Mid-Atlantic region dominates female North American Irish Dancing Championships in Chicago

By: Kathleen O’Reilly-Wild | Published Friday, December 21, 2012, 8:22 PM | Updated Friday, December 21, 2012, 8:22 PM

Girls under 17B awards podium with Sarah Oldam from Peter Smith School
Defending 2012 North American Irish Dancing Champion
Photo: Ciara McGovern

The 2012 North American Irish Dancing Championships concluded Saturday evening with awards for three of the largest age groups 'solo competitions. Starting Monday, July 2nd, teachers from the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America gathered for its annual convention which was followed by five long days of solo and team championship events. More than 3,000 competitors vied for or defended North American titles in 30 individual and 14 team events.

Bridget Albrades, 2012 North American Champion Girls under 10B
Photo: Mulvihill-Lynch School of Irish Dance NY

Solo dancers from seven Mid-Atlantic Region Irish dance schools clinched the girls' championship for their age group, including defending champions Fiona Dargan, Sarah Oldam, Melanie Valdes and Gabriella Wood. Bridget Albrades and Farran Dougherty, the 2010 North American Champions for Girls under 8 and under 9 respectively, reclaimed their titles, while first-time North American champion Sara Sam Zee Moi also topped the podium for Girls under 9A.

Fiona Dargan, 2012 North American Champion Girls under 15A
with Mary Kay Heneghan from Rince na Tiarna NY
Photo: Stacy Harrington Quinlan

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Solo dancers from England/Wales and Ireland also claimed seven first-time North American girls' titles, with two going to McGahan Lees in the Southern Region of England.

Abigail Monaghan, 2012 North American Champion Girls under 13B
from McGahan Lees in Southern England
Photo: Feis America LLC

Corinne Gallibois was one of two dancers from Butler-Fearon-O'Connor in Eastern Canada who topped this year's podium, reclaiming her 2010 North American title after an association with an adjudicator prevented her from competing in the 2011 major. Michaela Hinds, also Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Eastern Canada claimed her fourth North American championship, paralleling her four-time consecutive World Irish Dancing Championships.

Corinne Gallibois, 2012 North American Champion Ladies under 19A
and Michaela Hinds, 2012 North American Champion Girls under 17A
from Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Eastern Canada
photo: Deirdre Gallibois

The Western U.S. region of Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Western United States celebrated two North American champions with Ladies 20 & Over B champion Olivia Griffin and Girls under 15B champion Carley Reger. Another Western U.S. region dancer, Amanda Probert, from Claddagh claimed the
Girls under 15B title.

Olivia Griffin, 2012 North American Ladies 20 & Over B
and Carley Reger, 2012 North American Girls under 15B
from Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Western U.S.
Photo: Feis America LLC

New Englanders Caroline Mega and Emily Stewart, and four Mid-Americans Moira Kramp, Maria Murphy, Orla Mullane Godley and Sydney Niewiedzial topped the North American podium for the first time. The Southern United States celebrated its North American champion Miya Stefanick for Girls under 13A.

Girls and Ladies' Solo Championships

Ladies 20 & Over A Siobhan Casey: Doherty Midlands England/Wales
Ladies 20 & Over B Olivia Griffin: Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Western Region USA
Ladies u20 Gabriella Wood: Petri Mid-Atlantic Region USA
Ladies u19A Corinne Gallibois: Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Eastern Region Canada
Ladies u19B Emily Stewart: Scoil Rince Naomh Attracta New England Region USA
Ladies u18A Jessie Leach: McGahan Lees Southern Region England
Ladies u18B Caroline Mega: Murray Academy New England Region USA
Girls u17A Michaela Hinds: Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Eastern Region Canada
Girls u17B Sarah Oldam: Peter Smith Mid-Atlantic Region USA
Girls u16A Ellen Kennedy: O'Connor Connaught Region Ireland
Girls u16B Amanda Probert: Claddagh Western Region USA
Girls u15A Fiona Dargan: Rince na Tiarna Mid-Atlantic Region USA
Girls u15B Carley Reger: Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Western Region USA
Girls u14A Moira Kramp: Trinity Mid-America Region USA
Girls u14B Melanie Valdes: Petri Mid-Atlantic Region USA
Girls u13A Miya Stefanick: Maple Southern Region USA
Girls u13B Abigail Monaghan: McGahan Lees Southern Region England
Girls u12A Rachel Cummins: Linda Martyn Connaught Region Ireland
Girls u12B Orla Mullane-Godley: Mullane Healy Godley Mid-America USA
Girls u11A Farran Dougherty: Broesler Mid-Atlantic Region USA
Girils u11B Sydney Niewiedzial: Trinity Mid-America Region USA
Girls u10A Maria Murphy: Mulhern Mid-America Region USA
Girls u10B Bridget Albrades: Mulvihill-Lynch Mid-Atlantic Region USA
Girls u9A Sara Sam Zee Moi: O'Rourke Mid-Atlantic Region USA
Girls u9B Erin McPolin: Carey Midlands England/Wales
Girls u8 Shannon McHugh: Duggan Connaught Region Ireland

Congratulations to all the competitors, especially the champions!

Full results are available here. Check back here on IrishCentral's Irish dance page for more North American Irish Dancing Championship recaps, photos, interviews and results!