The Dance Continues: A Letter to Dancers After Oireachtas.
Dear Dancers,
Oireachtas season has come and gone, and I know many of you are feeling a mix of emotions right now. After spending the weekend surrounded by the excitement, pressure, and intensity of it all, I have seen firsthand how heavy things can feel when the results do not match the hope you walked in with. Managing disappointment, whether it is your own or someone else’s, is never easy. Sometimes, no words feel like enough.
Maybe you walked off stage feeling proud but did not hear your number called. Maybe you felt your hard work was not reflected in the outcome. Or maybe a slip, an unexpected mistake, or nerves left you feeling frustrated, even though you did your best.
I know that feeling. As a former competitive Irish dancer, I have walked out of venues with a heavy heart, questioning whether all the late nights, extra practices, and sacrifices were worth it. And there are a couple of things I wish I had truly understood back then.
One competition does not define you.
It is so easy to tie your worth, as a dancer and as a person, to results. We give so much of ourselves to this art form that when things do not go our way, it can feel like failure. But placements and scores are just moments in time. They do not capture your passion, your work ethic, or the ways you have grown throughout your journey.
Every setback can become a setup for growth.
Resilience is built in moments like these. The most successful athletes do not avoid failure, they learn from it. They reflect, adjust their training, and come back stronger. Disappointment can be a powerful teacher, helping you see where to grow while deepening your appreciation for the process itself.
If you are feeling disappointed, here is what I would love for you to do.
• Acknowledge how you feel. It is okay to be upset. Those emotions simply mean you care deeply. Give yourself space before you rush to move on.
• Celebrate your progress. Think about where you were six months ago, a year ago, or when you first began dancing. You have grown in ways you may not even realise. Did you master a skill that once felt impossible? Did you push outside your comfort zone? Did you navigate an injury? These achievements will never appear on a score sheet, but they matter.
Take a moment to reflect with honesty and kindness. Look at what went well. Acknowledge the progress you have made this season. Notice where you struggled or felt challenged. Even if you danced your very best and the result was not what you hoped for, ask yourself, “What skill would help me grow even more if I strengthened it?”
• Set a new intention. Whether it is mastering a step, building confidence, or improving your strength and fitness, choose something tangible to work toward. Progress is created through small, steady steps. Every practice and every training session is an opportunity.
Then take action. Even the smallest step forward can build confidence and momentum.
This is not the end of your story, even if it feels like it right now.
Every great dancer, including champions, has faced disappointment. I have never met one who has not. They kept going not because it was easy, but because their love for dance was stronger than the setbacks. They understood that each competition is one chapter of a much bigger story. This is simply one chapter in yours.
Take what you have learned from this weekend and let it fuel your next steps. Show up to your next practice with clarity, purpose, and a renewed sense of determination.
Approach it with a beginner’s mind. That curiosity and openness that first drew you to dancing still lives in you. Remember what you love about this art form, whether it is the music, the tradition, the friendships, the discipline, or the simple joy of moving. Let that guide you forward.
You are not alone.
You are part of a community that sees you, understands you, and supports you. You are not alone in your disappointment, and you are not alone in your dreams. Dancers who have stood exactly where you are now have walked away stronger because of it. And you will too.
Here is something to hold onto. You have a 100 percent track record of getting through every challenge you have ever faced. You are still here. That is something you can trust.
Keep dancing, keep growing, and keep believing in your abilities. You are capable of more than you know.
With all my heart,
Chloey
Oireachtas season has come and gone, and I know many of you are feeling a mix of emotions right now. After spending the weekend surrounded by the excitement, pressure, and intensity of it all, I have seen firsthand how heavy things can feel when the results do not match the hope you walked in with. Managing disappointment, whether it is your own or someone else’s, is never easy. Sometimes, no words feel like enough.
Maybe you walked off stage feeling proud but did not hear your number called. Maybe you felt your hard work was not reflected in the outcome. Or maybe a slip, an unexpected mistake, or nerves left you feeling frustrated, even though you did your best.
I know that feeling. As a former competitive Irish dancer, I have walked out of venues with a heavy heart, questioning whether all the late nights, extra practices, and sacrifices were worth it. And there are a couple of things I wish I had truly understood back then.
One competition does not define you.
It is so easy to tie your worth, as a dancer and as a person, to results. We give so much of ourselves to this art form that when things do not go our way, it can feel like failure. But placements and scores are just moments in time. They do not capture your passion, your work ethic, or the ways you have grown throughout your journey.
Every setback can become a setup for growth.
Resilience is built in moments like these. The most successful athletes do not avoid failure, they learn from it. They reflect, adjust their training, and come back stronger. Disappointment can be a powerful teacher, helping you see where to grow while deepening your appreciation for the process itself.
If you are feeling disappointed, here is what I would love for you to do.
• Acknowledge how you feel. It is okay to be upset. Those emotions simply mean you care deeply. Give yourself space before you rush to move on.
• Celebrate your progress. Think about where you were six months ago, a year ago, or when you first began dancing. You have grown in ways you may not even realise. Did you master a skill that once felt impossible? Did you push outside your comfort zone? Did you navigate an injury? These achievements will never appear on a score sheet, but they matter.
Take a moment to reflect with honesty and kindness. Look at what went well. Acknowledge the progress you have made this season. Notice where you struggled or felt challenged. Even if you danced your very best and the result was not what you hoped for, ask yourself, “What skill would help me grow even more if I strengthened it?”
• Set a new intention. Whether it is mastering a step, building confidence, or improving your strength and fitness, choose something tangible to work toward. Progress is created through small, steady steps. Every practice and every training session is an opportunity.
Then take action. Even the smallest step forward can build confidence and momentum.
This is not the end of your story, even if it feels like it right now.
Every great dancer, including champions, has faced disappointment. I have never met one who has not. They kept going not because it was easy, but because their love for dance was stronger than the setbacks. They understood that each competition is one chapter of a much bigger story. This is simply one chapter in yours.
Take what you have learned from this weekend and let it fuel your next steps. Show up to your next practice with clarity, purpose, and a renewed sense of determination.
Approach it with a beginner’s mind. That curiosity and openness that first drew you to dancing still lives in you. Remember what you love about this art form, whether it is the music, the tradition, the friendships, the discipline, or the simple joy of moving. Let that guide you forward.
You are not alone.
You are part of a community that sees you, understands you, and supports you. You are not alone in your disappointment, and you are not alone in your dreams. Dancers who have stood exactly where you are now have walked away stronger because of it. And you will too.
Here is something to hold onto. You have a 100 percent track record of getting through every challenge you have ever faced. You are still here. That is something you can trust.
Keep dancing, keep growing, and keep believing in your abilities. You are capable of more than you know.
With all my heart,
Chloey