Our Love - Our Sport!

Happy Valentine’s Day! Today is ‘the day of love’ and so who wouldn’t want to love their love for Irish dancing? 

Irish Dancing is a funny sport - some weeks we love everything about Irish dancing, other weeks we can feel like we have lost our passion for dancing. Firstly - that’s completely normal! 

There are many reasons why we can sometimes feel like this and every single dancer will have experienced it at some point or another. With many major championships on the horizon and training ramping up a level, some dancers feel themselves thriving and enjoying dance class more - whereas others seem to find it too overwhelming. 

If you are finding your love for dancing is dwindling then here are some tips and tricks which have helped myself, Aoibheann, Aimee and Annabelle over the years:

Remember why you started

This is something that people often say to one another, but then they go away and don’t do it. We suggest you give it a go! Write down 20 reasons why you love to dance. Try this exercise every month and see if you can think of 10 new reasons every month.

You’re not alone

It is important to remind yourself that you are not alone! Every single dancer will have felt like this at some point in their careers. When you remember that you are not alone, and that this feeling isn’t permanent, it can make it easier to overcome any feelings of lacking in motivation, overwhelm, or frustration.

Spend some time with the beginners

Do you remember when you were a beginner and you loved to dance for the fun of it? You competed and came away with one medal and felt like it was the best day in the World? Whenever you feel like your passion for dancing is dwindling or you want to remember why you started working so hard in the first place, go and spend some time with the beginners. Watching their faces light up with delight when they win a medal is a great way to remind yourself of how it feels to dance for the love of it. 

If your teachers allow, you could ask to help at the beginner classes. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to pass on your knowledge and love for Irish dancing and feel that sense of achievement when someone master's something they were struggling with beforehand.

Take a step away

Finally, if none of the above have worked, then try and take a step away from dancing for a bit. This could mean missing a night of dance practice to go out with your friends or shortening your practice to ensure you get an early night. When we feel overworked and exhausted, it can be hard to remember all about why we’re passionate about Irish dancing and why we are working so hard in the first place. So have a night off, jump in a bath and have an early night - or spend some time with friends away from the dance floor. 

We really hope these tips and tricks help anyone who is struggling to find their love for dance - and our inboxes are always open. But we really hope all of you are thriving under the excitement of the impending major competitions, you are well rested, and as passionate about Irish dancing as we are.