14 Things That Will Strike Fear and Joy Into the Hearts of Irish Dancers
"They can sing, they can dance, after all this is - Ireland?"
Irish dancing is cool, but it's not all fancy dresses and perfect posture. Here's how you know you're an Irish dancer
1. You've been dancing for-freaking-ever, like since you were two or three, and have never known life without Irish dance
2. You find yourself practicing your skips and steps everywhere you go
Standing somewhere? Must practice STEPS
Waiting in line? Keep practicing STEPS
3. The practices sucked up all, if not most, of your social life
4. But who needs a social life when you've met most of your best friends at dance class?
5. The ghillies, which I assume is Gaelic for 'demon feet squashers' , are the dance shoes that make your life a living hell
You may look like a fabulous angel at the feis (or competition) but gigantic blisters await
6. Speaking of looking fabulous, the makeup routines are damn near excruciating. You can just tell this poor girl is internally screaming "Can we be done already?" and holding herself back with blessed strength
7. The hair isn't SUPER difficult
Unless your ma tortures you for hours on end by actually curling your hair
8. But the cosmetic effort is worth it because you so pretty, you look like fancy Celtic princess!
9. The solo dresses are uncomfortable, expensive and often ridiculous, but shopping for them can be fun
10. Until the competition, unless you're asleep or at school, you are practicing your beats and leaps
11. All this practice has given you impeccable posture, though
12. Then it's show time and you finally get to show off all your cool tricks and high kicks
13. You're bouncing around like there's no tomorrow, and hopefully you win
14. And then comes the day when your school friends find out about your secret dance life and are all "Show us your sweet moves, please,"
You oblige and you show them some "basic" moves by dancing through your full arsenal of cool tricks
Most of your friends are delightfully shocked and never knew you were a gifted little dancer
Some of your friends are bitter because they can't dance as good as you (or at all, really)
But all of them want an encore and for you to teach them your dance moves
You kindly try to help, but alas they are not blessed with the step
So they give up and parade you around school as if you are the MOST Irish person who's ever walked God's green earth
15. It's a disciplined yet uplifting way of life that makes you proud, frustrated and excited all at once
