'Heartbeat of Home' online auditions prompt influx of amazing dancer videos - VIDEOS

Mollie McCabe, of Buffalo, N.Y., Irish step dances along the shores
of Lake Erie in her "Heartbeat of Home" audition video.

Open auditions for "Heartbeat of Home" -- the dance fusion show produced by the creators of "Riverdance" -- began Monday, and the competition is as fierce as it is diverse.

Judges responsible for casting the new show will be watching video auditions uploaded to YouTube by dancers of various genres, including Irish, flamenco, Latin and street dancing. So far, Irish dancer videos outweigh dancers of other forms in the competition.



The quality of Irish dance applicants is unreal. Many of those auditioning are regional, national and even world champions.

Irish dancers of the competitive circuit will recognize a few names and faces, including former CLRG world champions Ashley Smith and Olivia Griffin, and current senior men's world title holder Tyler Schwartz, just to name a few of the step dancing big-timers competing for a spot on the "Heartbeat" stage.



Professional show dancer Owen Jones' video channels a bit of Irish dance nostalgia with footage of him dancing at a child, followed by a recent video clip of him dancing on a show stage. Tom Brosnan and Erin Trevena of "Brosena," the dancing duo that made it to the semi-final round of Sky1's "Got to Dance," both threw their hats into the "Heartbeat" ring, too.



Then, there are the dancing dark horses -- those who don't hold any fancy titles or have professional shows listed on their resumes but clearly possess talent, showmanship and energy worthy of the "Heartbeat" judges' attention.

Korean-born Mollie McCabe shot her a capella video in freezing temperatures in Buffalo, N.Y., yet her beats are both precise and audibly crisp regardless of the undeniably harsh dancing conditions.



Lisa Murphy, of Brooklyn, also stands out from the crowd. Her video takes an unexpected twist when she transitions from trebles to music video moves.

Audition videos continue to pop up on the official "Heartbeat" talent search website. According to judge Padraic Moyles, the top 10 videos at the end of the online audition cycle (later this month) will be invited to try out for the show in person. Those not ranked in the top according to viewer votes still have a chance though. The judges, Moyles said, will identify dancers possessing appealing show qualities and invite them to formally audition as well.

Post-show interview with TLC's 'Big Jig' star Mary Kay Heneghan - VIDEOS

Mary Kay Heneghan and 2011 national Irish dance champion
Emily Marino. Photo by Tony Rutherford.

 

When Irish dance reality show “The Big Jig” premiered Tuesday night on TLC, Mary Kay Heneghan was understandably nervous about what she was going to see.

Not only was the Buffalo-based Irish dance instructor hoping to see Irish dance portrayed accurately and in a positive light on the cable network known for accentuating already-quirky subcultures’ quirks, but she was hoping she’d come across OK on camera, too.

Heneghan, certified Irish dance instructor and competition adjudicator, was one of the show’s stars. In days leading up to the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships (known as "Worlds") held in Belfast this past spring, cameras followed Heneghan and two Worlds-bound Rince na Tiarna dancers, sisters Emily and Julia Marino.

“I was a little nervous,” Heneghan admitted, joking that she’d mulled over the idea of watching the show alone in the basement with a bottle of wine. Instead, she invited over some friends, a few dancers and dance parents for an impromptu “Big Jig” viewing party, and she was pleased with the final product.

“I thought it was very well done,” Heneghan said. “No drama from kids, teachers or parents.”

But it’s not that TLC crew members didn’t try to stir the pot a little. Heneghan said that dancers were pulled aside and asked leading questions, to which they responded honestly and respectfully, without coaching from adults.

“You tell [television execs] what you’re willing to do and not willing to do, and they try to get you to do that regardless,” she explained. But her dancers and the other American dancers featured on the TLC special didn’t fall for it, as evidenced by each of the dancer’s calm, collected and mature behavior on the show.

“I do wish there was more dancing, and less drinking egg whites and talking about eyelashes,” she said with a laugh, admitting that every reality series has to include a few outrageous scenes.

