Romance Rocks World Irish Dancing Championships for Jade Bridgewater and Mitchell Hodges

Jade Bridgewater, 4th place Girls 15-16 and Mitchell Hodges, 2nd place Boys 15-16
2012 World Irish Dancing Championships
Photo:  Callum Bridgewater

Jade Bridgewater and Mitchell Hodges had an extra special reason for enjoying the World Irish Dancing Championships this year.  The teenagers are competitive Irish dancers in both solo and team events, with impressive records that include Top Five in all the major international events.  But spending the whole week together in Belfast, Northern Ireland - in addition to their Top Five placements in the 15-16 events - was the icing on the cake, according to Hodges.

The two have known each other for some time, but it was only on this past New Year's Eve that they started dating.  Bridgewater, who has been dancing since age 4 (now with Doherty Academy of Irish Dance Coventry) lives in Birmingham, England.  Hodges, whose home is in Bristol, England commutes about two hours each way to Birmingham, where he practices with Carey Academy of Irish Dance.  He started dancing at five years old because his older siblings did.

Let the celebration begin!
Photo courtesy Bridgewater Family

Jade explains how she and Mitchell met, "I have always seen Mitchell around the dance competitions, but I have never really spoken to him probably until recent months.  My best friend, Leah Skerrett, who dances at the same school as Mitchell, was messaging me whilst at dance class and Mitchell went on her phone and started to message me.  We started to talk and get to know each other and it went from there."

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Read more:

Jade Bridgewater 2011 British National Irish Dancing Champion

World Irish Dancing Championship 2011 Results for Boys-Girls under 15

Mitchell Hodges 2011 North American National Irish Dancing Champion
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Generally, the couple gets to spend time together after Saturday dance classes with Hodges returning to Bristol the next day by train.  When asked about dating girls that are not Irish dancers, Mitchell is honest:  "It was so hard as I was always training and spending time in Birmingham on weekdays and weekends and on school holidays I would spend most of my time at workshops or at competitions all week so I couldn't spend enough time with them."

So happy together! Post podium celebration for Jade and Mitchell
Photo courtesy Bridgewater Family

Bridgewater currently holds titles as the All-Scotland Irish Dancing Champion, Great Britain Irish Dancing Champion and British National Irish Dancing Champion.  Her past record includes winning the All-Ireland Irish Dancing Championship in 2006 and North American National Irish Dancing Championship in 2009.  She has also won her regional Irish dancing championship for the last six years.  At Worlds this year, Jade was the highest-placing non-North American in Girls 15-16, taking the 4th position on the podium.  She placed 3rd at her first World Irish Dancing Championships in Girls 10-11.

Hodges, in addition to placing 2nd at both the 2012 All-Ireland Irish Dancing Championship and World Irish Dancing Championship, is a six-time World Irish Dancing Championship team member.  He won the North American National Irish Dancing Championships for Boys 14-15 in 2011 and  has placed as high as 3rd at the All-Scotland, Great Britain and British National Irish Dancing Championships.

Kelly, Jade and Dad Callum Bridgewater with Mitchell Hodges
Photo courtesy Bridgewater Family

Mitchell's whole family danced, but now it is just he and his younger sister Ellie who compete.  Bobby, Mitchell's older brother, is currently "The Lord" in Lord of the Dance Troupe 2, with whom he has performed since 2008.  Kelly Bridgewater, Jade's older sister, is also an accomplished competitive Irish dancer at age 19.  Jade and Kelly are members of Doherty's 2012 World Champion Girls' Ceili Team.

Jade shares that Mitchell gets along really well with her family, and that the Bridgewater and Hodges families get along great too. "They really encourage the relationship and think we are good for each other," she says.

With such a handsome and talented couple starting the New Year together, surely 2012 will see many of their Irish dancing dreams come true!


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Great Britain Irish Dancing Championships 2011 North American Results

Great Britain Irish Dancing Championships 2011

official sportswear by Ken Barrett KB Leisurewear

photo by Reel Photo Company

The last major Irish dancing championship of 2011 and the second oldest major Irish dancing championship in the world, the Great Britain Irish Dancing Championships were hosted by the Southern England Regional Council and took place at the Butlins Resort in Bognor Regis Saturday through Monday.

