After being named a club sport last year, Loyola’s Irish dance team is hosting its first showcase on campus this Sunday, Nov. 9 in McManus Theater. Behind the curtains, there is deep passion and work placed into these routines.
Gwenyth Lowery ‘26 is a biochemistry major and business minor. She is also captain of the Irish Dance team. Lowery explains how the diligence of Irish dance often goes overlooked.
“I think what makes Irish Dance more difficult than people may expect is because the whole point is to make it look effortless. You need so much strength in your legs but also your core so that your upper body stays completely still. All the positions are very unnatural and need careful training,” Lowery said.
The Irish dance team had danced for years at Loyola before officially being named a club sport. The team competes against other schools, composing several different performances all with coordination and unison of their legs to highlight the Irish dancing culture.
“There’s a lot more time and effort that goes into it than most people think. Most people think we just kind of practice once a week and show up, but we practice three times a week, two hours per practice, and we actually do a lot,” Lowery said.
Executive Board Member Sarah MacDougall ‘27 is a psychology major and forensics minor. She believes that the number of hours put into the studio and the work of breaking each dance down will ultimately result in a clean performance at this showcase or in future competitions.
MacDougall breaks down the excitement beneath all the work.
“This is actually our first showcase. We’re super excited to see how the turnout is going to be. It’s kind of super fun trying to put together a whole itinerary to fill up an hour with both team and solo dances, kind of showing off the different parts of everyone’s skills,” MacDougall said.
All work and performances aside, members say the Irish dance team fosters a strong sense of community for all its members and the Irish students on campus.
“There’s no one else on this campus that I feel as connected with, and we all share a bond over something that’s so niche and so random that it makes it that much better,” Lowery said.
MacDougall believes that this mutual bond carries into why she enjoys coming to put in the work at every practice. She invites the Loyola community to attend Irish Dance events throughout the year to see this bond firsthand.
“I want other students on campus to know that we are a very fun group of individuals who are all very passionate about Irish dance. We do a lot of events throughout the year. Whether it’s bringing a friend to dance or showcases, we just want everyone to come out and support us and see our dances,” MacDougall said.
You can buy tickets for the upcoming Irish Dance showcase on The Bridge. Tickets cost $5, and the show begins at 6 p.m. in McManus Theater on Sunday, Nov. 9.