But unlike shows like TLC hit “Toddlers and Tiaras,” which follows young beauty pageant contestants at competitions, Heneghan noted one major difference between the pageant scene and the competitive Irish dance world:

“These kids are talented. These kids can dance. They’re disciplined. I feel like they’re doing something rooted in history, and it’s a hard thing to do,” Heneghan said, adding that pageant kids aren’t necessarily not talented -- it’s just that pageants focus only on appearance. “You can put on the Irish dancing wig and buy the costume, but you’re not going to get past that unless you have incredible talent.”

Even though “The Big Jig” documented the most prestigious, cut-throat Irish dance competition of the year -- the Olympics of Irish dance, if you will -- it inadvertently captured an unlikely side of the sport: supporting the “enemy.”

Irish dance teachers Lisa and Karen Petri, and Gary Healy, whose dancers compete against Heneghan’s, are in no way Heneghan’s nemeses.

“Gary’s one of my best friends, so are Lisa and Karen,” she said, explaining that Healy even helped Heneghan’s dancer prepare for competition while Heneghan was in a different room watching another dancer compete at Worlds -- a scene captured on camera, but not emphasized in the show.

“We all want the best dancer to win. We just hope the dancer is our own," she said. "Of course I want to beat them, but I appreciate talent and hard work."

So, while TLC managed to squeeze a little drama from the Worlds, it wasn't quite the kind of unusual entertainment one might come to expect from reality TV -- and what a welcome change it was.

Did you watch "The Big Jig" on TLC? Let me know what you thought of the show in the comments below.

Irish dance friendships: down under meets upstate NY

Dancers (left to right) Ceili Moore, Kevinah Dargan, Hannah Mong before prom.

Ceili Moore's prom night was typical for a lot of reasons: she donned a beautiful gown, danced with her friends, partied at a post-prom event and posed for loads of photos with other dolled-up gals.

What was different about her experience at this all-American coming-of-age high school dance is that Ceili flew in from Australia to attend.

That's not the only reason she traveled from the other side of the planet to be in the states. Ceili, the current Australian national Irish dancing champion in her age group, is stateside for the North American Irish Dance Championships, which are currently underway in Chicago.

She came over to the U.S. a week early to spend some precious time with her dear friends Kevinah and Fiona Dargan, both of whom are 2011 North American champions who dance for Rince Na Tiarna in Buffalo, N.Y.

Ceili Moore, Fiona and Kevinah Dargan, Eryn Lynch at Niagara Falls.

Kevinah, a soon-to-be college freshman, made arrangements to bring her Aussie friend along to prom and her graduation from Williamsville South High School. The Dargans and Ceili also attended a Buffalo Bisons baseball game, visited nearby Niagara Falls, ate classic American foods (Buffalo wings and mozzarella sticks, for example) and went go-karting.

And though their nationalities, accents, cultures, dance styles and life stories are different, Ceili and the Dargan sisters insist that the bond created through Irish dancing is stronger than most other friendships.

Even Tracy Marks Dargan, Kevinah and Fiona's mother, is close friends with Ceili's mom, Fiona Moore. Both moms are also former Irish dancers, and Fiona Moore is the first Australian dancer to win the World Irish Dancing Championships. The two talk almost daily, Tracy Marks Dargan said. Like their daughters, they maintain contact through Facebook, Skype and free phone applications.

Kevinah graduates from high school.

"I feel like Irish dancers all have that bond," Kevinah said. "Sometimes I feel closer to dance friends than my friends from school who I see every single day."

Fiona described the Irish dance part of her life as almost a second world, a reality that exists outside of everyday living.

"You might make a million mistakes in the real world, but in the Irish dance world, it's all erased," Fiona said.

Ceili, who dances for Scoil Rince Aisling in Australia, agreed with that sentiment, adding, "All of us give up so much for dancing. We are all in the same boat."

