The Ryan-Kilcoyne School

of Irish Dancing

J a n u a r y 2 0 1 5

Christina Ryan-Kilcoyne, TCRG, ADCRG Molly Curran-Burns, TCRG

I wish to apologize to everyone for not getting the December Newsletter published.

A computer glitch was the culprit ~ I included some of the Good News from December & pictures,

as well as Birthdays (it’s never too late to wish a Happy Birthday) so that everyone can enjoy!

Maura Roszyk-Katie’s Mom

A Message from Christina: As we begin this new season of Irish dance, I cannot help but reflect on last season first as I believe life moves forward best when one learns from the past.

I have had the pleasure of watching so many of my dancers grow in this last year- maturity, ability, grace & style. I have watched some that I have known since they were oh so little leave for university & depart as confident, successful young women.

I am aware that not everyone achieved their goals during this past year. I am proud of you if you know in your heart that you tried your hardest, diligently worked when you practiced & always behaved appropriately before, during & after your competitions. Learn from your mistakes, ask for help & watch those that have met your goals. Please talk to Molly, Maura or me as to who you should be observing.

I would like to congratulate everyone that participated in Oireachtas, whether in a traditional set dance, ceili, as a soloist or both. Ryan-Kilcoyne had an excellent range of results. I was proud to see some of our newer dancers up on stage, as well as our more seasoned dancers- everyone looked brilliant & represented our school spectacularly. Thank you to Molly & Maura for assisting in the preparation of the dancers! I thank the parents for providing me your dancers & all that you do for dancing, and thank you to the dancers for performing with style.

Moving forward, I hope for our Ryan-Kilcoyne school to continue to encourage dancers both on & off the dance floor to pursue their dreams. I wish for everyone to understand that I believe life is filled with precious moments, please make the most of each opportunity, learn from your mistakes & move forward with grace. I hope that all of my dancers know that they have a place in my heart, and I wish everyone a safe, blessed & brilliant 2015.

**Please see extra note from Christina at the end of the Newsletter, thank you!**

A Message from Molly: Happy New Year to all of our Ryan-Kilcoyne dancers and families! I hope that the

holidays were a relaxing and restful time for everyone. I would like to congratulate ALL of the Ryan-Kilcoyne dancers who competed at this

year’s Oireachtas. You all made Christina, Maura & me so proud! Regardless of your placement or finish, you should feel very accomplished & happy with your dancing.

Each time you dance, you walk away with a new perspective & experience. You cannot place a price tag on either of these things. What you do on stage can only be

accomplished by you, the dancer. I know what it takes to get up & dance in front of hundreds of people & you should feel proud of yourself for doing just that!

As we begin a new year, I would like each of you to write & keep at least one attainable goal for 2015. For instance, “I will to place in at least 4 feisanna,” or “I will

attend 2 extra classes per month,” etc. Establish a goal that pertains to you. Goal setting propels you forward, helps us believe in ourselves, holds us accountable for

failure, tells us what we truly want & helps us live our lives to the fullest. We will discuss goal setting at class this month, so start thinking of what you would like to

accomplish. I look forward to seeing all of you at class this month & wish everyone a happy,

healthy & positive start to the New Year!

Kerri Betz, Erica Bruzek, Lauren Bunke, Christine Cahill, Maura Chaney, Meghan Clarency, Carolyn Connolly, Olivia Crossey, Hailey Davis, Keely Devlin,

Shea Devlin, Gabrielle Drobot, Kate Foy, Brett Hoffman, Michaela Hollister, Gemma Hollister, Reese Hollister, Isabella Hughes, Shannon Hurley,

Madeline Jeter, Claire Johnston, Kiersten Kelly, Maeve Kelly, Ryan Kelly, Jessica Leaning, Emily Leonard, Jessica Leonard, Payten Lowry, Kerry McGlinn, Madison McGough, Megan McPaul, Aidan Moroz, Allison Moroz, Meghan Primus, Caroline Primus, Emily Reidy, Alana Rodgers, Katie Roszyk, Julianna Rotundo,

Emily Steege & Jaclyn Timoney

Girls Under 12 Emily Reidy - 51st (MARO)

Girls Under 13 Emily Steege - 18th (MARO, W, N)

