Local Girl Step Dances In NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade

PECONIC, NY — Irish eyes will be smiling Friday as Peconic's Naomi Cichanowicz, 12, Irish step dances her way down Fifth Avenue during the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Naomi and her friend Katie O'Connor, 11, of East Moriches — both attend the My Pulse My Passion dance studio in Mattituck, training with dance instructor Kyleen Vernon, who is also at the parade — have been practicing in Queens every Sunday for five weeks with other young dancers from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, said her mom Cynthia Cichanowicz.

Waiting for the parade to begin, Cichanowicz said, the anticipation was the hardest part.

"The girls said that the best part is that they get to march with other girls from other Irish step schools and it is very exciting to be marching down Fifth Avenue. They will be dancing in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral for the Cardinal, as well," she said.

Reflecting on her daughter's exciting experience, Cichanowicz said, "It was a lot of hard work with practices for the last five weeks in Queens every Sunday. But I'm extremely proud of her since she has stuck with the Irish step dancing since she was five and she is now 12."