ST. PATRICK'S JIGS: Academy of Performing Arts dancers share their talents with nursing home residents

Dancers with the Academy of Performing Arts Tahlequah are moving around the county to perform Irish dancing for St. Patrick’s Day for residents of area nursing homes.

On Monday, March 14, the troupe performed at Go Ye Village, and on March 15, dancers performed at Cherokee County Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

“We are going to perform to share some of our dancers' talents with its residents to help them get into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day,” said Lena Huffman, owner of the Academy of Performing Arts Tahlequah.

Huffman, who is known throughout the county as a ballet instructor, didn’t start Irish dancing until 2010.

“I was pregnant with my first child, and while I wasn’t noticeably pregnant, I met Judy McCafferty, who took me on as an adult student,” said Huffman.

She expressed a desire to teach students, so she prepared to take the Teagascóir Coimisiún Le Rinci Gaelacha, or TCRG – the official examination of the World Irish Dance Association.

In 2018, she became a registered teacher of Irish dancing within the body of that organization. In 2023, she plans to take the exam to become an adjudicator of Irish dancing, which will allow her to judge Irish dance competitions throughout the U.S. and the world. She will have opportunities to visit North and South America, Africa, Australia, and Europe.

Huffman loves Irish dancing because it combines athleticism with the arts.

“It is a pretty art form. I really like Irish dancing because the art coincides with the realization of athletic achievement,” she said.

She described Irish dancers as having a well-defined athletic structure. Even those who are beginners at Irish dancing acquire enough ability to perform at shows, like the ones Huffman puts on.

The Academy of Performing Arts hosts Irish dancers as young as 3 years old. Others are teens, the oldest being 18.

Huffman believes it is important to teach her students how to give back to the community by offering free shows to the elderly.

“It is important to grow up learning how to serve others. It is a quality that teaches you how to be humble, not take anything for granted, and it also teaches you there are always people in life who are less fortunate than you are. You can help them feel better, and you can brighten someone’s day, and in return, that will make you feel better,” she said.

Devon Hahn is a teacher at Briggs School, and she supports her daughter, Scarlett, who is a little Irish dancer. She loves Irish dance because it is good for her emotional and physical well-being. Scarlett has been dancing since she was 3 in 2018 and has taken ballet, jazz, and Irish dancing.

“Dancing is such a good activity because it helps the kids gain confidence and express themselves. Remembering choreography also helps to keep their brains active,” she said.

Mackenzi Harlen is a senior at Tahlequah High School, and her mother, Laura Harlen, has supported her for 11 years in dancing.

“I think dancing is a lost art and activity in the community, especially over the past two years. I think dancing in the community helps not only to share our talents, but to bring joy and a sense of normalcy to the community after so much upheaval. I think it also brings people together in a way that other events and activities can’t,” said Harlen.

Check it out

The Academy of Performing Arts will perform Irish dancing on March 17 at the Tahlequah Library at 10 a.m. and at Shiloh Christian School on March 25 at 8 a.m.