Boys Under 13 Reese Hollister - 9th (MARO, N)

Girls Under 14 Kerri Betz - 2nd (MARO, W, N) Lauren Bunke - 12th (MARO, W, N)

Olivia Crossey - 52nd (MARO)

Boys Under 15 Brett Hoffman - 4th (MARO, W, N)

Girls Under 17 Katie Roszyk - 4th (MARO, W, N) Aidan Moroz - 46th (MARO)

Girls Under 18 Claire Johnston - 14th (SRO, N) Michaela Hollister - 20th (MARO, N)

Christine Cahill - 23rd (MARO, N) Jaclyn Timoney – 27th (MARO)

MARO = Mid-Atlantic Region Oireachtas SRO = Southern Region Oireachtas

W = World Qualifier N = Nationals Qualifier

Minor Girls 4-Hand Ceili Under 12 - 20th Place Gabrielle Drobot, Isabella Hughes, Madeline Jeter, Emily Leonard

Junior Girls 4-Hand Ceili Under 15 - 11th Place Kerri Betz, Lauren Bunke, Olivia Crossey, Jessica Leaning

Junior Girls 4-Hand Ceili Under 15 - 21st Place Erica Bruzek, Keely Devlin, Meghan Primus, Emily Steege

Junior Girls 8-Hand Ceili Under 15 – 8th Place Kerri Betz, Erica Bruzek, Olivia Crossey, Gabrielle Drobot,

Madeline Jeter, Jessica Leaning, Emily Reidy, Emily Steege

Senior Ladies 4-Hand Ceili 15 & Over - 2nd Place Christine Cahill, Michaela Hollister, Aidan Moroz, Jaclyn Timoney

Senior Ladies 8-Hand Ceili 15 & Over – 6th Place Christine Cahill, Michaela Hollister, Megan McPaul, Aidan Moroz,

Alana Rodgers, Katie Roszyk, Maura Ryan, Jaclyn Timoney

************************************

Isabella Hughes - 15th Place

Christina & Molly are very proud of all the Oireachtas dancers. No matter what your result, if you danced all out and behaved respectfully,

then you did a tremendous job!

Remember sometimes results are not what we wish them to be, but more practice can make better results in upcoming years, however, bad behavior creates a result

and an impression that cannot be changed.

Thank you to MaryAlice Moroz & Agnes Drobot for collecting, “spiffying up,” & distributing all of the ceili outfits, the teams looked fabulous!!

Thank you to all the Head Team Parents for your hard work organizing & supervising your teams!

Denise Bruzek, Shannon Connolly, Jen Crossey, Agnes Drobot, Tracy Hollister, Mary Kelly, MaryAnn McPaul, MaryAlice Moroz, Audrey O’Reilly, Jen Reidy,

Beth Timoney & Jen Walsh And! Thank you to those “behind the scenes” parents

who helped with last minute sewing, calming down, searching for tights & bloomers, etc. for the teams!

Important & Upcoming Items to Know:

Tuition Reminder Our third payment for this calendar year is due on January 15th.

Kindly submit to your class parent your payment in an envelope that identifies your dancer’s name, as well as class location and time. Thank you for your cooperation!

Saturday Practices No Saturday classes/practices in January.

Sleep in, go for a run, catch up on some homework, make Mom and Dad breakfast in bed, doing something fun & relaxing!

*Be sure to check the message board & the News Updates page for any schedule changes*

Costume Return Reminder that all Oireachtas costumes must be returned.

Please return in bag or as it was given to you, Thank you!!!

Feis Age Change Reminder, everyone’s feis age changes with the start of 2015. If your child was under 10 in 2014~ he/she is now under 11.

Training Tips from Coach Molly Ideas and Tips for Exercising in Winter

Do you feel yourself using some of these excuses to avoid exercise during the winter months? i.e. It’s too cold! I’m tired & need a nap. I’ll work out later. I’m bored with

doing the same things over & over again. I need a day off. It’s the holidays…I’ll start a New Year’s regiment on January 1st.

If this sounds like you & you’re looking for a few fresh ideas, I have found the article for you! This sums up the majority of what I tell my kids in school. If you have any other ideas, please feel free to share them at class.

