By Brendan Clay
On February 20 the Delco Gaels hosted the 2015 Dancing Like a Star competition at the Springfield Country Club. Every year since 2012, the Delaware County-based youth Gaelic football and hurling club seeks out members of the local community to compete in a couples dance competition and fundraiser inspired by similar fundraisers in Ireland.
The 16 contestants—who had never met before and were mostly inexperienced with dance—were paired up by the organizers to collaborate with choreographers to develop and perfect dance routines in about two months. This year the theme was “Dancing through the Decades.”
Choreographers:
Jennifer Cleary
Lisa Oster
Dancers:
(in order of appearance in the solo couples segment)
40s:
Siobhan McGrory & Paul Hurley
Colette Morgan & Dermot “Gogie” O’Donnell
60s:
Michele Quinn & Louie Bradley
Beth Hamilton & Jason Fialkovich
70s:
Eileen Corr & Mark Procknow
Chrissy Penezic & Tom Kane
80s
Heather Crossan & Paul McDaid
Fiona McAndrews & Andrew Coll