Performers Band Together to Send Irish Dancers to Nationals

On Sunday, May 20, put on your dancing shoes and hop over to the Irish Channel Restaurant and Pub in Crofton for an afternoon of Irish “fun”draising that will feature a free performance by the ever-popular, Annapolis-based Irish band the Rovers along with Ice Wagon Flu and the Chesapeake Caledonian Pipes and Drums.

The event benefits the Hunt School of Irish Dance, a local company sending 14 students to the North American National Irish Dancing Competition  in Chicago in early July.

Madison Methany and Alexa Roberge will compete in the North American National Irish Dance Competition.

“We are big fans of The Hunt School of Irish Dance,” Rovers’ Eddie McGowan said. “The Hunt School and Rovers have shared the stage many times, and we are happy to help get the dancers to the Nationals.”

Irish food and spirits will be flowing and guests may bid on live and silent auction items. The bands begin at 2:30 and will play until 6 p.m. on the 20th. Doors open at 1 p.m.

There is no cover charge for the event, just a donation request at the door.

Practice Makes Perfection

It’s not an easy feat qualifying for the National competition. The Hunt students spent hours upon hours practicing solo and group routines. They had to compete against dancers from all over the southern and mid-Atlantic at the qualifying 2011 Southern Region Oireachtas.

The 14 qualifiers placed in the top 10 dancers—plus 25 percent of the total competition at regionals.

At Nationals in Chicago, the dancers have a chance to qualify for the 2013 World Irish Dancing Championships which will be held in Boston.

Hunt School dancers include Sydney Newman, Davidsonville; Christian and Grace Allan, Edgewater; Mikaela Flanagan, Edgewater; Katie Moreau, Crofton; Lily and Grace Gretz, Crofton; Kendall and Morgan Loftis, Crofton; Meghan Farrell, Gambrills; Alli Chervenak, Gambrills; Molly Volk, Millersville; Madison Methany, Annapolis; and Alez Roberge, Annapolis.

The Hunt School of Irish Dance is owned by Sheila Hunt Murray and her sister, Beverly Hunt O’Connor, an Edgewater resident.

Beverly and Sheila opened the school 11 years ago at the Edgewater Knights of Columbus. Today, the school has more than 75 dancers and plans to open another studio this September in Crofton. The school currently practices out of a Gambrills dance studio location.

“The one thing Beverly and I both have in common is the love for Irish culture and spreading it through dance and music,” said the Rovers’ McGowan.

For additional information visit www.huntschool.org.