Winter Exercise Tips for Kids By: Jillian McAfee

As the winter months are growing colder, we may struggle to find ways to stay active, but physical inactivity does not need to be a result of the dreary weather. Do not stay

cooped up all winter! Get Up, Get Moving and Get Active! Physical activity has numerous benefits for you. It makes your muscles stronger, improves your heart health, increases your flexibility and coordination & most importantly sets the basis for a

healthy life! Let’s face it; habits that are adapted during your childhood & teenage years are likely to roll over into adulthood.

Now, I know many of you are not worrying about what life will be like as an adult, but you might be worrying about what game you are going to play on your Nintendo Wii® next! Well I have good news for you — there are many activities that you might not even think of as “exercise” that can help make a happier, healthier you. Incorporating these activities into your daily life will help you

develop a healthy lifestyle that can benefit you for the rest of your life. During the holiday season, we always get together with family and friends. Exercise can be a great

way to not only benefit your health, but to help the people you love the most. Also, keep in mind that surrounding yourself with friends or family members who want to stay active can give you

more opportunities to play and be active! I want to challenge all of you to do some type of activity every day! Get Up, Get Moving and Get Active! Great Ways for Kids to Exercise this Winter

Active Video Game TechnologyThere is a ton of new technology out these days including Xbox

360® Kinect, Playstation®Move & Nintendo Wii®. Whether you want a customized strength training workout or a spontaneous active game, you can find something entertaining! With Xbox

360® Kinect, you use your body as the controller — you are the athlete, the dancer, the UFC fighter or even the Kung Fu Panda punching & kicking on the screen.

Play OutsideJust because it’s cold outside does not mean you have to stay cooped up inside!

Put on your hat & scarf and bundle up for some good old fashion fun. There are tons of activities that you can do outside in the winter. You can go ice-skating or sledding, decorate the front yard with a snowman & snow angels & even have a snowball fight. Create an obstacle course using

balls, jump ropes, simple items around the house and trees in your yard! You can also play with a pet — take your dog for a walk or offer to take the neighbors’ pet.

Indoor FacilitiesIf it is too cold out & you want to get out of the house for a bit, you can go play at

an indoor roller-skating rink, a bowling alley, a local gym, an indoor basketball court, or even go swimming in an indoor pool! Ask your parents to check out the local community & fitness centers to

see what programs they offer for kids.

Get Involved in a Structured ActivityIf you want to get involved in something fun & consistent,

have your parents enroll you in a class! You never know you might find a new activity you will grow to love. Classes could range from martial arts, swimming lessons, indoor cycling, kid’s yoga or

dance lessons.

Just Dance! Even if you do not take dance lessons, create a fun playlist on your iPod & let loose.

Dancing is a fun way to burn calories & a great stress reliever. There are numerous styles of kid’s dance fitness videos that you can check out if you need some guidance.

Take a Break from the TVDo not let yourself sit for too long of a period. Kids have to sit all day at

school & then typically want to go home & watch their favorite shows. Get up during the commercial breaks & get your body moving – doing simple exercises such as jogging in place,

body weight squats, sit-ups or jumping jacks.

Create your “Active Space”You can be active anywhere in your home, but it might be fun to set

up a special place with activities you like to do. This could range from hanging a basketball hoop on the wall, taping hopscotch to the floor, setting up indoor hockey nets, or placing a chair up in your room to practice ballet. Regardless of the activities you choose, make this space your own!

As you can see, there are many physical activities that are good for your health. I encourage you to try something new this winter because you never know if you will find an activity or a passion that will change your life. When you are choosing the physical activities to incorporate into your day,

remember that this should be something you can have fun with. So Get Up, Get Moving, and Get Active!

McAfee, Jillian. "Obesity Action Coalition » Winter Exercise Tips for Kids." Obesity Action Coalition Winter Exercise Tips for Kids Comments. Obesity Action Coalition, 12 Dec. 2013. Web. 6 Dec. 2014.

Have you seen on the website Molly’s weekly installment of: “Drill, Technique, Posture and Stamina Class Notes & Agenda”

Follow this link for her weekly notes: www.ryankilcoyneschool.com/Molly/Molly.html

Are you in the market for a solo dress?

If yes, please check out the “Items for Sale” page on our website, www.ryankilcoyneschool.com.

