Local Dancers Make Podium At Regional Championships

Each November, the New England Regional Irish Dance Championships, also known as the “Oireachtas” brings top level dancers from Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island together to compete in solo championships, traditional sets and teams. It is the most prestigious event in the region and also where championship level dancers qualify for the North American Irish Dance Championships and World Championships.

Local dancing school, the Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance, which holds classes in Newtown, Danbury and Southbury, was proud to send over a dozen dancers to this year’s event held in Providence, Rhode Island. The academy’s co-directors, Craig and Christina Ashurst, were both championship dancers themselves having won regional, national and international titles before becoming certified teachers and touring the world as leads in Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.

The dancing school was proud of come home with 15 medals in various events this year including 4 podium placements in the traditional set competitions, 9 top ten placements in traditional set and team competitions and an overall championship medalist. Their championship dancers, including Olivia Ruggiero of Danbury, are now preparing to compete in the North American National Championships in New Orleans this July.

Amongst the medalists for the academy were Olivia Ruggiero and Mary Beth Hayes of Danbury, Tess Brantl, Acadia Petersen, Britta Petersen and Deirdre Smith of Newtown, Colleen Mallon, Genevieve Mallon, Sarah Mallon, Sophia Mahoney and Katie Sheehan of Southbury, Olivia Lanza of Oxford, Caroline Pickett and Lucy Lowman of Ridgefield.

         The Ashurst Academy, which opened in June, has new beginner classes forming in its Newtown and Southbury locations to begin in February. Information on the academy can be found at www.ashurstirishdance.com, www.facebook.com/ashurstirishdance or by calling 203-928-0689.