On Friday I discovered that Rosemarie Timoney does not have a TCRG. Well, I say "discovered" but it was more of a realization. It's not like Rosemarie is hiding the fact that she doesn't have one, nor does she pretend to have one. It's something I may have already known about, actually, and either forgotten or blocked it out. A TCRG, by the way, is an Irish dancing teaching certification. Now, Rosemarie has been dancing since the age of 4, won the South Derry Championship at 17, and started teaching in 1966. Clearly the woman knows her stuff and has no need of a piece of paper telling her she's qualified to teach.
But. Without an instructor with a TCRG, I can't compete. So on Friday I had a long, long think. Do I need to compete? Or can I just be happy learning to dance again? Ultimately I sided with competition. This has very little to do with a love of competition. I mean, I hate to lose more than I like to win, and I will admit to having a competitive streak. And certainly there's a level of thrill in competition. But it has more to do with goals. There are certain steps and techniques you learn when you reach different levels of dancing and ultimately I want to have goal posts for marking those levels. And the best way to do that is by competing. For example, until I place first in a competition at a beginner level, I will only learn and work on beginner steps. It forces me to prefect them and work hard. And when I place first in all my dances in beginner, I move up to novice and learn novice steps. It puts all the weight of advancement on me. When I was with Coyle, I never blamed Colleen for not moving me up to prizewinner, nor could I had I wanted to. I never took first place in my slip jig, only second place. And even though I won first place in all my other dances (and even though the same girl kept beating me in the slip jig again and again), Colleen wouldn't teach me any new steps until I had perfected them all. So I just worked at it over and over and over. Competitions are a benchmark of your skill, not just an excuse for trophies and accolades.
Whereas if I was with Rosemarie, not having that benchmark or standard to guide me, I would be constantly itching to move onto the next big thing and wondering why she wasn't moving me forward, teaching me new steps yet or whatever. I'd be getting frustrated and impatient. I want to learn toe stands. Teach me how to do those big front clicks and little turn outs. Show me how to do a switch leap. Me me me me, show me, now now now now.
Ultimately, if I'm going to spend all this money for lessons and work at making dance part of my life again, I'm doing it properly. I want to master it. I want to be good at this, not just fanny around and arse about learning cool dance tricks.
And so, I will not be going with Timoney Irish Dancers.
Now what?
Well, I've been backed into a corner and now I have no other choice. I'll be dancing with Crossroads Irish Dancers. I've "avoided" Crossroads for one reason and one reason only: the distance. It will take me an hour to get to class. But, hell. Give me an A for effort, because I've researched all other dance school options and this is the closest one, TCRG certified, that is teaching adults year-round. And you know what's sort of comforting? They teach ONLY adults. I won't be shoved aside for younger students or forced to do endless ceilis because teachers don't know what to do with us. Crossroad dancers compete; they've placed regionally and nationally for figure dancing (figure dancing is similar to ceili dancing, but much more precise and feels more like a team sport). They're serious about dancing. Also classes are significantly cheaper with Crossroads, so much so that for the same monthly price with Timoney or what I'm currently paying with McDade, I can take two classes back-to-back (so driving an hour won't feel pointless). And now that I have a new car and have no qualms or worries about driving long distances at night, there's no excuse.
I've already contacted the instructor. I start June 9.
But. Without an instructor with a TCRG, I can't compete. So on Friday I had a long, long think. Do I need to compete? Or can I just be happy learning to dance again? Ultimately I sided with competition. This has very little to do with a love of competition. I mean, I hate to lose more than I like to win, and I will admit to having a competitive streak. And certainly there's a level of thrill in competition. But it has more to do with goals. There are certain steps and techniques you learn when you reach different levels of dancing and ultimately I want to have goal posts for marking those levels. And the best way to do that is by competing. For example, until I place first in a competition at a beginner level, I will only learn and work on beginner steps. It forces me to prefect them and work hard. And when I place first in all my dances in beginner, I move up to novice and learn novice steps. It puts all the weight of advancement on me. When I was with Coyle, I never blamed Colleen for not moving me up to prizewinner, nor could I had I wanted to. I never took first place in my slip jig, only second place. And even though I won first place in all my other dances (and even though the same girl kept beating me in the slip jig again and again), Colleen wouldn't teach me any new steps until I had perfected them all. So I just worked at it over and over and over. Competitions are a benchmark of your skill, not just an excuse for trophies and accolades.
Whereas if I was with Rosemarie, not having that benchmark or standard to guide me, I would be constantly itching to move onto the next big thing and wondering why she wasn't moving me forward, teaching me new steps yet or whatever. I'd be getting frustrated and impatient. I want to learn toe stands. Teach me how to do those big front clicks and little turn outs. Show me how to do a switch leap. Me me me me, show me, now now now now.
Ultimately, if I'm going to spend all this money for lessons and work at making dance part of my life again, I'm doing it properly. I want to master it. I want to be good at this, not just fanny around and arse about learning cool dance tricks.
And so, I will not be going with Timoney Irish Dancers.
Now what?
Well, I've been backed into a corner and now I have no other choice. I'll be dancing with Crossroads Irish Dancers. I've "avoided" Crossroads for one reason and one reason only: the distance. It will take me an hour to get to class. But, hell. Give me an A for effort, because I've researched all other dance school options and this is the closest one, TCRG certified, that is teaching adults year-round. And you know what's sort of comforting? They teach ONLY adults. I won't be shoved aside for younger students or forced to do endless ceilis because teachers don't know what to do with us. Crossroad dancers compete; they've placed regionally and nationally for figure dancing (figure dancing is similar to ceili dancing, but much more precise and feels more like a team sport). They're serious about dancing. Also classes are significantly cheaper with Crossroads, so much so that for the same monthly price with Timoney or what I'm currently paying with McDade, I can take two classes back-to-back (so driving an hour won't feel pointless). And now that I have a new car and have no qualms or worries about driving long distances at night, there's no excuse.
I've already contacted the instructor. I start June 9.
Labels: Irish Dancing
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