Reels, slip jigs, hornpipes and treble jigs were performed on stage with live music to determine those Irish dancers who qualified for the third and final recall round. During the recall round, Irish dancers scoring in the top half of their age group danced individual contemporary sets. Adjudicators from all over the United Kingdom and the United States traveled to Bognor Regis to select the very best Irish dancers from among all the competitors. ADCRGs Doreen O'Connor, Finbarr Conway, Brendan Lynch, Anthony Murnane, Mary Kay Heneghan, John Carey, Marie McGuigan, Ann Byrne Gibbons, Gerard McQuaid, Margaret Cleary, Liam Harney, Margaret Robinson, Mona Roddy, Kathleen Murray and Russell Beaton surely had their work cut out for them with the level of dancing exhibited on three stages.

Congratulations to the Irish dancers and their families and teachers from Feis America on the fantastic North American results! Here are the names, schools and locations of the North American Irish dancers who placed at the 2011 Great Britain Irish Dancing Championships:

Girls under 10

11 Olivia Nachtigal Mattierin : Western Region, Canada

14 Cosette deBourbon Regan-Rankin : Mid America Region, USA

26 Kasey Methven Broesler : Mid Atlantic Region, USA

27 Ciara Blomberg Goulding : New England Region, USA

Boys under 10

3 Patrick Grant Butler Fearon O'Connor: Eastern Canada

Girls under 11 (No North American Boys under 11)

6 Ava-Marie Schroder Mattierin: Western Canada
12 Ceili Davey Mattierin: Western Canada

20 Mary Teresa Diesslin Martin Percival: Colorado USA

Girls under 12 (No North American Boys under 12)

15 Londyn Nachtigal Mattierin : Western Region, Canada

23 Jesse Marlow Houston Academy : Western Region, Canada

27 Isabella Simms Goggin-Carroll : Eastern Region, Canada

Girls under 13

4 Melanie Valdes Petri: Mid Atlantic Region, USA

13 Mary Kate Guinan Mulhern : Mid America Region, USA

17 Aislinn Bevill Pender-Keady : New England Region, USA

29 Siobhan O'Brien Goggin-Carroll : Eastern Region, Canada

35 Kayla Ruggle McGinley Academy : Eastern Region, Canada

36 Kelley Methven Broesler : Mid Atlantic Region, USA

Boys under 13

6 Owen Luebbers Broesler: Mid Atlantic Region USA

Girls under 14

15 Hannah Campbell Goulding : New England Region, USA

20 Giovanna deBourbon Regan-Rankin : Mid America Region, USA

24 Devin Byrne Butler-Fearon-O'Connor : Western Region, Canada

28 Harper Mills O'Shea-Chaplin : New England Region, USA

Boys under 14

6 Jonathan Detullio Petri : Mid Atlantic Region, USA

Girls under 15 (No North American Boys under 15)

23 Olivia Depalo Pender-Keady : New England Region, USA

28 Mackenzie Goggin-Wade Goggin-Carroll : Eastern Region, Canada

3 Mackenzie Mahler Blakey : Western Region, Canada

4 Amanda Probert Claddagh : Western Region, USA

7 Kellyn Berrigan Pender-Keady : New England Region, USA

Girls under 16 (No North American Boys under 16)

9 Brooke Ezekiel Goggin-Carroll : Eastern Region, Canada

12 Erika Cocco Penk-O'Donnell : Western Region, Canada

23 Brenna McDonnell Penk-O'Donnell : Western Region, Canada

29 Keara Heckmann O'Connor O'Brien : Western Region, Canada

Boys under 17

4 Brian Perry-Carrera Butler Fearon O'Connor

7 Fred Nguyen De Danaan: Western Canada

Girls under 17

3 Gabrielle Corrigan Penk O'Donnell: Western Canada

9 Brigid Rosendale O'Grady-Quinlan: Pennsylvania USA

12 Taylor Smyth Pender Keady: Connecticut USA

21 Mary Byrne O'Shea-Chaplin: Massachusetts USA

23 Brianna Sheehan O'Shea-Chaplin: Massachusetts USA

Girls under 18

8 Brianna Treacy Mullan Davis Academy : Mid Atlantic Region, USA

11 Bridget Teeking Gilleoghan : New England Region, USA

12 Courtney Otis Inishfree : Mid Atlantic Region, USA

Boys under 18

2 Nick Paulson Broesler: Mid Atlantic Region USA
7 Lucas Lawton Short: Eastern Canada

Ladies under 20 (No North American Men 18-20)

