Young Irish dancers show art's growing popularity

Fans who came to see Illinois State University's Redbirds boys basketball team recently enjoyed another form of fancy footwork.

The McNulty Irish Dancers traveled to Illinois State University in Normal on New Year's Eve to perform for the Redbirds' halftime show.

Among Lake County dancers is 13-year-old Kelsey Weisman of Gurnee, who has performed Irish dances such as the jig and reel with the McNulty School of Dance since she was 5 years old.

"It's a lot of fun to do different performances and go to different places," she said.

Lake County dancers also include Ryan Constantino of Gurnee and Eileen Moran of Lincolnshire. Also performing were Claire Boe and Meredith Boe of Bloomington, Annabel Englehardt, Ella Englehardt and McKimmon Englehardt of Sugar Grove, Maureen Levy of Geneva, Bridge McCoy, Colleen McCoy, Fiona McCoy and Shannon McCoy of Aurora, Emma Rients of Bloomington and Sara Smolucha of Winfield.

Barbara McNulty first opened the McNulty School of Dance 21 years ago in Naperville and said the popularity to learn Irish dancing comes and goes, such as the growth when Riverdance first was introduced. She now sees schools operating across the Chicago area including Libertyville, Arlington Heights, Crystal Lake, Bloomington and Dubuque, Iowa,

McNulty compared offering the dancers to perform on public stage just as a sports team not only practices but will compete. The performances are what brings out who the dancer is and what they are capable of doing. "The games are what challenge the athlete to be better. This is what challenges them to be better dancers," she said.

Years ago, the dancers would perform five or six shows a year. McNulty said it is amazing how much more they are able to perform adding they performed 30 shows in December alone.

"We're always preparing for something. That's what keeps it exciting," she said.

Not only is the ISU basketball team doing really well, McNulty said, but performing there is a big venue compared to smaller community events done in the past.

"The dancers had a wonderful time, and the team won so that made it even better," she said as ISU beat Evansville 80-50, setting a school record with a 13-0 start to the season.

Wherever they perform, McNulty said people of all ages are still amazed at the beauty of the costumes and the energy the dancers show.

"We get lots of compliments on our dresses, how we look and they say how nice we danced," Weisman said. "It feels good to hear other people tell you good things about yourself."