Oxford Irish Dancer Takes New England Stage By Storm

OXFORD, CT — A group of local dancers had great success at the recent New England Irish Dance Championships which were held in Providence, Rhode Island. Local dancing school, the Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance, sent over a dozen dancers who came home with 4 podium placements amongst other medals. The school has four Newtown dancers who competed and won medals and placed in the top 10 out of hundreds of dancers.

Each November, the New England Regional Irish Dance Championships, also known as the “Oireachtas” brings top level dancers from Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island together to compete in solo championships, traditional sets and teams. It is the most prestigious event in the region and also where championship level dancers qualify for the North American Irish Dance Championships and World Championships.

The Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance, which holds classes in Newtown, Danbury and Southbury, was proud to send over a dozen dancers to this year’s event held in Providence, Rhode Island. The academy’s co-directors, Craig and Christina Ashurst, were both championship dancers themselves having won regional, national and international titles before becoming certified teachers and touring the world as leads in Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.

The dancing school took home 15 medals in various events this year including 4 podium placements in the traditional set competitions, 9 top ten placements in traditional set and team competitions and an overall championship medalist. Their championship dancers are now preparing to compete in the North American National Championships in New Orleans this July.

Of the medalists in the traditional set championships and team championships were Newtown natives Tess Brantl, Acadia Petersen, Britta Petersen, and Deirdre Smith.

The Ashurst Academy, which opened in June, is currently enrolling a new beginner class for ages 4 and up in it’s Newtown location which begins in February. Information on the academy can be found at www.ashurstirishdance.com, www.facebook.com/ashurstirishdance or by calling 203-928-0689.

Photos by Ashurst:

Black and white photo: Members of top ten placing teams clockwise from top left Acadia Petersen (Newtown), Olivia Lanza (Oxford), Katie Sheehan (Southbury), Caroline Pickett (Ridgefield), Colleen Mallon (Southbury), Sophia Mahoney (Southbury), Deirdre Smith (Newtown) and Britta Petersen (Newtown) with teachers Craig Ashurst and Christina Dolzall-Ashurst (Newtown)

U10s-Oireachtas2016: Top ten traditional set medalists Deirdre Smith (Newtown), Colleen Mallon (Southbury) and Britta Petersen (Newtown)
GroupBlack and white: Some Ashurst Academy traditional set dancers at the Regionals: Eilis Monahan (Brookfield), Acadia Petersen (Newtown), Tess Brantl (Newtown) and Caroline Pickett (Ridgefield)