Latest News:  

English>>Life & Culture

Unleashing of a Celtic dragon

By Jonathan Stefonek  (China Daily)

09:21, March 18, 2013

Karl Drake and young dancers at the competition held this month by Drake School of Irish Dance in Shanghai. (China Daily)

"This is actually a dream that I've had for probably 10 years - to start teaching in China," says Karl Drake, as he looks out over a mass of young Chinese and European faces.

They are ready for their moment on stage, in bright Irish folk dress, diamantine socks and the hard shoes that Riverdance made famous around the world.

"A year ago I was discussing the possibility, and now it is happening," says Drake, with the subtlest of accents and a red jacket that highlights his more Irish features.

And while an amazingly short time has passed between the time Drake first visited China in 2011 and when the Drake School of Irish Dance in Shanghai hosted its first competition this month, this Irish-American wasn't exactly starting from scratch.

His own feet had placed him fifth in the World Irish Dance Championships in Ireland. In 1990, the Irish-born Drake, who has lived in the US for a couple of decades, created the school of Irish dance in his new hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.

He has produced regional and national champions who had been competing in the world championships in Ireland since the 1990s. He has trained and coached Catie Foley, currently ranked eighth in the Worlds. He has coached the stars of Riverdance and a team of competitors on America's Got Talent.

And now in Shanghai, he is coaching a mix of intermediate dancers and some real beginners, who hope their energy, their happy feet - and maybe a glittering leotard - can take them to the next level.

"I just think that the Chinese love the music, they love the tradition, and they love something that is different," says Drake.

When he came to teach the first time in China - invited by the Yan Ling Performing Arts Center in Beijing to do a workshop and create some choreography for the Lunar New Year - almost 150 people showed up in leotards or workout gear.


【1】 【2】



We recommend:

Those Xiaorenshu we read in childhood

Trip planner: four-day trip to S China

Wonderful snapshots of flying buzzards

Forever Shangri-la: China's heaven on earth

Top 10 ever-victorious generals in history

Dreamy log cabins among woods

Top 10 best airports in China 2012

Mysterious Zhongnanhai in Beijing

Top 10 Chinese 'Kung Fu Kings' in Minguo period

Email|Print|Comments(Editor:GaoYinan、Ye Xin)

Leave your comment0 comments

  1. Name

  

Selections for you


  1. Roses on blue sea: Female Chinese sailors

  2. Weekly review of military photos

  3. Thousands celebrate St Patrick's Day

  4. Wedding expo for Spring held in E China

  5. Traditional wedding of Yugur ethnic group

  6. W China drought affects over 1 million

  7. Simply the best Chinese food in India

  8. GTS Millennium berths in Hong Kong

  9. Chinese railway giant goes into business

  10. Gas development on agenda

Most Popular

Opinions

  1. Cultural parks no substitute for talent
  2. Planning vital to diplomacy
  3. Loopholes for rich make estate tax meaningless
  4. How to start transformation and upgrading?
  5. Nation facing energy security threat: experts
  6. Plenty of hard work still to be done on rail reform
  7. 'Made in China' not equal to 'self-made in China'
  8. Efforts needed to nurture ethnic culture, language
  9. Filipina maids or local ayi?
  10. China won't take part in currency wars

What’s happening in China

Beijing's 2013 pollution goals set far too low: experts

  1. 5 detained for dealing counterfeit money
  2. Shanghai authorities retrieve dead pigs from river
  3. Beijing police crack down on fake goods
  4. China issues new essential drug list
  5. China to tackle people's high aluminum exposure