RinceFinalPDF2

VOLUME 1
MARCH 2020
Doire
Designs
Differently
Between
the Bell
Stretching
for Leaps
Makeup
On Stage
LADS
What it means to
be a male in the
Irish dance world

what’s inside
Health & Technique
22
28
30
TCRG Knows Best
Teachers from all around the U.S.
help keep our bodies in shape
Stretching for Leaps
We unveil hip stretches so your
leaps are higher than ever
Point and Flex
The best tips and tricks to help
improve pointing in your ghillies
Dancers Like You
34
38
40
Reed Takes Denver
An inside look into the dancers of
the Reed School of Irish Dance
Podium Toppers
With the worlds coming up, we’re
looking at who won last year
LADS
Male Irish dancers smash
stereotypes through viral videos
COVER PHOTO VIA FEVERY
06 MARCH 2020

from the editor
My name is Maggie and
I am the editor here
at Rince. I danced
for 16 years at the
Reed School of Irish
Dance in the Western
Region before retiring
from the competition
scene. Dance will always hold a special place in
my heart and I love that I get to express my love
for the world and competition scene through this
magazine.
Our name is the Gaelic word for dance,
which holds a special place in our Irish Dance
community. For those of you who don’t know, it is
pronounced: Rink-a.
Here at Rince, we are building a brand unique
to you readers. With an eye for what makes Irish
dance and the Irish dance community special, we
strive for a unique prespective from dancers to
dancers. Here at Rince we are passionate about
dance, but realistic as well.
Lately the community has been changing year
to year and we are here to provide an up to date
look into the latest trends, styles, techniques and
perspectives.
In this our premier issue, we are doing
something unique to our magazine: featuring a
male perspective. And what a better month than
March to start with! With St. Patrick’s Day right
around the corner, we are showing some love for
schools and all different types of dancers. We also
are giving an inside look into what is changing in
the design world. Affordable dresses? Yes, please!
Those stories along with so many more are in the
pages to follow.
As you read on, remember that here at Rince
we live as realistic and passionate dancers like
yourself, and we’re so excited to share our passion
throughout this community.
Dance on!
Editor’s Pick from this Issue
Doire Designs Differently
This story features a new ideal for dresses in our
community. We know that our costumes cost
much more than the average person can afford.
Doire Dress Designs is creating something that
should be the new standard in our community: a
quality product, for a reasonable price. That’s why
this story is my top pick from this issue.
Maggie Michaud
Editor
45
49
51
56
60
Style & Beauty
Makeup on Stage
Find out the latest trends in
dance makeup for a stage look
Doire Designs Differently
An inside look into the new
and affordable designs by
Shauna Shiels
Emerald Key Knows
What everyone’s favorite Irish
dance vendor is doing next
Standards
Between The Bell
A comprehensive guide to
understanding Irish Points
Why No More Globes
The real reasons you won’t see
anyone with the worlds logo on
their dress
march 2020
08 MARCH 2020
09 MARCH 2020

D L A
S
Male Irish Dancers Smash Traditional
Stereotypes Through Viral Videos
BY: IRISHCENTRAL STAFF

M
ichael and Matthew are both multi-world
champion award-winning Irish dancers
from the west of Ireland. They were both
born in Denver, Colorado, to Irish parents
and later moved to Ireland in 2006. Michael
(23) and Matthew (20) both followed their older sister
into Irish dancing at the age of four, in Denver. Their Irish
parents both wanted their kids to experience some sort of the
Irish culture, and for the Gardiners, Irish dancing was about
to take over their lives.
All three children have competed at the World Championships,
but Michael and Matthew both went on to win five
world titles between them, including a historic year in 2015
when they became the first siblings in nearly 40 years to win
the World Championships in the same year.
Now, they both dance all over the world with Riverdance,
The Kilfenora Ceili Band, and Fusion Fighters while also balancing
their architecture and engineering degrees. Both boys
have retired from competitive dancing but are still heavily involved
as teachers and choreographers in the Hession School
of Irish Dancing, in Galway.
#LADjam2 takes off
About a month ago, the brothers launched a project they
called #LADjam2. The original #LADjam project was created
by their good friend and fellow Riverdance colleague
James Greenan. The idea behind the original project was to
be the first ever internet jamming session. Greenan called for
lads all over the world to send in their best beats and he compiled
them into one video. Greenan’s project was extremely
successful, and he gathered 49 lads from all over the world to
be a part of the video.
“Since every good movie deserves a sequel, Matthew and
I decided to bring #LADjam back five years on. We wanted
to continue what James had started and help to create a platform
for lad dancers all over the world to be able to showcase
their skill, rhythm, athleticism, and talent. It’s a brilliant way
for the lads to express themselves and get creative,” the Gardiner
brothers told IrishCentral.
“We know from competing and performing, that the standard
of Irish dancing has risen incredibly, even over the last
five years since the first #LADjam. We believe that the outside
world doesn’t understand the commitment, the blood,
the sweat, the tears and the sacrifices that Irish dancers make
in order to get to the level that we are all at.”
Not only does the #LADjam project give men an opportunity
to show off their talent, but it also lets them express their
love for Irish dancing and to show to the world how cool it
can be for boy dancers.
Smashing Irish dance stereotypes
Unfortunately, outside of the Irish dancing ‘world’, there
are certain stereotypes that come with the sport. The wigs,
the dresses, the fake tan, the diamantes are usually what is
showcased instead of the rhythm, the skill, the power, the
athleticism.
Lads, in particular, get a hard time for this from a young
age, whether it be at school or elsewhere.
Michael told IrishCentral “Matthew and I certainly experienced
this; it wasn’t aggressive bullying for us, but it was
definitely enough to dampen our confidence and make us
question why we started Irish dancing.”
“So, as well as being a fun project, the #LADjam projects
also serve as a platform for lads all over the world to showcase
how cool their talent and their incredible skill actually
is. It has now become a true community of lads who all share
the same interest, skill, and athleticism.”
He explained “We sent a call to the world of Irish dancing
Lads to send us their best stuff and they did not disappoint.
We received 92 videos from every continent in the World. We
got videos from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern
Ireland, USA, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa, Bulgaria,
Hungary, Poland, China, Russia, and Australia.
“We got so many entries, that we decided to split the videos
into three episodes to share with the world. Each video
contains 30 lads and the talent in each video is absolutely
mind-blowing. From ages six to forty-four, the lads have
done an amazing job in showing their talent.”
Be sure to check out the three episodes and visit The Gardiner
Brothers Facebook and Instagram accounts for more
amazing content.
Each video contains 30 lads
and the talent in each video
is absolutely mind-blowing.”
- Michael Gardiner,
Professional Dancer
PHOTO VIA IRISHCENTRAL
Professional male dancers Michael and Matthew show off
what Irish dance gave them
43
MARCH 2020

Doire
Designs
Differently
BY: MAGGIE MICHAUD
Shauna Shiels tells us how she found
a new way to design affordably
49 MARCH 2020
50 MARCH 2020

Between theBell
A comprehensive guide to
understanding the complicated
system known as Irish points
BY: MAGGIE MICHAUD
56
MARCH 2020
57
MARCH 2020