Dancers in countries that are geographically isolated from the majority of the Irish dance world face unique challenges that those from a more developed competitive environment may not even know about. In addition to lack of access to instruction and competition, many of these dancers are met with significant financial limitations to participate in Irish dance.
TCRG Joanne Kerr of Celtic Classical Dance Academy is familiar with the competitive world of international CLRG Majors and Aisling Awards, but now she invests time and funds into making Irish dance more accessible to dancers from very low-income backgrounds in historically disadvantaged regions. She recently hosted her first feis as part of this outreach programme, which was the first competition the majority of her dancers had ever attended.
The Irish Dance Globe spoke to Joanne to hear more about the development of Irish dancing in Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth), the unique challenges dancers from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds face, and her hopes for the future of the sport.
How did you become involved in Irish dance and when did you open your school?
My journey into Irish dance began in 1996, when my gran sent me a Riverdance video cassette from Scotland. I completely fell in love with Irish dancing, and I wrote in my yearbook that I would be following the steps of Michael Flatley in 10 years’ time. Irish dancing didn’t exist in South Africa at the time. In 1998, after being accepted onto the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) teaching programme, I began developing my teaching career. This followed my experiences dancing with the Royal Ballet School Youth Programme and Scottish Ballet’s Youth Ballet.
“What makes working with these young dancers so special is their enthusiasm, determination, and willingness to embrace something completely different”
Joanne Kerr
It was in 1999 that Irish dance really began to take shape in South Africa. Highland dance teachers formally established IDSA, pioneered by Sue Theron, who had made contact with CLRG, and Irish dance workshops began to be offered in South Africa. At the time I was a championship Highland dancer, and therefore I was fortunate to be among the very first Irish dancers in the country. I subsequently opened the Celtic Classical Dance Academy. My dream was always to teach ballet, Irish dance, and Highland dance under one roof, which is where the name came from.
Were you ever a competitor yourself?
Yes, I was one of the first competitive Irish dancers in South Africa. I competed during the early development of Irish dancing here and continued competing until 2005, which was a particularly significant year for Irish dance in the country. It was the year South Africa held its very first Pre-Championship, or Príomh Comórtas.
What kind of communities do the dancers in your outreach classes come from?
I teach at the Toynbee Ballet Academy at St Thomas High School in Gelvandale, in the Northern Areas of Gqeberha, a historically disadvantaged and largely lower-income area. Many of my dancers come from the surrounding townships and communities, where families face significant financial challenges. What makes working with these young dancers so special is their enthusiasm, determination, and willingness to embrace something completely different.
Irish dance is known to be very expensive. What are the biggest barriers these dancers face when it comes to access?
Irish dance socks, shoes, and wigs are all imported and can be extremely expensive, making new items simply unaffordable for many of my dancers. We therefore rely heavily on second-hand shoes, wigs, and other dancewear whenever they become available. The majority of the donated items have come through an incredible network of support from Irish dance teachers and families around the world.
“The generosity of the wider Irish dance community has been extraordinary”
Joanne Kerr
I am especially grateful to my teacher in London, Mr Aaron Crosbie, whom I taught alongside and who trained me for my TCRG. He has generously shared my posts on Facebook and helped connect me with the Marie Duffy Foundation, as well as many other teachers internationally. The generosity of the wider Irish dance community has been extraordinary, and every donated pair of shoes, dress or other item makes a genuine difference to one of my dancers.
Transport to and from classes is another major difficulty, and the safety of the children is always a concern. Some of my dancers walk for more than three hours each day, travelling from home to school and then to dancing.
What are some unique challenges dancers in South Africa face that those from other places in the world may not be aware of?
One of the biggest challenges is simply the lack of access to the Irish dance resources that dancers in other parts of the world may have on their doorstep. Shoes, costumes, workshops, specialist teachers, and regular competitions are not always readily available to us.
South Africa is also geographically very far from the major centres of Irish dancing. This means that opportunities which may involve a relatively short journey for dancers elsewhere can require international travel and considerable expense for a South African dancer.
What were the biggest challenges to running your first feis?
One of my biggest priorities was making sure that every dancer left the competition with a smile and, most importantly, with a positive feeling about their experience. I wanted every child to feel proud of themselves, regardless of their results.
