Cuideachta Damhsa na tríonóide

As the end of February gave way to March, a wide gap emerged. I didn’t have anything on the cards for the foreseeable future. Today was my attempt to fill that gap and shake the bleak feelings of the last few weeks.

Since I’m on the mailing list for the Queens Theater, I’m kept in the loop as to which productions are currently playing. I knew that the Trinity Irish Dance Company was performing the weekend of March 7th. But I kept going back and forth on buying a ticket. It wasn’t until yesterday morning that I took the leap and bought the ticket. I could use the escape from New York for the afternoon and wander back to a more tranquil place, Ireland. Irish step dancing was the one art form of the country that I didn’t get to experience during my trip in October of 2017.

With the anxiety of seeing Manchester United win the Manchester derby against Manchester City in the rear view mirror, I took the short trip from my house to Flushing Meadows Park. A glorious March Sunday awaited, the kind that usually comes later in the month. The sun glistening off the Unisphere and above the State Pavillion. I knew that something was on the cards the moment that I sat down. I could hear the dancers and the band warming up sitting two rows from the stage.

Before the show began, the house manager introduced the show. He mentioned that the cadence of dancers and band would be loud for all to hear. The curtain rose just after 3pm and the lights went dark.

Coming out of the shadows, the company of dancers emerged. The opening piece, Soles saw the ladies and gentleman stomp in furious cadence as if they were dancing their shoes off their feet. It set the tone for the rest of the first act of the show, the sense of longing turning the stage into a giant celideh.

The intermission saw the pace change. Sure, there was plenty of stepping, but different musical elements were now in play. The opening piece took on an Indian vibe as the female members of the company channeled their inner Goddesses. As the next number, Push went on, the ladies and gentleman were on equal footing, right down to the identical outfits. Then there was the question of style over substance as the disco ball and glittering outfits came out for the final piece, An Soarcas (The Circus). By the finale, it was clear that both forms could coexist. With the audience at full attention, the show came to a roaring end as the company meshed Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” and C&C Music Factory’s “Everybody Dance Now” to take their bows. I was in an exhliarated state as I couldn’t keep the smile off my face in congratulating the various members of the band and company in the theater lobby after the show.

As the late afternoon sun welcomed me back outside, I was in a happier place. This afternoon was as close as I’d get to Ireland, without flying across the Atlantic Ocean. For this 8th day of March, International Women’s Day met Lá Fhéile Pádraig. Sometimes, the best plans are the impulsive ones.