| Etain Mulvenna, Irish Dancing World Champion |
 Mulvenna Irish Dancing Academy in Belfast certainly has something to boast about this year. What could make your school and its teachers more proud than having the Under 11 World Irish Dancing Champion in your Class? And guess what, they do!!!Yes, Etain Mulvenna, from the Mulvenna Academy Belfast, has recently been crowned under 11 World Irish Dancing Champion and to make things even more special, her teachers are none other than her mum, Deborah and her auntie Brenda. So how has Etain reached this pinnacle so early in her dancing career? Well, she’s never known life without Irish Dancing and even at the tender age of 4, she was showing all the signs of becoming a champion.  “I have been involved in dancing since I was a baby, going to dancing with my mum who is an Irish Dancing Teacher so I don’t know at what age I really started” says Etain, “It just sort of happened”. She admits to winning her first Oireachtas medal at the Ulster Irish Dancing Championships when she was only 4, so even back then, she was a dancing star. Etain knows now how hard you have to work to reach the top and she tells us how dedicated and hard working she really is. “I go to class 4 or 5 times a week and also do practise at home, especially coming up to big competitions”. As young as Etain is, she knows, as so do her teachers, how important practise is for every Irish Dancer. Etain tells us “It is very important to practise especially when you get new moves or steps. Everyone has their own way that they like to practise. I like to enjoy my practise and not think of it as hard work although it is. In the long run the hard work can pay off and you can enjoy your win”. Etain’s hard work and practise, along with the experience and teaching skills of her mum and aunt, have all paid off because currently Etain is the Ulster, All Scotland, British National and World Irish Dancing Champion and remember she is still Under 11. But is it the Titles which keep her addicted to Irish Dancing? Absolutely not she says!! “The thing that keeps me motivated is the fact that I love to dance! I enjoy the travelling and visiting new places. I love seeing different friends in different places and I love getting new costumes that my mum designs for me”. How is Irish Dancing Class when your mum and your Auntie are the ones in charge?? Etain wouldn’t have it any other way! “I love dancing for my mum and my auntie Brenda. It’s great!” She says. “They work very hard with all of us and are always there for me and the other boys and girls in our class. Sometimes they give us treats.” Etain sums up her admiration for her teachers very simply, “I think they are the best teachers because they made me a World Champion and they’ve made other boys and girls in our class Champion Irish Dancers too”. And how exactly does it feel to be the best Under 11 Irish Dancer in the World? “Winning the World this year was amazing” says Etain, “I felt very nervous when the results were coming out and everyone was wishing me good luck and when the result was given I was so happy and just stunned. It is a strange feeling realising that you are the best in the world at something. It really is a dream come true when you look at the other World Champions and wonder what it feels like and then it happens to you.” Etain admits to being a little overwhelmed with all that happened on the day that she was Crowned World Irish Dancing Champion but it was a brilliant day and one that she will never forget.  Like all Irish Dancers, even the World Champion has to keep up with her school work and Etain admits that it can be tough to balance dance classes, Practises and school work. She is very pragmatic in her approach. “It has to be done” she says and even for a World Irish Dancing Champion, school work has to always come first. Etain admits to having to take a few days off school to attend the Great Britain’s but if she did, her school work was sent with her. With her usual discipline, she concentrated on her dancing first, caught up then on her school work and still had time for a few laughs with her friends. Not only did this Irish Dancer come home with the Great Britain’s title firmly in her grasp but she clinched pupil of the month for completing all her school work and staying on top of her studies. So you see, it can be done with a little planning ahead, some hard work and lots of determination. Etain has adopted a brilliant approach to her Irish Dancing and she tries very hard not to get disappointed with results. She has her mum’s advice ringing in her ears all the time, “All you can do is try your best!” Etain sums it all up plainly for any one who is involved in competitive Irish Dancing, “If I dance well and the result isn’t so good, I can’t be disappointed with myself because I know I’ve tried my best and it was just the adjudicator’s decision. If I make a mistake, it’s my own fault and I don’t expect to do well so I know I can’t be disappointed with what I get”. If only all dancers could be so wise at this age!! Etain’s tips for any one just starting out in Irish Dancing is “Just always try to do your best. Listen to what your teacher tells you and never worry if you make a mistake, especially if it’s your first time. Anyone can make a mistake!” And so, Etain Mulvenna, Under 11 World Irish Dancing Champion, has attained the highest award possible in Irish Dancing. She is indeed the best Irish Dancer in the World in her age group but Etain goes far beyond this. She is focused, hard working and despite the litany of Irish Dancing titles she carries presently, she is, most of all grounded and humble. Etain is definitely a shinning star in Irish Dancing both for her talents and her personality. She is the Under 11 World Irish Dancing Champion, but my guess is, that this Irish Dancing Star has still a lot to offer to the World of Irish Dance. |
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