2 Olivia Griffin Butler Fearon O'Connor: Eastern Canada

5 Candice Corrigan Penk O'Donnell: Western Canada

6 Rebecca Bell Mattierin: Western Canada

8 Ashley Davidson Butler Fearon O'Connor: Eastern Canada

Senior Ladies

12 Jessica Bell Mattierin : Western Region, Canada

15 Alana O'Brien O'Shea-Chaplin : New England Region, USA

17 Natasha Woytiuk Short : Eastern Region, Canada

18 Tehya Baxter Butler-Fearon-O'Connor : Western Region, Canada

21 Ashleigh Hopkins Inishfree : Mid Atlantic Region, USA

Senior Men

7 Patrick Rosendale O'Grady-Quinlan: Pennsylvania USA

Special thanks to Leanne Nelson and her team from the Reel Photo Company who did such an amazing job with the FREE live commentary and terrific photos!

For more Irish dancing news delivered to your home every other month, rit to Feis America magazine, North America's favorite Irish dancing magazine. Back issues now available at www.yudu.com.

2011 British National Irish Dancing Championship Top Boys' Results

Joe Bitter from Carey, Birmingham, England

2011 British Nationals Irish Dancing Champion

Boys 16-17

photo courtesy www.goodmedia.co.uk

Nicholas Paulson from Broesler, MD/NJ

2011 British National Irish Dancing Champion

Boys 17-18

photo courtesy of Feis America LLC

Most of the boys' and men's results from the 2011 British National Irish Dancing Championships are in! Congratulations to 2011 British National Champions: Mark O'Malley, Boys 7-8; John Whitehurst, Boys 11-12; Daire Hanrahan, Boys 13-14; Sean Downes, Boys 14-15; Richard Murray, Boys 15-16; Joe Bitter, Boys 16-17; Nicholas Paulson, Boys 17-18; Cathal Keaney, Men 18-19; John Lawrence Morgan, Men 19-20; and, Jan Gaca, Men 20 & Over.

Special congratulations to Nick Paulson from Broesler in MD/NJ, the only North American male to clinch a British National Irish Dancing Championship in 2011, and Zac Warshaw from Short School in Canada, who placed 3rd in the Senior Men event.

