Dancers from Elmhurst and other Area Towns Make Strong Showing at Regional Competition

Dancers from Chicago's famed Trinity Academy of Irish Dance took high placement at the Mid-America Irish Dance Championships Nov. 26-28 in Chicago.  Peter Dziak of Villa Park took gold. Maggie Doyle of Villa Park, a senior at Immaculate Conception High School in Elmhurst, and Dylan Packer and Emma Smith, both of Elmhurst, took silver.

School wide, Trinity had a record-breaking 16 gold medal placements in solo and team competition, more than twice the number of gold medals for any other school.  The Mid-America Championships is the qualifying round for the World Championships. Trinity now has 44 dancers who are qualified to compete at the Worlds in solo competition in 2011, another first for the Mid-America region.  Of those qualifiers, 88 percent placed in the top 10, and 77 percent placed in the top five. 

Trinity founder, Mark Howard, said, "We're known for being an internationally renowned team school, but the solo results both local and internationally have surged in the last several years. It's an exciting time for us because the adjustments we have made in the way we teach are paying dividends for our students.

"That being said, this competition didn't bring the results for some of our dancers that they had hoped.  In terms of training, those losses are just as important because of the life lessons that they bring. I know that in the long run, those placements served dancers just as well as the ones who came out on top."

Dziak took the gold in a competition of 17 dancers.  This is his third Mid-America Champion title and he currently holds the bronze All Ireland medal and the silver World medal.  

Teacher Joe Smith said, "This competition was a big boost for Peter's confidence.  His competitors have been working very hard and the level of competition in his particular age group has improved dramatically over the last year.  Despite this, he was able to defend his Mid-America title.  Over the next few months, we'll see him use this confidence as motivation going into the All Ireland and World Championships."

Doyle placed second out of 115 competitors in solo competition as well as gold with her team and is also qualified to compete in the 2011 World Championships.  Doyle is an eight time regional champion, is currently third in the nation and fourth in the world.  Doyle also placed fourth at the '09 All-Scotland Championships and eighth at the 2010 All-Irelands.  Also a performer, Doyle has traveled extensively with Trinity II, the performance group that travels to international festivals.  During the summer of 2010, Doyle traveled with Trinity II to Toulon, France to participate in the 37th annual Festival les Cultures du Monde. 

"Maggie Doyle is one of the top two dancers in the World, if not the best in her age group, but she is much more than that," Howard said.  "She is also an incredibly humble role model with an insatiable appetite to work towards perfection.  In the nicest of ways, she is one of the most competitive young women to come through our program in the past 30 years.  She is the type of competitor that when she retires there will be trophies named after her.  She has won an impossible eight regional titles through the years. When she placed second this year, she was a total class act.  I approached her to ask if her placement removes a little pressure and she immediately said 'no.' Maggie appreciates and genuinely roots for her competition but she still wants to be the best.  Despite what she may do professionally in the years ahead, we would love to have her pass on her passion and talent to our young students as a part-time teacher.  The more Maggie we have in our lives, the better."

Dylan took the silver out of 13 competitors and is qualified to attend the World Championships. A former Mid-America champion who is currently ranked third in the nation, Packer's first international competition was the All Ireland Championships in early 2010 where he took ninth place.  He credits many of the other boys in Trinity's program as well as his teacher, Joe Smith, as his role models and inspiration to achieve.

"Dylan's natural talents with Irish dancing are far beyond his age," Smith said. "He has great poise when other kids are typically nervous.  His work ethic and self-confidence are improving at such a fast pace that it's really exciting to see how far he will go." 

Dylan is a fifth-grade student at Immaculate Conception Grade School and he is also involved in football. 

Emma took the silver in a field of 84 dancers.  A dancer for four years, Emma cites the family atmosphere of Trinity as her favorite element of the program.

Teacher Deirdre Vrbancic said, "Emma is a spitfire on stage.  She's such a hard worker both on and off the dance floor and that work has turned her into a very strong, athletic dancer." 

Emma is a second-grade student at Avery Coonley School and is involved in soccer.

Other West Suburban Chicago residents placing in the competition:

• Deirdre Gillette of Elmhurst took seventh place out of 115 competitors.  Gillette is also qualified to compete at the World Championships.
• Anne Dziak of Villa Park took eighth place out of 59 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team.  Dziak is also qualified to compete at the World Championships.
• Taylor Calcagno of Elmhurst took 10th place out of 136 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team.  Calcagno is also qualified to compete at the World Championships.
• Grace Drinane of Glen Ellyn took 13th out of 84 competitors in solo competition and took silver with her team.  She is also qualified to compete at the World Championships.
• Lily Smith of Elmhurst took 24th place out of 108 competitors.
• Sarah Leonard of Glen Ellyn took 31st place out of 115 competitors and took gold with her team.
• Justine Drake of Glen Ellyn took 38th out of 136 competitors.
• Annie Doyle of Villa Park took 48th out of 136 competitors in solo competition and took gold with her team.
• Marisa Hanlon of Addison took 55th place out of 117 competitors.
• Maryellen Dziak of Villa Park took 59th place out of 136 competitors.
• Mairi Doyle of Villa Park took gold with her team.
• Kelsey Packer of Elmhurst took gold with her team.

About Trinity

For nearly 30 years, Trinity Academy of Irish Dance has thrilled audiences with inspiring showmanship.  From humble beginnings in church basements to recent engagements as U.S. ambassadors on international stages, Trinity dancers consistently possess a unique energy and passion for Irish dance and culture. 

Trinity Academy of Irish Dance has an Elmhurst location and is currently accepting new enrollment for the 2010-11 school year.  Other locations include the Jefferson Park and Lakeview neighborhoods of Chicago, Palatine, Western Springs and Downers Grove and numerous locations in Wisconsin.  For more information, call (773) 529-4822 or visit www.trinityirishdancers.com.