Catalina in Berlin

Many thanks to Claudia for submitting these photos of Catalina and her family in Berlin, where Catalina competed at the WIDA (World Irish Dance Association) European Championships on April 22.

1. Catalina was invited to carry the Canadian flag during the opening ceremonies.
2. Catalina in front of the board showing where all the competitors were from.
3. Yay Vancouver Canada!
4. Yay NPIDA!
5. Catalina and family
6. Catalina in front of pieces of the Berlin Wall
7. Catalina and brother Christopher in a cafe, awaiting results
8. Christopher, Catalina and Claudia in front of the competition venue
9. Catalina at the Brandenburg Gate
10. Catalina at the Reichstag
11. Catalina at the Holocaust Memorial

Good Luck in Edmonton!

We have 5 dancers travelling to Sherwood Park (near Edmonton) this weekend to compete in the Mattierin Spring Feis. Good luck to Anna, Laurel, Cara, Gemma and Pixie!

Nora's Photos from Worlds

Thanks to Nora for submitting these photos from Worlds! She also submitted this note:

Congratulations Jessie, Macaela, Camryn, Mackenzie and Ellen for qualifying for Worlds and competing at Worlds in Dublin!! Congratulations to Michael for his qualification for Worlds too! We had a great time and I was so proud of all 5 of our competing dancers!! I was thrilled to be there to see you on that huge stage among the top 1% of dancers that are your age! Congrats and I hope you all made it home safe and sound! Here are a few of my photos of our dancers getting ready, heading back stage and having fun after they danced!

The Story of the Eire Born Van!

Just before St. Patrick's Day, the Eire Born Irish Dance Society received a remarkable donation: a van to transport sound and lighting gear + the portable floor to Eire Born shows. Thank you Nora for submitting this information about the van donation:

Thanks a million to Ron and Sue, NPIDA parents from Richmond for your incredibly generous donation of our new Eire Born van! With the help from BMW (Ron’s work) this van was overhauled, painted, tuned up and ready for action for our Eire Born shows during March! 

This all happened during one special day last month! Just a few short weeks ago, I was rudely interrupted from teaching one of my classes in Richmond by a dance parent and I was asked to go outside the back door of the studio for a minute. Very reluctantly, I listened and then went outside with a very strange and confused look on my face. Lo and behold... a lovely white van was parked in the back driveway to the studio and Vic S was standing by it smiling his face off from ear to ear!! I still felt confused and knew something was up. I just didn’t know what?!? 

Then Ron and Sue announced to me that the van was their gift to EBIDS to make it easier for our sound teams to support our dancers with our stage and sound and lighting gear transportation. Pat and Vic praised the heavens that day that someone gave them a really cool van to use for our Eire Born shows! Boy I tell ya... I was in shock and incredibly happy! I was also so grateful that I didn’t “bite anyone’s head off” when I was interrupted during my teaching that night! Something wonderful fell from heaven that day and I would like to say a huge thank you once again to Ron and Sue for all your support with our Eire Born shows! Your donation will be appreciated for many more years to come!

EBIDS and NPIDA would also like to sincerely thank Kali M for her fabulous graphic design/artwork which graces the sides and back of the new Eire Born van. Thank you Kali - it looks amazing!

Photos #1-3 by Moira S; #4 by Sue M and #5 by Gillian S.

Christine's Worlds Photos

Thanks to Christine for submitting these photos from the first day of Worlds in Dublin when Macaela, Jessie and Camryn danced. When the other families return, hopefully we'll have some more Worlds photos to post too. Thank you for these great pictures Christine!

Chrstine has also updated her own blog with some more photos from their family trip to Ireland - you can check it out at: www.getjiggywithmac.blogspot.com

Eire Born at the Bahai's of Port Moody

Thanks to Gillian (photos #2-4) and Jennifer (photos #1 and 5-9) for these photos taken last night, when Eire Born was performing at an event with the Bahai's of Port Moody. Thank you to sound and lighting crew Vic, Pat and Diana; and Nora backstage.

Dancers at this show were (top photo), left to right, back row: Cara, Rhiannon and Mikaela; Front row: Gemma, Jadyn, Jenny, Megan, Julia and Anna. Leila (photo #4) was a guest dancer. Thanks girls!