Boys 7-8

Champion Mark O'Malley from Brian Geraghty, Roscommon

2 Michael Flanagan from Flanagan, Belfast

3 Joe Pavier from Inis Cara, Lincoln

4 Josh Owens from Cosa in Airde, Belfast

5 Kieran Flanagan from Lally, Manchester

Boys 11-12

Champion John Whitehurst from Carey, Birmingham

2 Gerard Byrne from McNelis-Cunningham, Donegal

3 Matthew Gardiner from Hession, Galway

4 Jack Roberts from Inis Cara, Lincoln

5 Tom Dunleavy from Coleman, Co Mayo

Boys 13-14

Champion Daire Hanrahan from Ui Ruairc, Limerick

2 James O'Farrell from Curley, Galway

3 Rory McElvogue-Heslop from McElvogue, Newcastle upon Tyne

4 Conor Walsh from Coleman, Co Mayo

5 Joseph Keegan from Ward-Mallinson, Manchester

Boys 14-15

Champion Sean Downes from McCutcheon, Glasgow

2 Macauley Selwood from Doherty, Coventry

3 Colm Molloy from Claddagh, Essex

4 Mitchell Hodges from Carey, Birmingham

5 Paul McCabe from Montgomery Taylor, Glasgow

Boys 15-16

Champion Richard Murray from Higgins, Waterford

2 Caolan McKeating-Lynch from Mulvenna, Belfast

3 Eoghan Murphy from Scoil Rince Mona Ni Rodaigh, Co Armagh

4 Luke McCusker from Fitzgibbon, Northwest England

5 Michael Gardiner from Hession, Galway

Boys 16-17

Champion Joe Bitter from Carey, Birmingham

2 Owen Sherman from Maguire-O'Shea, Essex

3 David Geaney from Rinceoirt No Riochta, Tralee

4 Conor Ryan from Scoil Rince Ceim Oir, London

5 Michael Gleeson from Morgan, Manchester

Boys 17-18

Champion Nicholas Paulson from Broesler, MD/NY

2 Garrard McNamee from McConomy, Derry

3 Dylan Millar from Inis Cara, Lincoln

4 Jack O'Donnell from Keogh Academy, Coventry

5 Declan Lyons from Morgan, Manchester

Men 18-19

Champion Cathal Keaney from Hession, Galway

2 Conor McGuire from Kenny, Birmingham

3 Alan Walsh from Coleman, Co Mayo

4 Niall McCarron from McCarron, Birmingham

5 Joseph Watson from Ward-Mallinson, Manchester

Men 19-20

Champion John Lawrence Morgan from Morgan, Manchester

2 Eamonn Sweeney from Morgan, Manchester

3 John McCullough from Keogh Academy, Coventry

Men 20 & Over

Champion Jan Gaca from Scoil Rince Ceim Oir, London

2 Conor Kennedy from Kenny, Birmingham

3 Zachary Warshaw from Short School, Canada

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2011 British National Irish Dancing Championship Top Girls' Results

Mackenzie Mahler from Blakey, Canada

2011 British Nationals Irish Dancing Championship

4th place Girls 14-15

photo courtesy of Blakey School website

Jade Bridgewater from Doherty, Coventry, U.K.

2011 British Nationals Irish Dancing Champion

Girls 14-15

photo courtesy of www.worldirishdancing.com

Claire Greaney from Hession, Galway, Ireland

2011 British Nationals Irish Dancing Champion Ladies 20 & Over

photo courtesy Claire Greaney

Shannon Bradley from Doherty, Belfast, Northern Ireland

2011 British Nationals Irish Dancing Champion

Girls 13-14

photo courtesy Diarmuid Mclaughlin

The British National Irish Dancing Championships were held this past week, and the results are in! Feis America on Irish Central brings you the top results for the Irish dancing competitions here! Congratulations to British National Irish Dancing Champions Trinity Halliwell for Girls 7-8, Brogan McCay for Girls 11-12, Shannon Bradley for Girls 13-14, Jade Bridgewater for Girls 14-15, Etain Mulvenna for Girls 15-16, Alana Pearson for Girls 16-17, Jasmine Withers for Girls 17-18, Caitriona Quinlan for Girls 18-19, and Claire Greaney for Ladies 20 & Over.

Special congratulations to the North Americans who placed in the Top Ten: Mackenzie Mahler from Blakey, Canada; Kimmy Cooper from Blakey, Canada; Leyla Marasli from Broesler, MD/NJ and Olivia Griffin from Butler-Fearon-O'Connor, California.

Girls 7-8:

Champion Trinity Gleeson Halliwell from Morgan, Manchester

2 Eleanor Murray from Scoil Rince Mona Ni Rodaigh, Co Armagh, Ireland

3 Alliyah O'Hare from Scanlon, Birmingham

4 Grace McGrory from Turley, Coventry

5 Elli Coyle-McGovern from O'Connor, Sligo

6 Jaisie Withers from Kenny, Birmingham

7 Aileen Murphy from Murchu-Duignan, London

8 Ella Curry from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue, Leinster/Ulster

9 Corragh McCloskey from McConomy, Derry

10 Ailis Shannon from Ward-Mallinson, Manchester

Girls 11-12:

Champion Brogan McCay from McConomy, Derry

2 Roisin Naughton from Coleman, Co Mayo, Ireland

3 Olivia Drury from Claddagh, Essex

4 Alannah Lynch from O'Shea, Dublin, Ireland

5 Sophia Fizmaurice from Murchu-Duiginn, London

6 Andrea Martin from Scoil Rince NiChearra-O'Baolain-McMahon

7 Ava McLoughlin from O'Neill, Ireland

8 Grace Callaghan from McConomy, Derry, Ireland

9 Laura Cotton from McNelis-Cunningham, Donegal, Ireland

10 Cyra Carey from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue, Leinster/Ulster

Girls 13-14:

