How to mentally prepare for the solo recalls at the CLRG All Ireland's

The CLRG All Ireland Championships are just weeks away now! This prestigious competition, held annually in Ireland, is one of the most important events in the Irish dancing calendar as dancers from around the world come together to compete in the final major event before the upcoming CLRG World Championships.

What makes the All Irelands different?

Not only is the All Irelands one of the most important events in the dancing calendar, it is also the most unique, as unlike at other majors, the All Irelands have individual recalls for the first two rounds in addition to the overall recall. These recalls, known as solo recalls, are decided by a solo recall judge, whose marks are only used to decide who will achieve a solo recall and don’t go towards the overall result.

Those who achieve a solo recall are asked to come back on stage alongside all other solo recallers to perform a step down the line of the respective dance you have recalled in – so, for example, if you achieve a solo recall in your heavy jig, you will have to re-dance 16 bars of your heavy jig in a step down the line.

Things to remember for the solo recalls:

As with anything in Irish Dancing, many people have very different feelings towards the solo recalls, some people love them and some people hate them, and no matter where your feelings towards them lie, that is more than okay - there is absolutely no right or wrong way to feel about them!

The solo recalls have absolutely no impact on your overall recall or result, they are a separate competition completely. As a result, many dancers are able to enjoy themselves a little bit more without as much pressure – taking the opportunity to perform on the stage once again without the worry of the performance impacting the final result, whilst also embracing the extra opportunity to achieve a medal! As the recall is also only 16 bars, anxiety around fitness and stamina can also be less which only relieves more pressure.

Whilst there are a lot of positives to the solo recalls, it is also important to remember the negatives. As these recalls are a completely separate competition, they do take up additional mental energy on top of the already emotional feis day. Not only that, they also take up extra physical energy as it is additional dancing to the overall competition. This only adds to the importance of rest in the build-up to the competition, especially the day before you dance. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, stretching and eating the right foods to ensure you are ready to handle these additions to the feis day.

What happens if I do/don’t get a solo recall?

Regardless of whether you do or don’t get a solo recall, it is essential to maintain a resilient mindset and focus on the bigger picture. Missing out on a solo recall doesn’t mean you’re also going to miss out on the overall recall, so it is important to not get too disheartened and worry about what it means for the overall result or let it affect your confidence going into your set dance if you do get the overall recall.

Likewise, if you do get one or both solo recalls, it is extremely important to stay focused on the overarching competition and not let the success of achieving the solo recall let you take your foot of the gas before you set dance. Do what you can to remain focused and determined for the rest of the competition.

The best way to prepare for the All Irelands 2024

If you’re heading to Killarney for the All Irelands this year and are looking for the best way to prepare, come and join us for our All Ireland workshop with Meg on Wednesday the 31st of January at 7pm (UK time). Meg will be talking you through everything you need to be aware of for the upcoming competition and offering some helpful tips and insights to ensure you are as prepared as can be for the big day! Find out more here!