This is part two of a recap of the 2011 North American Irish Dancing Championships, hosted by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee. Top competitors from all across North America and abroad from Australia, Ireland and the United Kingdom vied for coveted podium positions, many as defending champions or past champions seeking the return of the top prize.

Of 23 solo female competitions, 9 titles were defended by 2011 North American Irish Dancing Champions Fiona Dargan, Frances Dunne, Kate Kaneko, Emily Marino, Nadine Martin, Sarah Oldam, Julia O’Rourke, Ava Marie Schroder, and Melanie Valdes.  Two sets of sisters claimed North American Championships for the first time together – Fiona and Kevinah Dargan from Rince na Tiarna in New York and Anna and Charlotte Sulger from Pender-Keady in Connecticut.

In 2011, 5 female North American titles crossed the Atlantic to Ireland and the United Kingdom in the hands of France Dunne, Nadine Martin, Molly McAdam, Niamh O’Brien and Aisling Reinhardt.  Dunne and Martin each hold previous North American titles as well.

2011 Girls/Ladies North American Irish Dancing Champions
Girls u8  Charlotte Sulger  Pender-Keady  Connecticut
Girls u9  Molly McAdam  Kelly Hendry  England
Girls u10 Emily Marino  Rince na Tiarna  New York
Girls u11a Ava Marie Schroder  Mattierin  Western Canada
Girls u11b Margaret Muise  Tim O'Hare  Middle America
Girls u12a Julia O'Rourke  Petri  New York
Girls u12b Clare Murray Macritchie  Murray  New Hampshire
Girls u13a Aine Claire Sheehan  McDade-Cara  Pennsylvania
Girls u13b Melanie Valdes  Petri  New York
Girls u14a Fiona Dargan  Rince na Tiarna  New York
Girls u14b Anna Sulger  Pender-Keady  Connecticut
Girls u15a Aisling Reinhardt  Elaine Kavanagh  Ireland
Girls u15b Melissa McCarthy  Harney  Massachusetts
Girls u16a  Niamh O'Brien  Anthony Costello  Ireland
Girls u16b Sarah Oldam  Peter Smith  New York
Girls u17a Kevinah Dargan  Rince na Tiarna  New York
Girls u17b Kate Kaneko  Peter Smith  New York
Ladies u18a Kelly McCourt  Gray  Connecticut
Ladies u18b Taylor Kerrane  Petri  New York
Ladies u19  Gabriella Wood  Petri  New York
Ladies u20 Nadine Martin  Doherty  England/Wales
Senior Ladies o20a Meghan Lucey  Pender-Keady  Connecticut
Senior Ladies o20b Frances Dunne  Doherty  England/Wales

Stay tuned right here for more updates and future editions of the 2011 North American Irish Dancing Championships recap as we prepare for our role as the official live commentators for the 2012 Chicago event!

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