Standing a mere 3 feet and maybe a few inches, vibrating with youthful exuberance only a 4-year old could possess, Gia Coffey demonstrated her fancy footwork – Irish step dancing to be exact. And let me tell you, this tiny dancer has got it!
Gia, who lives in Marion with her family, has only been studying Irish step dancing since August, but she has been exposed to this very technical dance form her entire life. Her sister Grace, 12, has been studying the art form since she was 4. The sisters are students at the prestigious Harney Academy of Dance located in Walpole.
“Gia picked up Irish dancing from her sister,” mom Liz Calore explained. Calore said that Gia was familiar with the music and many of the movements before she began formal instructions.
One of Gia’s pre-school teachers also brought Irish step dancing to life. She demonstrated the dance form to Gia’s class and organized a local performance. Calore said, “Gia has been waiting for her turn to perform.”
And what a turn she got! Gia is a soloist in Brian O’Donovan’s holiday spectacular A Celtic Sojourn on December 17 at the Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford.
Calore said that O’Donovan’s productions select local dancers from schools of dance who specialize in Irish-style dancing. Harney Academy was one of the schools O’Donovan’s production crew visited. Gia is one of a handful of students selected for several productions in the local area. Not only will Gia dance in the New Bedford performance, she will also be featured in several of the Boston shows as well.
For her part, although she is “excited,” she is taking it all in stride.
I asked her what her favorite part of dance class was and she quickly responded, “The games.” After each instructional session draws to a close, the students then participate in games – a bit of sweetness after an hour of disciplined training.
Irish step dancing is a very physical dance form, Calore said, that requires not only a body that can perform but a mind that can be focused.
Gia showed off a few of her dance moves such as a “swing round.” She said the dances are called “light jig,” “slip jig,” and “reel,” which she practices twice a week for an hour at the academy and then at home demonstrates the moves to her animal friends that include two large dogs, a rabbit, and a cat.
“I’m kind of nervous … I messed up a little,” Gia replied when asked how she felt about performing on stage. Yet, Calore said, Gia is a confident dancer and has a stage presence that the O’Donovan crew spotted.
“It’s hard work, yet joyful and a most athletic form of dance,” Calore said. “There’s a social component because you can dance in a team or as an individual.”
As the mother of two fine dancers, Calore has hopes for her girls that, if they continue in this sport, “They’ll have the opportunity to travel and it’s a healthy activity. It’s a good match for both girls,” she said.
Irish step dancers may also compete, Calore said. What does Gia hope to win when she participates in competitions? Why, a rainbow-colored dress of course!
If you’ll be attending the extravaganza either in New Bedford or Boston, look for Marion’s own tiny dancer Gia Coffey – she’s the littlest dancer and the soloist during the Jingle Bell Polka.
By Marilou Newell