There were also significant practical and financial challenges. I had to take out a loan to purchase ballet mats because they cannot be hired in Port Elizabeth. This was a considerable expense, but it was necessary to ensure that we had a suitable and safe dancing surface for the competitors.
The administration was extremely intensive because everything had to be completed manually. I was very fortunate to receive tremendous help from Heather Booysen and Nicole Uys of Claddagh Irish & Scottish Dance Studio in Cape Town, who generously shared their existing templates with me. Their assistance made the process much more manageable, and I am incredibly grateful for their support.
How do the families who may not have had any exposure to Irish dance in the past react to their dancers?
The families absolutely love it! Irish dance is so different from many of the dance styles they may have encountered before, and the music is incredibly uplifting and infectious. There is a wonderful sense of pride among the families when they see their children performing. Many parents begin knowing very little about Irish dance, but they quickly become enthusiastic supporters and enjoy watching their children develop in confidence, discipline, and ability.
How did the dancers like competing?
As it was their first competition, it was understandably a little daunting for the dancers. For many of them, it was their first experience of performing in a competitive environment, so there were certainly some nerves and uncertainty. However, I always remind them that they are all my champions. They embraced the experience, enjoyed themselves, were proud of what they achieved and, most importantly, walked away feeling positive and excited about competing again.
“Attending every available feis is simply not financially possible for many families”
Joanne Kerr
What does it take for a South African dancer to reach a high level of competition given how geographically far they are from most of the available competitions?
This is a difficult one because geographical distance creates a significant disadvantage for South African dancers. In my personal opinion, one of the most important opportunities is attending workshops with international teachers. Being able to train alongside dancers of a similar standard gives our dancers valuable exposure and allows them to experience the level of training and competition that exists internationally.
I would encourage dancers to compete as much as possible within South Africa, but to reach a truly high competitive level, gaining experience at overseas competitions can be extremely valuable. Another useful tool is watching competitions on FeisTV. This allows dancers to observe top-level competitors, familiarise themselves with the standard expected at major competitions and use visualisation as part of their training.
What goes on behind the scenes of an Aisling Award-winning dancer and what does it mean for Irish dance in South Africa?
Behind every Aisling Award-winning dancer is an enormous amount of hard work, commitment and complete dedication. The journey begins with the goal of qualifying for the World Championships and involves countless hours of training, preparation, perseverance and sacrifice from both the dancer and those supporting them.
Winning such a prestigious award is an incredible honour, not only for the dancer but also for South African Irish dancing. It demonstrates that, despite the challenges of being a developing Irish dance community geographically far removed from the major centres of competition, our dancers are capable of reaching a world-class standard. It also gives younger dancers something tangible to aspire to and shows them that a dancer from South Africa can step onto the World stage and achieve something truly special.
What is the general competitive scene of Irish dance in South Africa? How often are dancers able to go to a feis?
The competitive Irish dance scene in South Africa is growing, but access to competitions varies considerably depending on where a dancer lives. Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg each have approximately three to four feiseanna a year, while Port Elizabeth currently has just one. This creates a significant challenge for dancers in Port Elizabeth, as they have far fewer opportunities to gain regular competitive experience.
Travelling to competitions in other parts of South Africa involves considerable distances and expense, so attending every available feis is simply not financially possible for many families.
“The Aisling Award gives younger dancers something tangible to aspire to”
Joanne Kerr
Do you have any hopes for the future for your Irish dance school or for Irish dance in South Africa in general?
One of my immediate goals is to train my senior dancer, Jennifer Anderssen, to sit her TCRG examination in the next few years. Having another qualified teacher in the Port Elizabeth area would be a wonderful step forward and would help us to grow Irish dance locally.
I also want to expand Irish dancing throughout Port Elizabeth and the surrounding areas. I have a number of dance teachers in the region who are interested in introducing Irish dance into their own schools. These young teachers will begin their examinations next year, and I plan to teach at their dance schools once a week while they continue developing their knowledge and skills.
But perhaps my biggest dream is to see my indigent dancers qualify for the World Championships and have the opportunity to dance on the World stage. I want them to know that where they come from should never determine how far they can go.
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