Dancer Hannah Reichenbach, 20, of Inver Grove Heights, dances and teaches with Rince na Chroi. Now a college student, Hannah decided she wanted to join “those big girls wearing the curly wigs and beautiful dresses” when she saw them at the St. Paul St. Patrick’s Day Parade when she was 4. Hannah is delighted to have found an additional family in the Minnesota Irish community and is proud to be part of it.
Hannah speaks so fondly of all the good things that have come to her through Irish dance and as part of the Rince na Chroi family: lifelong friends, strong positive role models, the opportunity to perform with world-famous bands, the thrill of performing for family, friends and the Twin Cities community, and the opportunity to teach children. She tells us that having Irish dance as part of her life “is the greatest gift anyone could give me.”
Her recommender tells us that “Hannah continually demonstrates her true love and passion for Irish dancing and for performing. Hannah is always challenging herself- studying videos, trying to teach herself new steps and new tricks, coming up with her own new material, and encouraging us to think outside of the box with our choreography.”
Hannah hopes to pursue dancing professionally and used her IMDA Educational Grant to help with travel expenses to attend the Fusion Fighter’s Fusion Dance Fest in Limerick, Ireland this past summer. This week-long intensive camp gives dancers the chance to learn from world class instructors and perform with many accredited dancers. (Fusion Fighters is a progressive performance company that has branched away from what has become the typical Irish dance experience in order to evolve for a modern audience while still preserving their traditions. www.fusionfightersdance.com/fusionfighters) Hannah’s recommender is confident about this experience, saying “not only could it help her move toward opportunities in her own dancing career, but it would also help her bring a lot of new and exciting knowledge back to our own community.”
Hannah described this as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’, one that will “push me in the right direction as I hope to fulfil my dream of becoming a professional Irish dancer … providing the instruction and experience I need to transform myself into a better dancer.” Hannah also tells us that “I’d love more than an anything to bring a piece of Limerick’s culture back to Minnesota.”
The Irish Music and Dance Association is delighted to help this dedicated young dancer to pursue her dreams.