And while Kevinah and Ceili will both compete in the same age group (under 18, but different splits), they don't see each other as competition. In fact, they want to see each other win.

"We all know each of us work so hard," Ceili said. "It can go so many different ways."

Kevinah and Fiona Dargan, and Ceili Moore before prom.

Since all of the girls are national champions in their respective countries and age groups, there's potential for fierce rivalry. But, they explained, in this circle, it's about dancing the best you can and leaving the scoring up to the judges -- and they don't always score according to spectators' expectations.

"With other sports, when someone is better, that is your enemy," Kevinah said. But in her experience hanging with other top dancers, it's more about having friends who push you to be a stronger dancer. "You keep yourself in inspiring company."

For more information on the competitions, visit the official 2012 North American Irish Dancing Championships Facebook page, and stay tuned here on IrishCentral's Irish Dance page for updates, photos and results.

'Take the Floor' Irish dance spectacular takes shape - VIDEO

Irish dance spectacular "Take the Floor" will debut in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 15 -- that's just over two months away -- but the cast isn't complete, rehearsals haven't begun and choreography is still a mystery.

Don't worry -- everything is going according to plan!

That's the whole point, said show directors Paula Goulding and Shane McAvinchey. This isn't your average dance show. It's more like an intense Irish dance workshop, MTV's "Making the Band" and Riverdance all rolled up into one unbelievable experience.

Over the course of 10 days, 50 promising Irish dancers will meet to learn an entire show's worth of choreography, get fitted for costumes and learn to work as a team to pull off what Goulding and McAvinchey promise to be a professional-level "unforgettable show" on the final day. Adding to the challenge, they're not really scouting seasoned show dancers. In fact, they're accepting applications from dancers with varying levels of show- and competition-dancing experience through June 11.



"It’s going to be immense," Goulding said of the challenge to pull off the project without a hitch. "But it’s going to be rewarding. We have to be meticulous. Everything has to be precisely scheduled."

In preparation for the hotly anticipated 10-day dance bootcamp and final show, Goulding and McAvinchey have been working and planning tirelessly. The two friends and cohorts have been envisioning this moment for months -- years, maybe. Shane said that the two have been dreaming up projects together since they met while touring with Riverdance. Since then, they've done other stage shows together and collaborated on various projects, including Diddlyi.com, a website that offers online step dance video lessons.

McAvnichey, a commission-certified Irish dance instructor for the Tir Na Nog school in Germany and Russia, explained that he, Goulding and a slew of "celebrity" choreographers will be focusing on transforming a group made up of predominantly competitive dancers into polished show dancers.

Not to be overlooked in the production is the live music that will accompany the dancers. Popular trad Irish band Beoga will be providing the robust soundtrack for the show.

"Beoga has a very recognizable style. It's so uplifting," Goulding gushed, the enthusiasm clearly audible in her tone. "They are -- in trad music terms, at the moment -- they’re like what One Direction is to pop. They are it."

With days until the show's debuts on Dublin's Helix stage dwindling, and all the planning pieces falling into place, McAvinchey anxiously awaits introducing a whole new generation of dancers to the life of a professional performer. From the moment dancers drop their dance bags on the studio floor on day one of rehearsals to the final bow, McAvinchey wants the dancers to have the fullest show experience.

"We want them to be going to bed wrecked tired at the end of the night, and then bouncing up in the morning because they can’t wait to get started again," McAvinchey said. "We want dancers to say, 'wow, that was amazing.'"

"Take the Floor" has been officially endorsed by Riverdance, and McAvinchey said that scouts from a variety of professional Irish dance shows have been invited to attend the one-night-only spectacle, opening a unique opportunity to any dancer interested in dancing professionally. For details on how to apply, visit the official "Take the Floor" website. And to see who's already been selected, check out "Take the Floor" on Facebook.

Check back here for news, results, photos, interviews and more! Help us celebrate Irish dancing by sharing this story with your friends, like us on Facebook, tweet the link or start a conversation with a comment in the message box below. THANK YOU!

