At Marquette University, students are keeping Irish dance alive on campus through the Saoirse Irish Dance Team, a student-run club that honors the Celtic tradition.
The team gives students— many of whom have danced competitively before college— a chance to continue Irish dance through college.
Saoirse Irish Dance Team’s Vice President Molly Reardon, a junior in the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts & Sciences explains why she was drawn to the team after years of Irish dancing competitively in high school.
“Most of us have experience [in Irish Dance] and wanted to continue it through college,” Reardon said. “Whether we needed a break from competitive dance or just weren’t ready to let go of dance, Saoirse gave us the chance to continue dance throughout college at more of a fun level.”
As a member of the Collegiate Irish Dance Association (CIDA), the Saoirse Irish Dance Team competes against other colleges. For most dancers on the team, the competition pressure is less intense than what they’ve expected.
Brigid Gannon—a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences— serves as the Saoirse Irish Dance Team’s president and social media manager. She said they compete with traditional dances and a “fun number,” a more upbeat routine which is choreographed to a pop song.
“The collegiate level is much more focused on fun and camaraderie than the serious competitiveness that we previously participated in,” Gannon said.
That’s not to say the girls don’t work hard. The dancers meet at least once a week to run through their routines, with additional weekend practices during their competitive seasons.
The girls are currently preparing for their regional competition— the Mid-America Oireachtas — which will take place over Thanksgiving weekend.
“Last year, we came in first place in both of the college categories,” Gannon said. “We hope to maintain this placement, so we are practicing very diligently right now.”
Gannon said that they’ve invited former team members who have graduated to join practices and offer advice on areas where the team could improve.
But the team does more than just compete; They perform at several Marquette functions throughout the year, including the men’s basketball halftime shows and Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day shows. They also have an end of the year showcase.
The latest event was on Tuesday, Oct. 21, in the Alumni Memorial Union Ballroom. There, team members shared their passion for Irish dance with the Marquette community at their Ceili Night.
Callie Johnson— a senior in the College of Health Sciences and Co-Choreographer of Saoirse— said that a Ceili is a traditional Irish social gathering, intended to share songs and stories. Over time, music and dances became important parts of these gatherings.
21 students came to the event. Johnson walked them through two basic steps of Irish dance. First sevens— a quick sideways step pattern, —then hop-threes—a sequence that links a hop with three steps to the side.
After teaching the core steps, Johnson led them through a final dance. Students performed “The Walls of Limerick,” a traditional Irish group dance in which two lines of dancers face each other, moving backwards and forwards.
Johnson said the night was great bonding moment for the club members and they were glad to share their love for Irish Dance with the Marquette Community. For students interested in getting involved in Marquette’s Saoirse Irish Dance Team click here.
“You don’t even have to be Irish,” Johnson said.
This article was written by Allison Scherquist. She can be contacted at [email protected]
