Welcome to Reel Treble #37!!
In this issue we meet Sarah, a.k.a ThunderDreamer, a Primary/Intermediate dancer from Scotland.
Name: Sarah
Dance.net Name: ThunderDreamer
Member since: 2005 ( had to look that up!!, wow hadn't realized it had been so long!!)
Years Doing Irish Dance: I think about 4?
Age: 27
Dance School: Maureen Onesti Academy (although I'm moving and might end up transferring back to my old school)
Organization: CLRG
Competition Level: Primary/Intermediate
Region: Scotland
What is the story behind your DDN name?
Thunder Dreamer was the name of a song I was listening to when I set up my first email account, and I've used a form of it for all my logins ever since.
How old were you when you started Irish Dance and how did you get started?
23. I was on a Celtic themed cruise that offered ceili dancing as one of the activites and was hooked from there. I had grown up around ID, but wouldn't take lessons when I was younger because I refused to wear dresses!!
How many classes do you have a week?
It had been 3 to 4, but I think it'll drop back to 2
How often do you practice at home?
I aim for 3 to 4 time but often life gets in the way. I can usually guarantee once a week though.
Did Irish Dancing come naturally to you or did you have to work at it?
Turnout came natural, but everything else I've had to work at.
Does Irish Dancing get in the way of your school work or social life?
Always, and I love it!
What do your friends think of your dancing? Do they support it?
My friends are all highly amused that I ID and are all quite supportive, even to the point where they get drug to various competitions that I don't want to attend on my own.
Do you do figure dances?
I used to, and hope to get back into them.
What does your dress look like and who made it?
I have several but the one I usually wear is black, teal, purple and silver made by Dakota Designs.
What brand of softshoes and hardshoes do you wear?
soft is hullachan, hard is either rutherford or pacelli.
What words of wisdom does ThunderDreamer have to offer?
And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music - Nietzsche
What is the farthest you've traveled for a feis?
When I danced with CRN, I went from Southern Ohio to Dublin for the Irish Open. With CLRG, I travelled from Glasgow, Scotland back to Dayton and Cincinnati.
What is your favorite feis and why?
All of them so far. none really stand out as being better/more fun than another.
Have you ever been to a major championship?
Yes, the Scottish Qualifiers back in Nov 2008.
Do you get nervous before you compete?
Extremely.
Do you have any rituals you do before you dance?
Not that I've noticed.
What is your greatest accomplishment in Irish Dancing?
My results from the Qualifiers. I placed 13
th out of about 15 I think it was in the combined championship and 3
rd in my Prelim competition that day. It was both my first Champ and my first Prelim, I was terrified!!!!
What was your greatest disappointment in Irish Dancing and how did you overcome it?
Freaking out mentally at my first PW competition in the US and stopping dead in my slip jig. I couldn't even think to fake it to try to recover. Haven't overcome it yet as that was my most recent feis!!
If its not fun, it probably isn't worth doing. - ThunderDreamer
What are some of your short term goals?
Learn more trad sets.
What are some of your long term goals?
Just to have fun. If someday I can qualifiy for worlds, great! If not, at least I'll have fun trying.
What is your favorite dance and why?
It's a close call between my current slow treble jig, my nontrad set from Qualifiers (Storyteller), and my single jig.
What is your least favorite dance and why?
My Primary reel. I much prefer my intermediate reel as it's a bit more interesting.
What move took you forever to master?
Toe stands. I'm terrified of breaking an ankle and the flicky point thing in my slip jig and my treble jig although I haven't quite mastered it on the left foot.
What is your favorite move?
The flicky point thing. Even though I still struggle with it but it looks cool when its done right.
Do you ever want to take the TCRG exam and teach?
Once I've had enough of competition, I may.
Who do you admire the most in Irish Dancing?
My current TC and my previous TC.
If you could take a free workshop with any dancer as your teacher, who would you pick and why?
I would pick my previous TC. I highly admire her and respect her and would love to have the chance to take a workshop from her, even though I probably wouldn't be able to walk for a week afterwards.
"Dear God, please don't let me kill or maim the judges."
Tell us one of your funniest or most interesting feis stories.
Do I really have to relive this? So it was Columbus Feis 2007, the adults danced Friday night at the festival. Everything had gone smoothly so far, only had my hornpipe left. I put my hard shoes on, but fastened the straps one hole looser than when I dance or else the straps would dig in to my ankles and pinch. Suddenly it's my turn to do my hornpipe and as I am walking out to take my place I remember that I never did tighten up the straps! My shoes are currently loose enough that I can slip them off without unbuckling them! My only thought during that dance was "Dear God, please don't let me kill or maim the judges (who just happened to be Seamus and Aine O'Se to make matters worse!!)". Somehow I got through it without losing a shoe, and even managed to win 1
st!
Also, when I was dancing CRN I was dancing my slip jig at the qualifiers for the Irish Open. My lead around was horribly off time, so much so that my teacher was shaking her head. We laughed about just how off I was after I finished, but when results were called, I had won it! Still not sure how I pulled that one off...
What was your most embarrassing moment in dancing?
Stopping in my slip jig when I drew a major blank a few weeks ago.
Are you close with fellow Irish Dancers?
Yes I am. I have good friends from all the classes I've danced with the last 3 years, and I have good friends whom I've met through feising from other schools.
What's in your dance bag?
2 pairs soft shoes, 2 pairs hard shoes, jazz shoes, blister rub stuff from Boots, my inhaler, hairbands, extra socks, light weight knee brace, step book, writing utensils, and a package of mints.
Do you do any other types of dance?
I've tried many, but none stuck. I've done highland, scottish country dancing, scottish step dancing, ballet, belly dancing, jazz, ballroom, and hip hop.
Do any of your family members Irish Dance as well?
Nope.
What other hobbies do you have?
I don't know if it's a hobby, but I started dancing when I was working on my bachelors degree in Anthropology and Archaeology. I've just finished my master's degree in Archaeology and love to play in the mud. I also like to garden, cross stitch, read history books, and would like to think that I'm a budding photographer, but I'm not sure if that's the case. I also love to hike, climb, fly-fish and throw darts competitively.
Quick Fire Questions:
Hardshoe or softshoe: soft
Reel or Slip Jig: reel
Hornpipe or Treble Jig: treble jig
Wig or Bun: wig
Feis or Show: show
School Dress or Solo Dress: solo
Sarah, thanks for taking the time to talk with us! --Reel Treble
I like darts too, but I'm not very good!!! 
