Good Luck at the Oireachtas!

Nora and Courtney are in Edmonton this weekend with 35 NPIDA dancers who are competing at the 2011 Western Canadian Oireachtas, which is the annual qualifying championship for both the 2012 North American Championships and the 2012 World Championships. In each age group, after the hard shoe and soft shoe rounds, 50% of the dancers will be "recalled" to do their Set Dances. All recalled dancers will officially "place" at the evening awards ceremonies, and all non-recalled dancers will not.

Dancers up to age U-13 will be competing on Friday, as well as all the teams, and dancers age U-14 and older will compete on Saturday. Dancing commences at 12:00pm on Friday and 9:00AM on Satirday. Good luck to all of our dancers and teams; we know you have all worked very hard!

FRIDAY SOLO DANCERS:

Girls Pre-Oireachtas (U-9)
Sarah A, Caitlin B, Kyla F, Mckenna L, Jadyn M and Megan S

Girls U-10
Morgan G, Julia M and Thea M

Girls U-11
Macaela B, Camryn C, Jayne D and Jessie H

Girls U-12
Catharine A, Olivia A, Shannon G, Taigen G, Emma Hib and Anna M

Boys U-12
Tomas M

Girls U-13
Raven G, Cara J and Gemma K

FRIDAY 8-HAND TEAM DANCERS:

U-10 Team
Sarah A, Caitlin B (subbing for Alannah C), Morgan G, Pixie K, Julia M, Jadyn M, Thea M and Megan S

U-15 team
Olivia A, Camryn C, Shannon G, Taigen G, Jessie H, Emma Hib, Gemma K and Anna M

15+ Team
Emma B, Mackenzie C, Catalina G, Raven G, Jessica H, Cara J, Paula K and Laurel S

SATURDAY SOLO DANCERS:

Girls U-14
Maria M and Mikaela P

Girls U-15
Emma B, Mackenzie C, Catalina G and Laurel S

Girls U-17
Jessi B and Ellen D

Ladies U-18
Jessica H and Paula K

Ladies 20+
Stephanie M and Rebecca R

Newspaper Photo Shoots: Oireachtas Dancers

North Van Oireachtas dancers. Back row: Emma B, Paula, Maria, Cara, Mackenzie, Ellen and Rebecca. Middle row: Olivia, Jessi, Laurel, Camryn, Taigen, Gemma and Raven. Front row: Sarah, Julia, Emma H, Jayne, Anna, Thea and Megan.

Mackenzie and Ellen jumping

North Van Oireachtas dancers

North Van Oireachtas dancers

Richmond Oireachtas dancers. Back row: Catharine, Morgan, Shannon, Catalina, Mikaela, Tomas and Jessie. Front row: Caitlin, Jadyn, Megan, Macaela, Kyla and Mckenna.

Richmond Oireachtas dancers

A photographer from the North Shore News came to the NPIDA studio in North Van last week to take some photos of the North Van Oireachtas dancers. Jennifer shot a few photos too - thank you Jennifer! Parents of the Richmond Oireachtas dancers took their own photos, which have been submitted to the Richmond Review newspaper and will likely be published this Friday November 4. Thank you Sue! Good luck to all the NPIDA dancers in Edmonton!

NPIDA 2011 Oireachtas Competitors

Nora has confirmed that the following NPIDA dancers will be competing at the 2011 Western Canadian Oireachtas (North American and World Qualifying Championships). The Oireachtas and Mini-Feis will take place in Edmonton during the weekend of November 4-6.

All U-13 solo competitions and all Team/Figure Dances will be held on Friday, and all 13+ solo competitions will be held on Saturday. The Mini-Feis (non-championship dancers only) will take place on Sunday.

This year NPIDA not only has 36 solo entrants, but is also sending 3 8-Hand teams as well! Good luck to all the dancers in these upcoming weeks of final Oireachtas preparations!

SOLO COMPETITORS

Girls Pre-Oireachtas (U-9)
Sarah A
Caitlin B
Kyla F
Mckenna L
Jadyn M
Megan S

Girls U-10
Alannah C
Morgan G
Julia M
Thea M

Girls U-11
Macaela B
Camryn C
Jayne D
Jessie H

Girls U-12
Catharine A
Olivia A
Shannon G
Taigen G
Emma Hib
Anna M

Boys U-12
Tomas M

Girls U-13
Raven G
Cara J
Gemma K

Girls U-14
Maria M
Mikaela P

Girls U-15
Emma B
Mackenzie C
Catalina G
Laurel S

Girls U-17
Jessi B
Ellen D

Ladies U-18
Jessica H
Paula K

Ladies 20+
Stephanie M
Rebecca R

8-HAND TEAMS

U-10 Team
Sarah A
Alannah C
Morgan G
Pixie K
Julia M
Jadyn M
Thea M
Megan S

U-15 team
Olivia A
Camryn C
Shannon G
Taigen G
Jessie H
Emma Hib
Gemma K
Anna M

15+ Team
Emma B
Mackenzie C
Catalina G
Raven G
Jessica H
Cara J
Paula K
Laurel S

Oireachtas clip art from Google Images.

Dates: 2011 Ceili and 2011 Oireachtas

Nora has confirmed the following dates for 2011:

- The 2011 NPIDA Ceili will take place at Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver on Saturday May 21 (this is the May long weekend). The Ceili rehearsal will take place on Wednesday May 18.

- The 2011 Western Canadian Oireachtas and Mini-Feis will take place in Edmonton at the River Cree Resort on Friday November 4 to Sunday November 6.

Photos: thanks to Sue M for submitting these scanned photos of Jadyn at the 2010 Oireachtas; photos by OnSight Photographers. Jadyn placed 5th in the Girls U-9 group.