Your news: Dancers from the Northwest Suburbs make strong showing

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Dancers from Chicago's famed Trinity Academy of Irish Dance took high placements at the Mid-America Irish Dance Championships, held Nov. 26-28, in Chicago. Coming in at the top are Moira Kramp of Arlington Heights and Samantha Ryzner of Mount Prospect, who took gold in solo competition.

School wide, Trinity had a record breaking 16 gold medal placements in solo and team competition, more than twice the number of gold medals for any other school. As the Mid-America Championships is the qualifying round for the World Championships, Trinity now has 44 dancers who are qualified to compete at the Worlds in solo competition in 2011, another first for the Mid-America region. Of those qualifiers, 88% placed in the top 10 and 77% placed in the top five.

Trinity founder Mark Howard states, "We're known for being an internationally renowned team school, but the solo results both local and internationally have surged in the last several years. It's an exciting time for us because the adjustments we have made in the way we teach are paying dividends for our students. That being said, this competition didn't bring the results for some of our dancers that they had hoped. In terms of training, those losses are just as important because of the life lessons that they bring. I know that in the long run, those placements served dancers just as well as the ones who came out on top."

Moira Kramp of Arlington Heights took the gold out of 104 competitors in solo competition and silver with her team. She is now qualified to compete in the 2011 World Championships to be held in Dublin, Ireland, from April 17-23. Currently ranked fifth in the nation, Kramp has placed in the top three at the Mid-America Championships for the last three years and has competed at two World Championships. Kramp is a seventh grade student at South Middle School where she is involved in softball, basketball and South Pom Squad.

It was a double gold competition for Samantha Ryzner, of Mount Prospect, who took gold in a solo competition of 108 competitors and also took gold with her team. Ryzner is currently ranked fourth in the nation. Ryzner is a fourth grade student at St. Emily.

Mary Claire McDonnell of Barrington took the bronze out of 117 competitors and is qualified to compete in the 2011 World Championships to be held in Dublin, Ireland, from April 17-23 and took fourth in team dancing. McDonnell is a consistent presence on the Mid-America Championship podium, having been in the top four for the last four years. In international competition, she has recalled at both the All-Irelands and the World Championships, placing as high as ninth in the World. McDonnell is an eighth grade student at St. Anne's School where she is involved in lacrosse, golf and tennis.

Other Northwest Suburban residents took great placements in the competition:

• Sydney Niewiedzial of Hoffman Estates took bronze out of 108 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team.

• Meghan Gibbons of Cary took sixth out of 108 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team.

• Claire Froman of Lake Barrington took seventh out of 136 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team. Froman is qualified to compete at the World Championships in April.

• Laura Berigan of Arlington Heights took 12th out of 108 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team.

• Kendall Gaspari of Palatine took 15th out of 117 competitors.

• Anna Gorman of Arlington Heights took 16th out of 136 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team. She is also qualified to compete at the World Championships.

• Claire Scully of Arlington Heights took 29th out of 104 competitors in solo competition and took silver with her team.

• Rachel Scott of Mount Prospect took 33rd out of 117 competitors.

• Karina Neilsen of Palatine took 34th out of 136 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team.

• Kate Kohut of Arlington Heights took 35th out of 136 competitors.

• Kelly Finnen of Lake Zurich took 38th place out of 117 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team.

• Anne Marie Nally of Palatine took 40th out of 84 competitors.

• Julia Sykes of Arlington Heights took gold with her team.

• Kiera Daly of Lake in the Hills took silver with her team.

For nearly 30 years, Trinity Academy of Irish Dance has thrilled audiences with inspiring showmanship. From humble beginnings in church basements to recent engagements as U.S. ambassadors on international stages, Trinity dancers consistently possess a unique energy and passion for Irish dance and culture.

Trinity's unique program gives dancers the power of choice in their journey with lessons of commitment, hard work and team building. As one of the best Irish dance schools in the world, Trinity offers unique opportunities including monthly visits from athletic trainers, rare and exceptional performance opportunities, consultants from Ireland, dedicated classes for boys and a plethora of fundraising opportunities.

Trinity teachers shape the lives of their students by passing down not only impeccable dance technique, but also lessons in gracious sportsmanship and how to act with dignity and integrity. Trinity was founded on these principles and is unwavering in its dedication to the next generation of Irish dancers and their communities.

Trinity Academy of Irish Dance has a Palatine location and is currently accepting new enrollment for the 2010-11 school year. Other locations include the Jefferson Park and Lakeview neighborhoods of Chicago, Elmhurst, Western Springs and Downers Grove and numerous locations in Wisconsin. For more information, call (773) 529-4822 or visit trinityirishdancers.com.

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