Seventh grader Sabrina Mills of L.E. White Middle School has been Irish step dancing ever since she was 6-years-old. That’s when she first saw the dance performed at a festival.
Nearly seven years later, Sabrina is heading to Glasgow, Scotland, for the World Irish Dance Championship. And yes, it’s the same dance made popular by productions of “Riverdance” and “Lord of the Dance.”
Like Sabrina, dancers don’t have to be Irish, but it takes a lot of stamina, discipline and commitment. Just try kicking your leg up over your head. Then try it without moving your torso, arms or hands ... and smile.
Sabrina has developed a strong core for kicks and keeping her posture straight by doing 60 sit ups and crunches a day, along with two-minute planks. Nearing competition she practices six days a week, 1 to 2 hours a day, mostly at the Ardan Academy of Irish Dance in Grand Rapids.
What she liked about the dance were its physical fitness regimen and how energetic it was. Mind you, she also plays soccer, cross-country, track and piano.
Her regimen means she has to watch her diet and she is not allowed to eat junk food one month prior to competition. For a 12-year-old who likes her gummy bears and ice cream—she rewards herself afterwards. She’s also had to miss a lot of her friend’s birthday parties because she cannot skip practice.
Sabrina is the daughter of Amy and Jeff Mills of Allegan. Her mother took Irish step dance classes for two years to help her daughter at home but then mom couldn’t keep up with Sabrina’s skill level.
“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Amy said. “She was beyond what I could do.”
Her 15-year-old sister Sasha also qualified for the national North American Irish Dance Championships in New Orleans last summer.
To qualify for the world championship, Sabrina had to place at least 24th out of 181 contestants in her age bracket at nationals. She placed 19th.
Contestants are judged for their posture or they lose points. Feet must be turned out, and dancers must be positioned high on their toes. They are also judged on how high they kick and how loud they bang their feet on the floor in the hard shoe dance.
With a hard shoe dance and a soft shoe dance, contestants dance two rounds for a combined score.
Sabrina, who has straight hair, must also wear her hair curly so that it bounces when she dances. Since her hair won’t keep a curl, she wears a Shirley Temple-like wig. A short bejeweled dress and spray tan finish the costume.
The tradition goes back to Ireland when children would show up for dance practice after church in their Sunday best.
“I think the spray tan defines the muscles in the legs more,” said Sabrina’s mom.
The World Irish Dance Championship will be March 24-31, with girls ranging in age from 11 to 22, from every part of the world. Sabrina will be competing against 300 dancers in her age category on March 26.
To get there, Sabrina started as a beginner, became a novice prize winner, won as a preliminary champion and then won in open championships.
“It’s really a lot more than I expected with competitions all over, mostly in the Midwest, and now traveling overseas,” said Amy. “But she’s having fun and we’ve been meeting people from all over world.
For Sabrina, the best part was when her placement was read, qualifying her for the world championship.
“I jumped up and down screaming—it was the best moment,” she said. “At first I was nervous, but once I started dancing I forgot everyone was there and just danced the best I could.”
Virginia Ransbottom can be contacted at vransbottom@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534.
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