Any Camp Rince Ceol camper will tell you that one of the best parts of the whole Irish dancing camp week is the Thursday night Showcase! Campers and counselors are given a set amount of time between Irish dancing sessions each day to come up with a theme, music and choreography for a show that must come together in just a few days.

From makeshift costumes to surprising tricks, the littlest to the oldest campers work together and perform for all the other campers, counselors and instructors on the Thursday night before Irish dance camp ends Friday. The show is repeated at parent pick-up on Friday morning, but there are little extras that happen only at the Thursday night performance... and Feis America was there for the show!

This year, New York's Week 3 campers were dressed as baseball teams, circa-1980's aerobic students, and Muppets. The counselors and oldest campers did a parody about the instructors that paralleled Beauty and The Beast, poking the most fun at Damien O'Kane, TCRG and a former lead of Lord of the Dance. A special treat on Thursday was the performance of 'Show Steps' taught to some of the campers by Craig Ashhurst, TCRG, a former Riverdance lead and current lead in Lord of the Dance. Last but not least, all of the instructors performed for the campers to great accolades, ending the show but starting the dance party off right!

Check out the beginning of the dance party video in the next blog post here on Go Feis! The Irish Dance Blog!

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More Showcase Fun Week 3 New York Camp

Groups 5 and 6 perform a baseball game theme
during Showcase week 3 New York Camp


Grand finale for Circa 1980's Showcase
Week 3 New York Camp


One of the baseball team players and a cheerleader
Week 3 New York camp Showcase

All photos copyright 2011 Feis America LLC