The 'All Irelands' Competion & More

by Debbi Collar

It was off to Killarney for the "All Irelands" for the O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance. Students of the Academy spent a week in February competing with others from around the world. "The All Irelands is the oldest stepdancing competition in the world. "That's according to Lisa Chaplin McAllister,who has a passion for teaching this traditional art form of dance. She and her mother, Rita O'Shea, both Melrose residents came back to the States extremely proud of their students, who managed to gather a number of medals to take home to America.

Aidan Hurff -first place in the boys competition.

Chaplin-McAllister's mother, Rita O'Shea, has been performing and teaching, according to her daughter, for many years. Originally from Galway, Chaplin says of her mom, "she is a great dancer and has performed and taught in both Ireland and America. The pair also teach the Irish language,and inform the students about Irish Culture as students also learn stepdancing."

The O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance has its teachers based in Melrose, Ma. but O'Shea and Chaplin McAllister travel to studio locations around many cities and towns throughout New England. Just a few of those places include Winchester, Norwood, Lawrence,, North Attleboro and Brighton. O'Shea also teaches an adult class on Tuesday nights in Wakefield at Harrington's. Many of their locations for teaching the art of Irish Dance are in churches.

Chaplin McAllister says at this time, they have about 200 students from all over including from New Hampshire. She has been teaching for 30 years. "At the age of 21 I knew I wanted to become a dancing teacher." However, she first attended college and is a licensed RN,whose jobs included pediatric nursing and time in a cancer unit. "I worked 10 years as an R.N. with Tufts at Children's Floating Hospital, then part time for another ten years before making the transition," to what she says is and always has been her "dream job", adding, "it was always on the back of my mind that I wanted to be a dancing teacher." She and her mother are also judges at some competitions.

"The popularity of Irish Dancing,"she says, "has also traveled to other cultures throughout the world such as Mexico and Asia. She says much of it due to Lord of the Dance and Riverdance."

There is also a difference between Professional Irish Dancing and Competitive. In Professional Irish Dancing, McAllister explains, "they are allowed to use their hands differently than they would when in competition."As a judge herself, she says what is looked for in competition is "posture, technique, the way they cross their legs and turn out their feet., Judging also includes how the dancers relate to the audience and how they look on stage."

Rita O'Shea and Lisa Chaplin McAllister, mother and daughter instructors carrying on an Irish traditionat the O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance.

Proud of their students who recently competed in Killarney Ireland, Chaplin McAllister says she likes to think of Irish Stepdancing as "an Olympic Sport," Why? "It's athletic and the best combination of both an athletic sport and performing as an art." Students of the O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance, she says, learn more than just the steps and routines, "they not only learn the art of the dance, but the Irish culture." Bonds also form and are kept for many years,"it's great because "they make great friends."

When Chaplin Mcallister was learning the art of the traditional dance and competing, she enjoyed getting to know many people. "I have friends from all over the world." She includes,"There's a difference between the friends you make at school and the friends you make while dancing and in competition, " Chaplin McAllister also enjoys observing the students in class and in competition," They are all so supportive of each other and work as teams."

"It's also nice to see," she says,"that one of the Chaplin O'Shea Academy of Irish Dance students, Scott Doherty, originally from Lawrence, Ma.. has gone on to produce his own show. He won the World Championship in 2009 in Philadelphia. His show is to be performed May 5th at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, Ma., and is called, "The Rockin' Road to Dublin." Other students they have taught have also gone on to perform in Riverdance and Lord of The Dance.

The 2018 Results of the All Irelands are listed below.

Overall placement /winners

5th place Men Under 20 Parker Armstrong

10th place Boys Under 15 Aidan Hurff

12th place Boys Under 17 Eli Weldon

18th place Girls Under 14 Kilery Meringer

33rd place girls Under 12 Isabella Fiore

Medal Winners

34th place in the light Katelyn Maguire

44th place for the heavy Maeve McAllister

Lily-advanced beginner - 2 medals

Of her own family, Chaplin McAllister says " we love passing this tradition on from one generation to the next."

Every Thursday afternoon from 3:30 -4:45 teaching takes place in the Parish Community Center of St. Eulalia's Church Winchester, Massachusetts. Just a few days before St. Patrick's Day and students of the beginner and advanced beginner levels were practicing their steps and dance routines.

L-R- Mary Marino, Winchester, Ella Walsh, Arlington, Sophie Aloise, Bedford, Ma.

Chaplin McAllister's mother, Rita O'Shea reiterates her daughters comment concerning the health benefits of Irish dancing . "Irish dancing is very good because it is a more stringent type of exercise."

Students of the O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance learning their routines at St. Eulalia's Parish community Center, Winchester, Ma.

Two of the students in class were from Melrose, Ma., and one from Wakefield,Ma.

L-R Sisters, The Burnham sisters from Melrose, Anne and Nora, in a dance pose, along with Aine Leane.

Anne considers Irish stepdancing "both hard and easy." Her sister Nora agrees and adds of the younger of the two, "she learns different dances than me." Aine also explains while at class,"you learn different steps and some are hard."

Often at this class O'Shea or Chaplin McAllister could be heard giving instruction as to "up on your toes,"or "hop up" in which children of all ages responded to immediately. Students can begin lessons at the age of 4.

L-R, Druv Singh, Annie Burnham, Rowan Wong, Courtney Brennan, Consuelo Anderson,Vanessa Leahy, Julia Mara

Feet of the beginner and advanced beginners of the O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance that will one day be performing throughout New England and beyond.

Thursday afternoon students of the O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance, wishing all a Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Interested in learning? Contact O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance at www.bostonirishdance.com

Photos of the All Ireland's competition, courtesy of the O'Shea Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance.

Photo credit of students during lessons at St Eulalia's Parish Community Center, Debbi Collar