Celtic Steps relax for worlds, ramp up for nationals

Still from the video below

Considering Colorado-based Celtic Steps won gold in two figure categories at last year's World Irish Dancing Championships, the teachers' decision to hold back from sending teams to the big show in Belfast this year might seem like a surprise -- or more of a strategic plan to bounce back stronger than ever?



"This gives us a little time to push towards Chicago nationals and Boston worlds (in 2013)," Shaun Casey, ADCRG, said in a recent phone conversation. "Our goal is to really get everyone ready for nationals."

Aside from taking gold in two figure categories at last year's worlds, Celtic Steps placed top-10 in two other team dance categories. Then, at the 2011 nationals, four of the school's teams won gold.

Expect Celtic Steps' teams to reemerge at the 2012 North American National Irish Dance Championships in a big way. Casey and fellow teachers wife Aisling Toal Casey, TCRG, and Eimear Toal, TCRG, are perfecting brand new choreography for their under-12 figure team that will debut in Chicago. They've invested thousands of dollars in new costumes and had music produced by Anthony Davis.

Casey said the movements in the newly choreographed figure will be rapid, sharp and inspired by pom dance -- a style he and his wife mastered while touring with Lord of the Dance. He said that he's devoted to telling the story of the choreography in every piece of the dance, from slight arm movements to facial expressions. "Let the judges see the story play out on stage," he added.

Aside from keeping busy developing innovative competition choreography, the Caseys have also created an original touring show that premiered over St. Patrick's Day weekend. Strictly Irish, featuring dancers aged 18 to 27 from schools throughout Colorado, sold out all 2,000 seats available for its two-show debut.

"We're inviting really high-end, top-quality dancers in our area to dance with us in the show," Casey said.


So, while Celtic Steps won't be dominating team categories at worlds, know that the school's teachers and dancers are doing anything but taking a break. The school is sending 15 soloists to worlds, and there's a batch of teams in Colorado just waiting to show off their moves at NANs.

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Sneaky Steppers accept 'The Ellen Show' dance dare - VIDEOS

The creative minds behind last year's viral St. Patrick's Day flashmob video hope "The Ellen Show" host Ellen Degeneres will take notice of their most recent stealth Irish dance clip on YouTube.

The elite Irish dancers of the Sneaky Steppers have accepted Degeneres' "dance dare," and they hope their video will make it on the show's segment dedicated to dance-bombing unsuspecting people.



"It's pretty much Sneaky Stepping," Sneaky Steppers co-founder Chris Naish said. "So coincidental, but we thought, 'we have to make a video.'"

The three guys clad in skin-tight Irish-themed body suits are Naish, Sneaky Steppers co-founder Jason Oremus and two-time world Irish dance champion Garrett Coleman. The Sneaky Steppers is a street-level initiative that is a branch of Hammerstep, the Irish dance-infusion show and social experiment.

And it's not just the Sneaky Steppers vying for Degeneres' attention this St. Patrick's Day. There are quite a few "dance dare" videos posted to YouTube that showcase legitimate Irish dancers -- as opposed to the multitude of videos featuring wannabe jiggers. Here's a few of my personal favorites:











Earlier today, IrishCentral staff writer Anotoinette Kelly reported that crew members from "The Ellen Show" will travel to Dublin to record footage for a special St. Patrick's Day segment for next week's show.

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Irish dancers of Prodijig win Sky1's 'Got To Dance' - VIDEOS

After stomping through three rounds of competition, the Irish dancers of Prodijig were named "Got To Dance" champions Sunday evening.

"We're just all going to take a bit each, and then just growing Prodijig," the dance crew's leader and choreographer Alan Kenefick said of the £250,000 prize in a post-show Sky1 interview.



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Prodijig immediately captured the judges' attention in the first round of auditions. Wowed by the Irish dancers' use of hip hop, tap, flamenco and drill in a number choreographed to Kanye West's hit "Power," judge Adam Garcia told the troupe, "You could win this."




Prodijig astonished the show's live audience and judges again with a semi-final round performance:

And once more with Sunday's final performance:

In the end, Prodijig fulfilled Garcia's prediction, winning the 2012 title.

But the dancers of Prodijig aren't newbies to success. Among the seven dancers -- Kenefick, Dane McKiernan, Darren Casey, Craig Mason, Andy O'Reilly, Christina Havlin and Ciara McGillan -- are former Riverdance leads; and regional, national and world champion step dancers.

Back in 2008, Kenefick posted this solo dance video to YouTube, highlighting his impeccable rhythm and precise footwork:

For those of us who've been watching this video -- slack-jawed, wide-eyed -- for the last three years, we're not surprised by the sudden and immense success thrust upon Kenefick and his crew. This win has been lifetimes of practice, dedication and innovation in the making.

Now, we anxiously await the Prodijig world tour, which -- apparently -- is in the works.

Congratulations, Prodijig!

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