Many of the dresses are most appropriate for a dancer’s first solo dress. And most of the dresses are from dancers from our school, so your patronage helps

teammate’s families too. If you would like to post a dress on the page contact Lisa at lpevrard@gmail.com.

good news on & Off the Dance Floor!

Fabulous news for Lauryn Stark! She was elected to student council for the 8th grade at St. Katharine Drexel Regional School and inducted into the National Junior Honor Society for the

second year.

Congratulations & God Bless to Gabi Drobot! Gabi was confirmed in November!

A new big Sister, Lillian Chiaravalloti ! Lillian (Beg-U6) is excited to be a big sister- her little sister Moira Elisa was born November 17th. Lillian can't wait to

teach her little sister how to Irish dance!!

Congratulations to Our Honor Roll Students! Christina & Molly value academics and are so proud of the following dancers that not only achieve on the dance floor,

but also in the classroom!

Brett Hoffman (u16), Ryan Kelly (u13) & Katie Roszyk (u18) Congratulations dancers!!!

(At the end of each marking period, if your dancer achieved Honor Roll ranking, Please submit you dancer’s name and age (Uxx).)

Birthdays Happy Birthday to our December Born Dancers

December Birthdays: Caroline McSorley (u11) on December 11th

Emily Steege (u13) on December 12th Jaclyn Timoney (u18) on December 28th Savannah Celozzi (u16) on December 29th

And

Happy Birthday to our January Born Dancers! Olivia Shafer (u10) on January 5th Ryan Kelly (u13) on January 18th Emily Evrard (u19) on January 22nd Alana Rodgers (u16) on January 24th Hailey Davis (u17) on January 27th Reese Hollister (u14) on January 28th Erica Bruzek (u14) on January 29th Clara Shafer (u7) on January 30th

School Business: Tuition Reminder

Our third payment for this calendar year is due on January 15th. Kindly submit to your class parent your payment in an envelope that identifies your dancer’s

name, as well as class location and time. Thank you for your cooperation!

An important message regarding illness: If your dancer is sick, please do not attend class or practice.

If your dancer has had a fever of 100°F or more, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, or a productive cough within the past 24 hours, please stay home.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Class Cancellation Reminder As we approach the winter months, please check the website message board for any last

minute class cancellations and changes.

Have you changed your Address, Phone or email? If you have had any changes in your address, phone number, or e-mail since registering in

September 2014, please let us know. We need to update our database for any summer mailings. You can e-mail any changes to irishdance@ryankilcoyneschool.com.

Tell us how you are doing! Go to the Results page of the Ryan-Kilcoyne website.

Once you are on the page simply click on “Submit Results Here” at the top of the page & enter the requested information.

Show us how you are doing! Submit photos you would like to share on the school photo album

(Please type “Ryan-Kilcoyne Photos” in subject line) to irishdance@ryankilcoyneschool.com. We’re also on Facebook as Ryan-Kilcoyne!

You can tag us in your photos once you become our friend.

Remember everyone is a member of the Newsletter team, we can’t

report what we don’t know, please share!!

An extra Note from Christina: My Dear Ryan-Kilcoyne Families,

As most of you know, I sadly lost my dear and beloved Mother this December. My Mother was a beautiful lady, with a fun-loving nature and a keen sense of humor and wisdom, her spirit fills my heart and inspires me each day. I wish to thank everyone for their Mass cards, flowers, letters, and kind words on the loss of Mom… all of your thoughtfulness, prayers, and blessings meant so very much to my family and me.

I wish to thank everyone for understanding the importance of my going home to Ireland often this year to spend time with her as we knew her days were coming to a close. I feel so very blessed to have experienced those special moments taking care of the woman who took care of me and many others. I feel grateful to everyone who allowed me those precious moments.

On behalf of my family, I thank you.

Photos: …

Beautiful Smiles & Beautiful Ladies

Team Members & Friends

Team Fun!

Our Team is blessed with so many beautiful people!

Some sassy fun as we beam with excitement! So very proud of how many of our dancers so beautifully

transition from solo competitors to ceili teammates. Our hearts fill with pride to witness the many friendships

that have grown from the dancers within our school!

levrard

Typewritten Text

Do you have Good News or pictures that you would like to share? Please send to Maurar1117@msn.com