Irish dancer finds own niche at Princeton

Irish dancer Bridget Nolan's '02 diary looks a little different from the Bridget's we saw on the big screen last year.

She has danced at Radio City and Carnegie Hall, performed for local and state legislatures, been featured on televised parades, qualified for World Championships five times, and represented the United States at the 1998 World Scholar-Athlete games in Belfast.

It all started with Bridget's casual decision to take ballet with her best friend. While ballet didn't stick, she became interested in Irish dancing and was competing internationally by the age of 13.

"I dance because I love it. Whenever I am at home or alone, I am constantly dancing around my house or my room. I can't help it, I just like the way it feels," said Bridget.

Through high school, she followed rigorous training schedules, squeezing in workouts before school, attending a full day of classes, meeting with a personal trainer in the afternoons, and going to evening dance classes.

"One of the hardest parts was dealing with the occasional but inevitable defeat in competition despite all of that effort I was putting in," said Bridget.

Irish dancing was a much more obscure sport fifteen years ago when Bridget started dancing. As a result, one of the most enjoyable parts of her career has been watching Irish dancing get more recognition and public appreciation through productions such as "Riverdance."

Bridget is only trained in one type of dancing, so she has not been able to join a company here at Princeton. However, she is the artistic director of Muse, a student group dedicated to opening venues for under-recognized talent on campus. She is no longer taking dance lessons, so it is a challenge to maintain fitness and the same level of dancing skills.

"These days I'd say the hardest part is living up to my personal standards, which are admittedly a bit high sometimes," she said. "Since I don't take lessons with a teacher in a formal school of dance anymore, I have to rely on myself and the way I think my dancing looks in the mirror to make myself better."