I think you're right about it being due to a mindset in NA dancers (and probably australian as well) -- Irish Dancing Topics

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Date Posted: Friday, July 08, 10:38:05am
Author:

Aine
Subject: I think you're right about it being due to a mindset in NA dancers (and probably australian as well)
In reply to: weezy 's message, "It really is a purely American phenomenon...." on Friday, July 08, 05:30:08am

I speak for australian dancers on this because they already have a closed nationals, so I'm assuming they feel or at one time felt the same way about overseas dancers taking up the awards.

North American dancers still have this lingering sense of not being as good as (or not being able to place as well as) dancers from Ireland and Britain. I think it comes from the fact that in the past there has been a pattern of top Americans not placing as high at worlds as Irish and UK dancers. Whether that is due to predjudice, or lesser quality dancing, or just a style difference, I cant say, and I suspect that all 3 play some factor. But, recently North Americans have done quite well in overseas competitions, and I think this gap is being bridged, whatever is the cause. It is probably true that overseas workshops are playing a part (even if only because they give dancers the belief they are getting some special teaching from Ireland). Also, is the increased flow of traffic, both to and from overseas competitions, the more exposure we get, the more competitive we are. Some great schools in the US are now just becoming as established and also as accomplished as other schools in Ireland or the UK would have been ten or 20 years ago. Irish Dancing in Ireland and the UK has been around alot longer then it has in the US, and an even bigger lot longer then in some of the more remote areas of the US. Schools are established in Ireland, and grow, and have fierce competitions every day, and have been doing this thing for much longer then some schools in the US that are just now becoming blips on the radar in the worldwide results. As the results begin to have more and more North American dancers in them, us North Americans will not feel so inferior or slighted (your POV probably depends on how cynical your view of ID is). Then we wont feel the need to shut out others in order to inflate our achievements ("I would have gotten 2nd instead of 5th..").

I have a feeling that the Ashley Smiths in the ID world are not the ones complaining. It comes from those who are not able to beat the overseas dancers overseas, or on home turf. Instead of focussing on beating them, they complain that they shouldnt be there.

The North American Championships is not a Nationals competition. Its like a golf or tennis Open. So are most of the other 'national' majors in ID. Sure, It'd be nice to have a true national championships, but the North American Championships isnt it, and shouldnt be sacrificed as an international open championships to do so.

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Replies:

I must admit I almost... -- sam, Friday, July 08, 12:03:08pm