2008 and I go to my Oireachtas every year in an 8-hand and now solos.
Do you get nervous before you compete?
Never, I'm always pretty calm.
Do you have any rituals you do before you dance?
Not really. I guess I eat a banana pretty consistently.
What is your greatest accomplishment in Irish Dancing?
To date, making it to Prelims.
What was your greatest disappointment in Irish Dancing and how did you overcome it?
I haven't had any major disappointments, to be honest. I've taught myself not to expect a place or a qualification, but to expect to dance my best and show off what I know how to do.
What are some of your short term goals?
I'd like to dance better in competitions. Right now I feel like I come off stage and think "Hmm, I could have done a lot better than that. I danced much better in practice the other day."
What are some of your long term goals?
I want to win an Open Championship. I had more ambitious goals, but lately Irish dancing has become for fun for me and I've lessened my focus on win, win, win.
What is your favorite dance and why?
It changes. Right now I'm really into hornpipe because I can feel the rhythm so clearly and I just feel so powerful when I dance it. I feel so confident.
What is your least favorite dance and why?
I used to be a big treble jig fan, but I had a lot of stamina trouble with that at Oireachtas and right now I just really don't feel like thinking about jigs for awhile.
What move took you forever to master?
Back trebles and butterflies.
What is your favorite move?
Genie jumps and really high kicks.
Do you ever want to take the TCRG exam and teach?
At one point I was sure I would and now I'm just kind of going to see where things go.
Who do you admire the most in Irish Dancing?
One of my teachers, Mary. She's just one of those people who makes Irish dancing fun, and takes away the pressure even when I'm already under it. She teaches like a mother.
If you could take a free workshop with any dancer as your teacher, who would you pick and why?
Ashley Smith. I consider her pretty unstoppable.
Where’s my dress?
Tell us one of your funniest or most interesting feis stories.
Remember how I mentioned traveling 4 hours to CT each winter for back-to-backs? Last year, we left straight from school and my stepmom had to pack up my things for me. I had the bags ready, but she put them in the car while I was at school. She forgot my dress and we didn't realize until 2 hours through the drive when I turned around to look in the back and said "where's my dress?" We had to get my sister to drive it an hour north while we back-tracked an hour south to meet her.
Are you close with fellow Irish Dancers?
I have a few DDN friends that I talk to pretty regularly. I have 2 very close friends within my dance school. One of 'em is here.
What's in your dance bag?
Right now it's packed for tomorrow's feis, but usually it has hardshoes, 2 pairs of softshoes, a few CDs, Therabands, tape (duct and athletic), a water bottle and a snack.
Do you do any other types of dance?
No. I tried ballet when I was little but it didn't stick.
Do any of your family members Irish Dance as well?
My little brother does. He's 11 and he's in Novice.
What other hobbies do you have?
I play the acoustic guitar and sing.
Tell us something your friends would find surprising about you.
I've hiked the Appalachian Trail. For those of you outside the realm of knowledge, the AT is a 2175-mile trail through the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern US. It's 6 challenging months of phenomenal sights and experiences.
Quick Fire Questions:
Hardshoe or softshoe: Hard.
Reel or Slip Jig: Depends...just started reel for the year so I'm loving that right now.
Hornpipe or Treble Jig: Hornpipe.
Wig or Bun: Bun, always!
Feis or Show: I have to choose? I love the excitement of a feis and the fun with my friends, but I love the no-pressure friendly atmosphere of a good show.
School Dress or Solo Dress: Love solos, but I'm in a nice school dress right now and I'm feelin' that look.
Kasey, thanks for taking the time to speak to us, we hope you enjoy your article! --Reel Treble
![:]](http://dancenet.s3.amazonaws.com/images/blue/emoticons/joy.gif ":]")
