So everyone around me seems to be getting engaged. A guy I was interested in about a year and a half ago is now engaged, a friend that moved to BC a few months ago is now engaged, another girl friend and guy friend got engaged a couple months ago, another friend, two friends from church are engaged, my best friend from elementary school, and an ex friend are all engaged. And if they're not engaged then they're in a serious relationship. But I'm ok with that Singleness is not a disease. I have nothing to worry about. I'm still young, I may be older than half the people I mentioned, but I'm not old.

Sorry diary readers, I know this has nothing to do with dance but I needed an outlet so I wouldn't bottle it up inside and this was my only avenue.

You're not alone Beth.

I too am single. Always have been. And I'm okay with that.

I forgot another one...a girl I used to compete against recently got engaged as well.

Thanks Steph! I've always been single too.

I've always been single too, but to be perfectly honest, I'm really enjoying this stage in life. I'm 24, and many of my friends are not only engaged/married, but are starting to have children too. I just think, why rush things? Not that I NEVER want to be married, but I know there's lots of time. I just hate that people pressure you many times to be in a relationship; like you aren't a fully functioning human being without someone at your side!

Lurker here I've always been single too, and like Celticfeet, I've got friends who are engaged, married, and even some having kids. At times I wonder about me (at 25), but like Celticfeet said, I'm in no rush. Mr. Right will come along someday

I know that feeling, Beth. Sometimes you just gotta let it all out! I have two friends that have never even been on a date.

I don't know if this would be your thing, but have you tried online dating? Even if it doesn't lead to anything serious, it's still nice to be taken out & kissed from time to time (though the latter part you might not want to do depending on the guy ).

Thank you for all the replies and support ladies! I don't think online dating would be for me, I have nothing against it, but I think it would make me feel really uncomfortable.

But I'm ok, being single really isn't the worst thing in the world

That's fine - just thought I'd put that out there in case you wanted to try it, but weren't sure. Still weird when I see people I went to hs with married, though.

Yeah, thanks for the suggestion! ^

So I've been looking at solo dresses and I'm kinda in love with this one getthatdress.com . . .
I'm hoping it's still for sale when it gets closer to NANs and that my TCs like it...cause I LOVE it!
If that dress doesn't end up working then I'd love a dress that is red/black/white/silver or gold.

I'm going to practice this afternoon and I'll try to get some videos up

I practiced for about 70 minutes this afternoon. It went alright, I started with treble jig and did each step three times then did a full round then went into slip jig and did each step twice. Then I did some aerobics, wall sit, stretching and crunches.
My stamina is definitely down, but it could be worse.

Anyways, here are a few videos. I haven't worked on the steps themselves really since I got them so they're still looking very new. And the timing is so so in TJ...but whatever, here they are!
TJ lead www.youtube.com . . .
TJ second step www.youtube.com . . .
SJ lead www.youtube.com . . .
SJ second step www.youtube.com . . .
SJ half www.youtube.com . . .

*my ankles have been kinda wobbly so I have braces on both feet.

Your slip jig looks really nice! That first step really suits you.

TJ looks like it's going to be good. I really like those heel click things at the end of your second step! So cool!

Good work, Beth! I LOVE those slip jig steps- especially the second and half steps; some cool moves in there, and you do them well too!

Thanks! I'm surprised you guys like the SJ lead...lol, I just don't feel like I'm gelin' with it, but it's slowly growing on me.

I just finished a 45 - 50 minute practice. I worked on Treble Jig and did a lot of stamina work. Then I did some aerobics, streching and sit ups.
My ankles are really sore so I've got the TENS machine running on them right now.

Something is up with my ankle, when I flex it I get this HUGE pain through my ankle and it's so sudden and sharp that my whole body jumps. It woke me up several times Friday night/Saturday morning.
I put heat on it on Saturday and my mom dug into my calf to loosen it up, and it did help quite a bit, but there is still something there. I was doing some google research and I think it might be related to the planta facitis.

JIG will be on in 40 minutes, woop woop!!!

So it's been a while since I've updated...lets see, I've just been practicing. I went to an extra class on Saturday and took two videos of my slip jig steps.
I fell really hard in my treble jig and hurt my back and wrists, but I think I'm ok.
Um...I was able to practice yesterday and it went well, I did hardshoe drills and aerobics and stretching and toning. Then today I went to practice and just a few minutes into it my neck really started to hurt and it's completely siezed up. This happend around 9:30 and it's 6:30 now and somewhat able to move it, but it still really hurts. I have no idea what I've done to it. I hope it's completely gone by the time I wake up tomorrow. I just wish I knew how it happened. Like, you don't think of neck injuries when you think of Irish dance.

Half step www.youtube.com . . .

Lead on the right www.youtube.com . . . It looks a little off time, but I think that's from uploading it.

I'm getting a new third treble jig step. Thank GOODNESS! My other teacher saw the step on me and didn't like, she said it just wasn't me and I needed a step with more movement and sound and extension.
I am soooo happy she told my other TC this because I really hated that step and worked on it a lot but it just wasn't looking that great and it frusterated me to no end.

I hope your neck feels better! It's probably a response to the fall...?

Slip jig really suits you! On your lead, I think it would look really nice if you extended your leg after your 123. Not a giant kick out or anything, but a nice straight leg would finish the move off nicely.

