Irish Set Dancing in Constanta, Romania

My name is Ana BERBEC and during this school year, 2010 – 2011, I am a French teacher at “C. A. Rosetti” High school from Constanta, Romania. In 2003 I was a student during my last year at the “Ovidius” University, here, in Constanta, studying French and Turkish. During the second semester, at the end of January 2004, I left Constanta and Romania and went to Brest, France to study as a participant of the E.U. Erasmus Program. In March 2004, on the 17^th of March, Saint Patrick to be more exact, (but I had no idea about Saint Patrick’s Day at that time) I met a group of dancers named “Blas Ceilteach”: a French association of people in love with Ireland and Irish Set Dancing who were dancing every Monday evening in an Irish pub named The Dubliner’s, Irish pub run by an Irish man, Joe. I’ve decided to join them and soon I became one of the best dancers, going to shows on stage to Plouarzel, Saint Mathieu, Loperhet, Relecq-Kerhuon, Plouzané, Lorient, Carhaix and, the best, at “Brest 2004”, The International Holiday of the Sea and the sailors. I was the strangest member of the group: with dark features and Romanian origins, speaking French with an accent and being a part of a French group who was representing Dun Laoghaire and Ireland. Since I came back to Constanta, Romania in 2005, I’ve kept having the dream of having my own group of dancers here, in Constanta. Last year I tried with younger pupils from Neptune (12 – 13 years old) and it was a success, so this year I decided I should give it a try with teenagers. I started two weeks ago with a group of 14 and the first dance I taught them was a reel. They seemed enthusiastic and they said they’d want to keep going, so I also want to teach them how to dance the hornpipe and the jig. But my highest ambition would be to make them dance the Baile Bhúirne Jig Set... We intend to study and to have the first demonstration of Irish Set Dances with an audience on the 17^th of March, next year, in 2011. Our purpose, besides having fun and staying in a good shape through dances, will be to discover together - and also make others discover - the Irish culture through Irish dances and music as we will be the first and only Romanian group from Constanta dancing Irish dances.