40% Prizewinner!
I don't know if anyone watches or knows about the show Futurama (I've made mention of it before) but the character Bender often says "I'm 40% dolomite" or "I'm 40% scrap metal" or something of the sort.
But anyway, I found this fitting because I am 40% prizewinner! Here's the lowdown!
Yesterday was the Horgan Spring Feis and now that I've done three of their competitions and two of them in & overs I really think they are my favorite competitions. For whatever reason they are smaller, the most I danced against yesterday might have been 8? They aren't as crowded, there's plenty of room to walk around and camp and warm up, and there is just this laid back vibe that I love. I wish I could explain to you why there are less people, maybe it's because there was another feis this weekend, or that there was a double header last weekend, or the fact that you can't see who you are competing against until you get there. I don't know, but I will always go to Horgan Competitions because they are great, are some of the most local competitions I attend all year, and I seem to do well at them, even with a fixed judge for all the dances.
One of the great things about this feis was that we all got to sit together and be a supportive little family. I got to watch my class mates from both locations dance beautifully and be rewarded for it. Even looking back on it today my heart gets warm and fuzzy thinking of all the hugs and smiles and compliments. One of my classmates who started out as a beginner last year, got her final first to be a full prizewinner (She already has firsts in prizewinner too. She's insane) and this normally quiet girl was jumping up and down beaming. Another girl danced so well that she got seconds in everything, a feat that she never accomplished before transferring. I had a mom pull me aside and tell me that her daughter and her friends (my Farmington crew that I used to think didn't care about me either way) love me so much and that she appreciates that I'm around because I'm such a good role model. Guys, I was feeling so blessed and happy that I went up for my dances relaxed and without a care in the world....
....until a boy gets in line beside me. I look at my mom and my TC and in my head I'm swearing. I don't know how it is in other regions, but usually if there is a boy in the grades competition, he will get the first. I don't know if it's the motivation factor or the fact that they have heels on their soft shoe, but part of me was like "well that's that then." The other half of me was like "New feis, new judge, you worked on this dance all week, let's do this." So I pointed my toe, smiled my biggest smile and took off. I kicked my butt, tried to stay on my toes, cross, and be as sharp as possible. I got to the left foot on my second step when the boy and I were vying for space. I don't know how to explain it, but I just turned and danced in front of him, and was able to finish the rest of the reel nicely. Seriously, it wasn't a frantic thought, I just did it. It wasn't like last weekend where I thought it went so well that I was emotional, but I was satisfied that it was better than last weekend. Slip Jig unfortunately was not as good. I had a flub in my first step that my TC said the judge saw right away. Hard shoe was pretty interesting too. I worked all week on picking up in back more in my hornpipe and I thought that my trebles were clear and confident, while my Treble jig was harder to hear and I felt wasn't as in time as it had been at Lenihan but overall I was very pleased with how I danced.
I sit for a few minutes, I drink some water and then decide to go see if anything is posted yet. They do it a little different at this feis, they are on a table where the awards are instead of on a wall somewhere. No surprise, nothing in slip jig but I had another one of those emotional shock filled moments when I see my number in the first place spot for Reel. I WON! I BEAT A BOY! I'm 40% prizewinner! I came back to my people and had a nice excited cheer session with them! Lot's of hugs and "proud of you's" from people who weren't my TC or mom!
A little while later I get up to check my hard shoe and the infamous boy was coming back and he excitedly told me that I got a 2nd in Treble Jig. We talked for a bit and he ended up being cool though I'm sure that he was just as happy that he beat me in a dance as I was that I beat him. Still that means that if he hadn't been there that I would have won treble jig too. My third time competing those steps. INSANE.
So to sum this lengthy post up. I've got 2 dances down and 3 to go until I am a full prizewinner. My goal is still over a year away. I have now placed in every Novice dance and that is not counting the thirds I got when everyone placed. I've been told that it takes people a long time to place in Novice and in reel especially so I feel so completely blessed that it's already happening. I am in awe at where I was a year ago and even where I was in December. I am so excited for new steps and getting my other dances into prizewinner. I have to figure when I'm moving that dance up or if I'm going to wait until all my dances are in prizewinner. It's still crazy to think that I'm a step closer and that's even an option!
