Houston – The Cass-Barrington Academy of Irish Dance is back from its trip to the 2024 U.S. National Irish Dance Championships, in Grapevine securing first place in one of the team categories.
Sisters and co-owners Erin Cass and Laura Cass-Barrington shared their excitement during their time on Houston Life, reflecting on the win and the cultural importance of Irish dance, and expressed gratitude to their students.
“we can’t call ourselves the most diverse city and not have Irish dance.”
Erin and Laura, who started dancing as children in Buffalo, New York, described how Irish dance is deeply intertwined with their family and community. “It really does hold a very important place in our hearts,” said Erin. After moving to Texas, the sisters saw a need to bring Irish dance to a region where it was relatively unknown. Houston Life co-host Tessa Barrera stated “we can’t call ourselves the most diverse city and not have Irish dance.”
For those unfamiliar, Cass-Barrington compared Irish dance to the well-known Riverdance performances but emphasized the competitive side of Irish step dancing, which is more structured and traditional. Cass explained the significance of their championship win. Teams from across the country performed the same dance, and the judges focused on precision and perfection to determine the winner.
“Every single person brought value to the team.”
Preparation for the national championships is no small feat. Erin noted that the dancers practiced for months before the competition. Cass-Barrington mentioned the team put in extra effort, scheduling additional rehearsals, studying each other’s techniques, and even hosting Zoom meetings to provide feedback and fine-tune their performances.
The academy offers classes for dancers of all ages, from five years old through adults, welcoming anyone interested in learning the art of Irish dance. The sisters encourage those curious to visit their website for more information on how to join.
As for the trophy, the Barrington Academy will hold onto it for the year, but like the Stanley Cup, it must be returned to give another team a chance to claim it in future competitions.