Champion Shannon Bradley from Doherty, Belfast, Northern Ireland

2 Leelle Eakins from Scoil Rince NiChearra-O'Baolain-McMahon

3 Shannon Morrissey from Scoil Rince Ceim Oir, London

4 Amy Prior-O'Loughlin from Hennigan-O'Loughlin, Essex

5 Hannah Drury from Claddagh, Essex

6 Amy Harley from Doherty, Belfast, Northern Ireland

7 Olivia Murray from Scoil Rince Mona Ni Rodaigh, Co Armagh, Ireland

8 Anna Fitzpatrick from O'Shea, Dublin, Ireland

9 Olivia N'Baolain from Ward-Mallinson, Manchester

10 Luca Moran from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue, Leinster/Ulster

Girls 14-15:

Champion Jade Bridgewater from Doherty, Coventry

2 Ellen Kennedy from O'Connor, Sligo, Ireland

3 Shauna Ryan from Ui Nuallain, Limerick

4 Mackenzie Mahler from Blakey, Canada

5 Lily Taylor from McGahan Lees, Essex

6 Leah Skerrett from Carey, Birmingham

7 Ciara Simpson from Maguire-O'Shea, Essex

8 Ciara Jennings from Coleman, Co Mayo, Ireland

9 Sophie Comer from Burke, Cheshire

10 Tie Sinead Kelly from Coleman, Co Mayo with Jude Murphy from Doherty, Belfast

Girls 15-16:

Champion Etain Mulvenna from Mulvenna, Belfast

2 Laura Casey from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue, Leinster/Ulster

3 Layla Healy from Fegan, Co Wicklow, Ireland

4 Emma Donnelly from Montgomery Taylor, Glasgow

5 Sophie Garside from Ward-Mallinson, Manchester

6 Rebecca Reed from Murchu-Duiginn, London

7 Fionnuala McNulty from Doherty, Belfast

8 Rachel Ferguson from McGahan Lees, Essex

9 Shannon Keenan from Kenny, Birmingham

10 Isabella Fisher from Inis Cara, Lincoln

Girls 16-17:

Champion Alana Pearson from Scoil Rince Ceim Oir, London

2 Anne Marie Keaney from Hession, Galway, Ireland

3 Emily Holt from Ard Ri, Kent

4 Samantha Morton from Kelly Hendry, Newcastle

5 Muriel Burke from Scoil Rince Mona Ni Rodaigh, Co Armagh

6 Zoe Griffin from Ui Ruairc, Limerick, Ireland

7 Sian Skerrett from Carey, Birmingham

8 Sarah Farrell from Brooks Academy, Herts

9 Lisa Martyn from Hession, Galway, Ireland

10 Gabrielle Nurse from McGahan Lees, Essex

Girls 17-18:

Champion Jasmine Withers from Kenny, Birmingham

2 Tara Walsh from Higgins, Waterford, Ireland

3 Christine Bresnan from Brooks Academy, Herts

4 Kimmy Cooper from Blakey, Canada

5 Laura Millar from Trainor, London

6 Niamh McMahon from Jackie O'Leary, Co Meath, Ireland

7 Leyla Marasli from Broesler, MD/NJ

Girls 18-19:

CHAMPION Caitriona Quinlan from Scoil Rince Ceim Oir, London

2 Sarah C Nutley from Scoil Rince Ceim Oir, London

3 Katie McAleer from McAleer-Field, Doncaster

4 Shanice Medoings from Kenny, Birmingham

5 Aimee Pulford from McGahan Lees, Essex

6 Tie Amy Cagney from Ward-Mallinson, Manchester with Kelly Bridgewater

from Doherty, Coventry

8 Jenna Hamill from Doherty, Belfast

Ladies 19-20:

Champion Nadine Martin from Doherty, Coventry

2 Jodie Osborne from Montgomery Taylor, Glasgow

3 Olivia Griffin from Butler-Fearon-O'Connor California, U.S.A.

4 Lucy English from Scoil Rince Ceim Oir, London

5 Victoria Thornley from Kelly Hendry, Newcastle

Ladies 20 & Over:

Champion Claire Greaney from Hession, Galway, Ireland

2 Suzanne Coyle from McLaughlin, Glasgow

3 Frances Dunne from Doherty, Coventry

4 Siobhan Casey from Doherty, Coventry

5 Simona Mauriello from Maguire-O'Shea, Essex

6 Emma Andrews from Kenny, Birmingham

7 Izzy Yorke from McGahan Lees, Essex

8 Rachael-Beth Powders from Ard Ri, Kent

9 Charaina Kelly from Maguire-O'Shea, Essex

10 Jessica Devlin from Maguire-O'Shea, Essex

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