Arlington Heights Irish Dance School 'Reeling' from World Chamipionships

Hogan Irish Dance Academy is continuing to make a name for itself in the very crowded and competitive world of Irish dance. In fact, they just completed another successful trip to the World Championships.

The World Championships of Irish Dance is the pinnacle of the Irish dance world. Arlington Heights-based Irish dance school, Hogan Irish Dance Academy, is "reeling" from their success at this year's results.

Established in the late summer of 2017, the Arlington Heights based dance school is focused on providing a family-friendly environment focusing on a 360 approach that allows their dancers to experiment with school activities. It's an intentional remedy for a world full of hyper-specialization where kids get on one path early in life.

Arlington Heights native, Caitlin Hogan Hubick, brought her Irish dance experience back to her hometown in hopes of building what she calls her dance family. Hubick adds, "I always talk about Team Hogan as my dance family. We laugh, we cry, we work hard, and we root for each other in every step towards meeting our goals."

As in all competitive sports, there is only a small percentage of dancers who will reach the highest levels. Hubick believes there is a path to train the most elite dancers while empowering every dancer to set and achieve their goals.

Hogan dancer, Emma Shein, competed in the World Championships earlier this month in Montreal. The Mount Prospect native competed in the Girls under 11 category which included 104 dancers from around the world. Her competition had her dancing both a hard shoe hornpipe and soft shoe reel performance before moving forward in a recall where the top half compete in one final round before results are complete.

Shein qualified for the Worlds, twice, by finishing in the Top 5 at the Mid-America Oireachtas as well at last summer's National Championships.

This year's World Championships was a first for Shein, but a return trip by teacher, and school.

Hubick adds, "I've worked with Emma for over 5 years and dancing at Worlds has been her goal for a long time. When we landed in Montreal, Emma told me she just wanted to 'dance her best at the Worlds.' I know there is more she can do and it will be my honor to take her to the next level."

Hogan Irish Dance Academy offers classes for dancers as young as 2.5 years of age in 2 different Arlington Heights locations, including the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in downtown Arlington Heights. In addition to performances at Irish fests, schools, and community centers, Hogan is offering a summer camp in August. Registration is open for these camps at www.hoganirishdanceacademy.com.