Things a stage manager should never say to my daughter…

The Feis was dwindling down to the closing competitions and everyone; volunteers, adjudicators, musicians, and dancers were looking forward to a quick finish of the day.


My daughter had just completed her prelim comp and, along with a few stalwart dancers, made a mad dash to the other end of the building for the Feis Finale, the Treble Reel.


Arriving nearly breathless, the dancers tried to explain to the stage manager between gasps they would be able to dance as soon as they changed out of their…


Now what the girls were going to say was, “change out of our ghillies”, as the second round in their prelim competitions was the soft shoe and they were frantically trying to unlace them for the Treble Reel even as they spoke.


Before they could get the word “ghillies” out of their mouth however, the stage manager, who was in a jovial and supportive frame of mind, interrupted them with, “Ladies, this is the last dance of the Feis and the treble reel to boot! Wear anything you want!”


All but one of them glanced at each other, shrugged her shoulders, and continued lacing up their hard shoes as they were nearly done and already wearing their solo dresses anyway.
The one “but” was my daughter.


There was a WHOOSHING sound as she leaped off the stage and, in a manner that would have made even superman proud, underwent a frenetic costume metamorphosis without the aid of a phone booth.


Which would explain the next couple of pictures . . .





As I watched in delight, I repeated an NAFC styled mantra to myself, “Authentic Gaelic dress is desired, Authentic Gaelic dress is desired. Authentic Gaelic dress is desired.”