3 weeks until the next one!
Kay
But anyway, I found this fitting because I am 40% prizewinner! Here's the lowdown!
Yesterday was the Horgan Spring Feis and now that I've done three of their competitions and two of them in & overs I really think they are my favorite competitions. For whatever reason they are smaller, the most I danced against yesterday might have been 8? They aren't as crowded, there's plenty of room to walk around and camp and warm up, and there is just this laid back vibe that I love. I wish I could explain to you why there are less people, maybe it's because there was another feis this weekend, or that there was a double header last weekend, or the fact that you can't see who you are competing against until you get there. I don't know, but I will always go to Horgan Competitions because they are great, are some of the most local competitions I attend all year, and I seem to do well at them, even with a fixed judge for all the dances.
One of the great things about this feis was that we all got to sit together and be a supportive little family. I got to watch my class mates from both locations dance beautifully and be rewarded for it. Even looking back on it today my heart gets warm and fuzzy thinking of all the hugs and smiles and compliments. One of my classmates who started out as a beginner last year, got her final first to be a full prizewinner (She already has firsts in prizewinner too. She's insane) and this normally quiet girl was jumping up and down beaming. Another girl danced so well that she got seconds in everything, a feat that she never accomplished before transferring. I had a mom pull me aside and tell me that her daughter and her friends (my Farmington crew that I used to think didn't care about me either way) love me so much and that she appreciates that I'm around because I'm such a good role model. Guys, I was feeling so blessed and happy that I went up for my dances relaxed and without a care in the world....
....until a boy gets in line beside me. I look at my mom and my TC and in my head I'm swearing. I don't know how it is in other regions, but usually if there is a boy in the grades competition, he will get the first. I don't know if it's the motivation factor or the fact that they have heels on their soft shoe, but part of me was like "well that's that then." The other half of me was like "New feis, new judge, you worked on this dance all week, let's do this." So I pointed my toe, smiled my biggest smile and took off. I kicked my butt, tried to stay on my toes, cross, and be as sharp as possible. I got to the left foot on my second step when the boy and I were vying for space. I don't know how to explain it, but I just turned and danced in front of him, and was able to finish the rest of the reel nicely. Seriously, it wasn't a frantic thought, I just did it. It wasn't like last weekend where I thought it went so well that I was emotional, but I was satisfied that it was better than last weekend. Slip Jig unfortunately was not as good. I had a flub in my first step that my TC said the judge saw right away. Hard shoe was pretty interesting too. I worked all week on picking up in back more in my hornpipe and I thought that my trebles were clear and confident, while my Treble jig was harder to hear and I felt wasn't as in time as it had been at Lenihan but overall I was very pleased with how I danced.
I sit for a few minutes, I drink some water and then decide to go see if anything is posted yet. They do it a little different at this feis, they are on a table where the awards are instead of on a wall somewhere. No surprise, nothing in slip jig but I had another one of those emotional shock filled moments when I see my number in the first place spot for Reel. I WON! I BEAT A BOY! I'm 40% prizewinner! I came back to my people and had a nice excited cheer session with them! Lot's of hugs and "proud of you's" from people who weren't my TC or mom!
 |
| On a cloud with my loot! |
A little while later I get up to check my hard shoe and the infamous boy was coming back and he excitedly told me that I got a 2nd in Treble Jig. We talked for a bit and he ended up being cool though I'm sure that he was just as happy that he beat me in a dance as I was that I beat him. Still that means that if he hadn't been there that I would have won treble jig too. My third time competing those steps. INSANE.
So to sum this lengthy post up. I've got 2 dances down and 3 to go until I am a full prizewinner. My goal is still over a year away. I have now placed in every Novice dance and that is not counting the thirds I got when everyone placed. I've been told that it takes people a long time to place in Novice and in reel especially so I feel so completely blessed that it's already happening. I am in awe at where I was a year ago and even where I was in December. I am so excited for new steps and getting my other dances into prizewinner. I have to figure when I'm moving that dance up or if I'm going to wait until all my dances are in prizewinner. It's still crazy to think that I'm a step closer and that's even an option!
 |
| Updated! |
Kay
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