Becca is crowned All-Ireland dancing champion

Becca is crowned All-Ireland dancing champion

29 June 2016

A DRUMANESS teenager has jigged one step closer to being a professional Irish dancer.

Becca Hilland has stormed the All-Ireland Championships with a win in the age 15 category.

It’s the first time she has topped her class at the Cumann Rince Dea Mheasa’s (CRDM) competition, which has just concluded for 2016 in Killarney.

“It is the first time I have ever won at the championships,” she said. “I have been dancing since I was eight years old.

“My best friend was dancing and I just wanted to do it. She was doing shows and I just wanted to be in the middle of it.”

The Assumption Grammar School student, who is a pupil of the Murray School of Irish Dance in Ballynahinch, recently came an impressive second in her category in the CRDM World Championships.

She explained how competing in such competitions was a major commitment.

“You have class three times a week then you have to practice at home, especially coming up to the majors,” said Becca. “I practice an hour a day and the classes themselves last for three hours.”

Keeping in peak condition with the gruelling schedule is also a concern.

“I had a problem with my back going into the championships,” she said. “I had an out of place pelvis and a twisted spine but I had it seen to by a chiropractor.

“It wasn’t too bad.”

To impress the judges at the All-Ireland showcase Becca had to perform a light dance, with pumps, a heavy dance, with treble jig shoes, and a set dance.

Aside from the physical demands, majors time is also clearly a nerve wracking time in what is a competitive environment.

“It is quite an intense experience,” said Becca. “But all the dancers are really nice to each other. My mum and dad came down and other dancers also came down from the school for support.

“Support from your parents is definitely a big factor. You have to go down the day before, it takes five to six hours going down there and then you can be there several days.

“It is actually so nice to win on this occasion. You put so much hard work into it it and it all pays off.

“School should come first for me. I try to do a lot of work at school and over lunchtime so I can practice more at home.

“I would like to work with Riverdance and be a professional Irish dancer.”