it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas

Finally, I'm feeling more as if it IS Christmas time. With my DD, M, and I being away and sick, we haven't exactly gotten much done. We couldn't even visit my mother to help her get up her Christmas things, as she was too recently out of the hospital and couldn't risk catching what we had.

A bit of Christmas shopping, a Winter Lights display nighttime drive, and, of course, Irish music, including Christmas music. That helps! Not that the Irish dance school holiday party and gift exchange didn't help, also, mind...... (and donating cans of food, etc.).

M had two gigs this December that were to highlight celtic music and a Christmas theme.

The first one I figured would help M remember that, no matter how she did or felt about the Oireachtas, her dancing is for the fun and joy of it. She likes performing, and this gig was with two of her friends (LCGirl, and L), really LCGirl's gig.

The musicians were awesome, three I'd known previously, and two new to me: Pat Egan, and Mike (Hall??). Mike's main job is playing music in the military along with Irish ceili musician, Josh Dukes, and a DAID I know as well. Mike played percussion with a box drum and bodhran. Pat hails from Ireland, and sang beautifully (and also played guitar), his wife, Laura Byrne Egan on flute (yes, she's one of my favorite musicians, classically trained and man oh man her airs..... think of "Secret of Roan Inish" if you're unfamiliar with what an air is), and good fiddle player Jimmy Eagan (not related), who also enjoys playing with O'Malley's March, and at a lot of ceili's.

The girls knew the set list in advance, including what type of music (reel, jig, etc.), and talked about what dance steps to do. They did one of their treble reels a few times, but that's alright. They also used some steps from their performance pieces that they all knew. LCGirl, always good with any type of show drama, had a special dance she does, also.

Ends up, we were feeling a bit burned out after the Oireachtas, but oh well; they had a lot of fun. Next day, M and I were really sick...... for days, unrelated to the dancing. I honestly didn't know that she'd have strength for this next gig and wasn't sure if she should do it.

I guess Laura and Pat enjoyed the dancers, as they contacted M's Irish dance school, and requested dancers for their upcoming Christmas gig as part of the Hedge Band. This concert was in downtown Baltimore, at a venue with a cozier almost nightclub feel yet wasn't a pub, and had interesting art displays. M danced this one with her friend, CV, and M's younger half-sister, Si, in only their simplier costumes and not their solo dresses. Strings of white lights made for a simple yet classy background. Well-known Baltimore area Billy McComiskey played great accordian, of course, and did most of the talking. Donna Long (of Cherish the Ladies), oh, she played such great keyboard, etc.. Pat did sing a few songs again, even with a cold. There were more Christmas songs this time, and seemed to be all celtic or celtic-inspired tunes (unless the Christmas one wasn't).

The girls had about 2 feet length for dancing, so sometimes the two older girls would dance reels up the aisles and around the intimate audience. The audience seemed to enjoy that. Remember that Irish stepdancing shows mostly in the lower body, so a closer unobstructed view is helpful. Si did one solo dance, Billy announcing that as, "Oh, you're going to enjoy this," and the three also did a dance together that they all knew. It was fun for the two older ones, M and CV, to choreograph just what they'd all dance, and Si was "with the big girls" and loves performing.

It was also fun for me to watch M and the others, enjoy such a fantastic (is this my new favorite???) band, as an outing with my boyfriend, E. We saw some people we knew, and even got asked where there are Irish stepdance schools around, and if there's any ceili dancing in the Baltimore area. Ha, um, yes. We gave that mom a lot of options for her and her daughter to check out. Having a relaxing Christmas-themed beautiful music outing was great.

The Hedge Band really should put together a Christmas cd....... they have others, and I'd bought one of Laura Byrne Egan's when I was at the "Cape May at Rehoboth" Ceili & Set Dance weekend this summer. The real test is if I enjoy the cd on its own, after the concert, all the way through and perhaps even again. Sometimes, not. This time? Yes.

And, if anyone is wondering, yes, Jingle Bells can be danced to with Irish stepdance steps.

Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate it.

Oh, a quick search pulled up this grainy video someone I don't know took the night my daughter, M, danced for the Hedge Band (she's not shown):
Videos from YouTube - The Hedge Band