Kate Santini ‘27
Chief News Editor
Originally a part of the Dance Ensemble, Holy Cross Irish Dance (HCID) is now recognized as its own organization on campus. While it remains an integral part of the Holy Cross Dance Ensemble, HCID regularly competes in competitions organized by the Collegiate Irish Dance Association. At the end of the 2024 Spring semester, they participated in their first-ever Nationals and proudly took home the title of “National Champions” in the 8 Hand Ceílí.
Earlier this semester, HCID performed in the Dance Ensemble’s Fall Showcase. Co-chair, Myra Mayn ‘25, reflected on this experience, stating, “Although we have our own competitive endeavors now, we still continue to perform with the Dance Ensemble and love being a part of the dance community on campus. In the Dance Ensemble Fall Showcase, we were able to collaborate with the tap dancers to do an Irish vs. Tap dance battle called ‘Trading Taps,’ inspired by a similar dance in the professional Irish dance show ‘Riverdance.’ We had a lot of fun with the tap dancers and it made us feel even more integrated into the Dance Ensemble community.”
The Fall Showcase provided the HCID the opportunity to debut their dance to “Murder on the Dance Floor,” which they went on to perform at Villanova University’s 11th Annual Intercollegiate Dance Festival that took place this past weekend. Mayn described the number as “a play on a murder mystery” where “one of our dancers is revealed as the ‘murderer’ and the rest of us fight back to eventually dance her offstage.”
Grace Connelly ‘26 shed light on the team’s extensive preparation for the festival, sharing that, “We’ve been training since September, and each dancer has worked hard to balance their schedules in order to practice together. Before every competition or performance, there are always some nerves. We dedicate so much time and effort into rehearsals, and I always want to make sure I give my absolute best when it’s time to take the stage. But I remind myself that we’ve put in the work, and I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to compete in college and continue dancing!” Nora Brannegan ‘26 reported that while “preparing for this competition was anything but easy,” the team’s co-chairs, Bridget Fessenden ‘27 and Myra Mayn ‘25, “worked for probably twice” the amount of the time as the rest of the team. She expressed a deep gratitude toward Fessenden and Mayn, asserting that “[the team] couldn’t have gotten to Villanova without them” and that “they worked tirelessly to perfect choreography and plan the logistics of every moment of this trip.”
Reflecting on the festival’s outcome, Julia Gillespie ‘27 shared, “I am satisfied with the weekend we had. As a new team and one of the smaller ones at the festival, I believe every girl did their part in making the dances the best they could be.” She felt that the ensemble “danced very well and most importantly, had a great time doing it.” Connelly expressed a similar sentiment, mentioning that “one of [their] four-hand teams ended up placing sixth out of 61 collegiate teams.”
Sheila Hulseman ‘25 appreciated the time to bond with the team and shared that “aside from the seven-hour drive each way, [her] favorite part of the weekend was getting back up on stage to compete for the first time in five years in front of my family and some old dance friends.” She added that performing alongside “the team was so special and something [she’ll] never forget.” In concurrence with this, Connelly expressed that she “could not be any more proud to be a part of something so special” and feels that the team’s hard work is “reflect[ed] in the way [they] dance and show up to these competitions.”
Gillespie described her experience on the team in general, sharing that “the community on the Irish Dance team is something that has made my time at Holy Cross complete. The fourteen girls I have been lucky enough to form close bonds with are all amazing, both on stage and as friends. When you need someone to talk to, some encouragement before going on stage, or someone you know will be there for you, the team is guaranteed to follow through for one another.”
Connelly voiced that, looking ahead, the team hopes to expand “and return to collegiate Irish dance competitions including Villanova and the Collegiate Irish Dance National Championships.” For additional information on joining HCID or attending future events, follow their Instagram page @hcirishdance and feel free to get in touch with their co-chairs, Bridget Fessenden and Myra Mayn. The HCID sincerely appreciates the support they receive from the student body and are looking forward to seeing more students in attendance at their future performances.
Featured images courtesy of Holy Cross Irish Dance
Copy Edited by Lily Wasmund ’28
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