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.

Check back here for news, results, photos, interviews and more! Help us celebrate Irish dancing by sharing this story with your friends, like us on FaceBook, Tweet the link or start a conversation with a comment in the message box below. THANK YOU!

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!

Check back here for news, results, photos, interviews and more! Help us celebrate Irish dancing by sharing this story with your friends, like us on FaceBook, Tweet the link or start a conversation with a comment in the message box below. THANK YOU!

All Irelands fashion preview with Feisonista

The All Ireland Irish Dance Championships are like the Fashion Week of the step dance scene, at least that’s how Feisonista blogger Bridget Nyland sees it.

“For some reason, the All Irelands are particularly fun” when it comes to fashion, Nyland said during a phone chat earlier this week. “You have a combination of some [dancers] showing up in Uggs, and then you have teachers dressed to the nines.”

And she’s just referencing the off-stage apparel. On stage, dancers put their best, glitziest, perfectly pointed feet forward. So, what exactly can we expect to see being warn by top-of-the-podium placers? Here’s what the Feisonista herself has to say:

“I think bold colors are going to be huge -- really vibrant colors,” Nyland said. “Gavin [Doherty of Eire Designs] posted some photos [of recent dresses] on Facebook, and he’s using those bold, popping colors. Primary colors.”

She has her eye on a few other designers, too, who she believes are pushing the boundaries of feis fashions, especially Diore Dress Designs (Shauna Shiels) and Celtic Star.

She’s anticipating more one-color dresses, too, and hopes there will be a surge of royal blue, a personal favorite color choice that flatters just about any skin tone or hair color.

When it comes to dress style, “asymmetrical isn’t going anywhere soon.” In fact, she predicts, that off-kilter look will be a lot more intense. There’s also evidence that traditional Celtic knots will come back in a big -- literally! -- way. Some of the Irish dance world’s most influential designers are placing magnified knots dominantly across bodices in a way we’ve never seen before.

“I like the dresses with big patterns all over them,” she said. “It’s wearable art, with the knotwork all over the dress.”

Soft skirts are undeniably the “it” skirt to have, especially for the more mature dancers. On the little girls, Nyland adores petals and dainty feathers. Looking to the real-world fashion trends, she imagines lace will be a popular textural addition to newer dresses.

And expect sequins -- “tons and tons of sequins,” she warned. “In terms of bling, I don’t know where else it can go at this point.”

Nyland’s anxious to follow a few newer trends to see if they develop further at AI and to the local feis scene. In particular, she wonders if the faux ballet shrug look will catch on. She’s also watching to see if more dancers will wear white laces in their ghillies, which she’s seen on a few occasions.

When it comes to hair, there’s a slow but undeniable move toward more natural looks. At recent major competitions, Nyland's watched hair go from crazy mounds of curls to modest bun wigs and even side ponytails. At this point, she’s confident the big curly wigs will reign supreme, but more natural and varied hairdos will creep their way onto the podium in time.

So enough about the girls, what about the beloved boys of Irish dance?

“Military,” Nyland said in an insistent voice. “The jacket trend is really sharp -- in a nice red or sharp yellow.” She referenced the handsome military attire donned at the recent royal wedding for a little macho, yet refined, inspiration.

“A dark vest with the asymmetrical knotwork with a dark color, maybe a deep blue, deep green,” she suggested.

When it comes down to it, Irish dance styles are often inspired by everyday fashion trends and couture designs. Sure, we love a full bun wig and bedazzled shoe buckles, but much of the dance scene's fashion influence comes courtesy of real-world styles. For a sneak preview of Irish dance styles in years to come, look to pieces that strut the Fashion Week runways.

For more Irish dance fashion coverage, visit the Feisonista blog, and follow @Feisonista. While you're at it, keep up with fun Irish dance and pop culture news by following @RincePop on Twitter, too.

Bookmark this page and check back here on Irish Central's Irish dance page for timely updates and news from Dublin starting Saturday, February 11th!