Meet the young Irish dancers competing internationally

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Students from the An Clár School of Irish Dance will be traveling all across the Capital Region to perform for St. Patrick’s Day. Before the day of festivities, we met up with 4 World Qualifiers and their instructor, Lexa Hickey, to learn more about the art form of Irish Step Dance.

According to Hickey, Irish dance is so much more than just "Irish dance" and is not just for those of Irish heritage. Through Irish dance at An Clár, students will enjoy all the benefits of dance: coordination, physical activity/exercise, self discipline, listening skills, socialization, and fun, with the added benefit of exposure to a centuries-old culture.

In early April, Hayden, Ainsley, Mackenzie And Damian will compete at the World Irish Dancing Championships in Montreal, Canada. For many in these group, they were dancing as soon as they began walking.

“I just feel very connected to my family and my family history. My grandma danced when she was younger and we all come from Ireland so its a really nice way to stay connected,” said Hayden.

Here is Damian and Mackenzie from the performing a hornpipe performance with hard shoes:

Interested in picking up the art form? The school is offering summer camp opportunities for dancers of all ages and levels.