Congrats to the new TCRG's! and one in particular

I am so happy for the new TCRG, i.e., certified Irish stepdance teacher, in our Irish dance school, the woman I've referred to here as FT (for Figures Teacher). She is so good, and so qualified, and was one of the more "mature" applicants taking the test. (She's most likely younger than I am, just that most TRCG hopefuls are those who are just moving on from their own dancing endeavors and might be just over the minimum age to apply which I believe is approximately 21 or 25 years old.)

FT received her letter from the Irish Dancing Commission in Ireland, stating that she had indeed passed all four sections of the sometimes in parts grueling certification test. Many do not pass it the first time, albeit if passing some sections, those sections do not need to be retaken if retaking the test within a certain timeframe, yadda yadda. (All of which I find analogous to the certified public accounting exams (hey, my dad was a CPA who sometimes mentored others.) It's only offered twice a year, and sometimes people have to fly quite a distance to take it. Nicely, the most recent certification examination was held comparatively local for us, in the Arlington, Virginia, area.

There is a written portion, music recognition, teaching demonstration, and dance performance. FT danced on what I recall as being a broken foot (then drove herself to the hospital). Perhaps it was a different injury; it was quite painful and she wouldn't have been allowed to put any pressure on it, never mind dance on it, if she'd gone to the hospital previous to that portion of the TCRG examination. The dance performance section is the one she said was the most difficult for her, understandably, and the one she figured is the one she was most likely to not pass. Phew, but, she apparently did, passing all four sections this first time she took it.

For the teaching demonstration portion, she'd practiced weekly with some of us adults. She had to know every set dance out there in the traditional Irish dance world, and how to teach it properly, along with showing appropriate teaching ability. (Not sure if applicants need to know all about the ceili dances as well. What I usually refer to as set dances, being my personal dancing areas are more ceili and set dancing, are more typically referred to as figures dances in the stepdancing area of Irish dancing.) FT is a World Qualifying (she may have placed at worlds with her team???) figures dancer herself, from her youthful days, and her expertise is a nice mix with TCRG's expertise. She's assistant taught for many years since then. Once she started the teaching portion of the exam, she said she just zoned into focus and taught, "I know how to do this." A younger applicant with less experience may have had more difficulty in this portion of the exam.

FT, our new TCRG so deserves this recognition, and we're all very happy and proud for her.

Congratulations to all who took this certification examination, and passed any portions of it, but especially to those who passed all four and are now new TCRG's. If I find a complete listing of new TCRG's posted anywhere, I will either list them, or post a link, on here.

And, fyi, as I had to look it up myself, the Irish Dancing Commission is also known as An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha. Very cool, eh?