Yay for new steps! I love when my TC can see that a step doesn't suit me. I hope the new one works better for you

I can move my neck! I went to the chiropractor twice and he adjusted it and worked on it and it's finally feeling better, not 100% but much better than before, I can actually move it!

Today was my first day dancing since my neck froze and it went ok. I made up a new treble jig step, whether or not we'll use it I don't know, but I kinda love it
www.youtube.com . . .

I think I'm having a private on Wednesday so we'll figure out if I'm dancing this step or not or we'll play around with it.
I really want to get started on set too, I mean, I'm not competing until March or May (depending if Mary Woodgate feis runs or not) but I'd really like to have a set to work on.

So my private lesson went really well. I got changes to my lead and second in treble jig and we're using the third step I made up but with just a tiny little change at the end. I also got the step for my set (madame bonapart 104). I really like it.

Thursday's class was alright, except my ankles were killing me and I was wobbling a lot so I wasn't allowed to do too many lifts (over 23s, leaps, whatever they're called).

I practiced today for an hour and worked on my treble jig mainly. I did step about, broke down steps and then did all three steps. Then did my set step twice and then stretched.
And now I'm icing my ankles

So it looks like Mary Woodgate feis is cancelled, so my first OC feis will be the first week of May (London/Forest City feis). I really like this feis, it's a great open venue and I usually do well, not that I'm expecting to place this year or anything lol, but I have good memories from it.

Soooo....um....senior ladies don't know what they're dancing at NANs. That's just great lol.
Everyone thought it was jig and now the syllabus is saying hp/r, but that doesn't make sense because we're doing jig at the Oireachtas. I just hate how there's always confusion for sr. ladies/gents. If you're u15 you know what you're dancing, if you're u12 you know what you're dancing, but if you're 20+ then it's all up in the air. Very frusterating. Anyways...

We're thinking of new dress styles and colors and stuff. When I went to bed last night I thought up the perfect color combo (for me anyways), I'd love to have a black/gold/emerald green/copper dress. But the gold, green, and copper would be sequins. Oh my, I have a vision in my head and it's GOREGOUS!
If I end up getting a custom, and if I do I need to order semi soon, I'm not sure who I would go with. I obviously love Gavin like every other dancer, but I've heard of fit issues and he is really expensive, so I'm thinking Celtic Star. They definitely have a similar style to Gavin's and the price is a little more affordable. I also like Doire, she's very different than CS, but has lovely designs none the least. I think the idea in my head would suit CS better, but Doire is a bit cheaper and budget is very important. So we'll see, it's not like I need a dress tomorrow, and if I don't end up getting a custom I'll look for a used dress and if I can't find one by the time NANs comes around then I still have a dress that will be fine. I really love my dress anyways, I just wish it fit better, aka I could breathe.

Ok, get ready for a ton of pictures!

First off, some Celtic Star dresses that I love.
I love the designs mainly, but I really like all of the golds and copper sequins too

So Beth's big news of the day.....I GOT A BIGGER STAGE!
Thank you to dad and brother!

It's almost double the size now, WOOOOHOOOOO!:D

Picture 1 - Almost the whole space
Picture 2 - The old part of the floor
Picture 3 - The new part
Picture 4 - Another angle

Oh Oh Oh, Seniors are slip jig and treble jig again! YAY! haha.

Wow!!! That is an amazing floor!!

I am really starting to like Celtic Star dresses too. They would really suit you too. I've been itching to get a new dress, but I don't think it's going to happen...

Congrats on your awesome new floor! Lucky you! Also, I love the dresses you posted. My favorite is the one with the pair of soft shoes on it. I just love that style so much.

So Celtic Star is booked until August
Oh well, it wasn't meant to be.

Can anyone recommend another DM with a similar style?

Practice has been going pretty good lately. Yesterday I danced in the morning for an hour and then for an hour+ in the afternoon. And today I practiced hardshoe for an hour and will do soft in the afternoon.
The bigger floor is SO helpful. I can actually execute moves now without hitting a mirror or the wall or falling off the stage.
My set is feeling good, so far I only have the step, but I like it and I haven't worked on it a ton but I feel like it's coming along well. Treble jig is ok, stamina needs a ton of work. Yesterday I did three steps and after 8 bars I started to feel tired already, then the left of the second looked horrible and don't even get me started on the third, it was AWFUL. And when I was done I actually thought I might die, ok not really but I felt like it, I couldn't breathe and my chest was burning and was so tight and I couldn't stand up and that's kinda pathetic...it was three steps...
I've really been working on stamina, but I don't feel like it's improving very quickly.

I need to sign up for the Forest city feis soon, it's May 5th so hopefully that's enough time to get some stamina back! haha

Have you thought about Taylor Dresses or maybe Michelle Lewis? They do Gavin/Celticstar-esq dresses from what I've seen. I think they are probably alot cheaper than both of those too.

If you're after that style of bodice that Sinead Malone has in that Celtic Star picture, that style looks the exact same as the ones that Shauna Shiels was making last year (Like Nadine Martin's White and Red split bodice), so that could be another option.

I think most dressmakers are making very similar styles at the moment, so whoever you choose to go with can probably make something equally as nice as any of the others.

Claire.