By CHRISTINA RITCHIE ROGERS
CorneliusNews.Net

For 16-year-old Grace Gregory, dancing is more than something she likes to do – it’s something she has to do.

“I can’t imaging not dancing,” she said.

The daughter of Victoria Bay residents Dave and Beth Gregory, Grace took her first Irish dance class seven years ago and hasn’t stopped since.

“I love it,” she said. “Now it’s just become a part of life.”

So when a meniscal tear in her knee took her off the dance floor in January, she focused all of her efforts on physical therapy and healing as quickly as possible. After all, she had just qualified to compete in the world championships for Irish dancing April 3.

Now, after eight weeks of physical therapy and rest – and absolutely no dancing – Grace leaves Friday for Belfast, Ireland where she will compete with 6,000 other dancers from around the world.

And even though Wednesday was the first time in two months she was able to dance her full routines without stopping, she is not worried about taking the stage in Belfast Tuesday.

“I like competing,” Grace said. “I don’t get that nervous anymore. There’s always that adrenaline rush, but I’ve learned to control it over time.”

In competition, judges look for proper foot placement during jumps and crosses, stamina, muscle control and rhythm, among other things, Grace said. It is through competing that dancers progress and advance in skill levels, she said. In addition to competing, Grace now assistant teaches dancers at the beginner, advanced beginner and novice levels at Rince na h’Eireann School of Irish Dance, where she also is a student.

In order to qualify for the world competition, Grace competed in a regional competition in December 2011, where she placed third out of about 120 dancers. While she is no stranger to competition, her trip to Belfast will include several “firsts” for her.

For one, it will be her first trip to Ireland.

She also will be dancing for the first time in a new, custom dress. Female Irish dancers wear distinct costume dresses, with ruffled skirts and often ornately decorated with irish symbols and jewels. As with most dance costumes, the dresses are quite expensive, so dancers usually will wear hand-me-downs, Grace said. For her world competition debut, she will pick up her first, custom-made dance dress from a seamstress in Ireland.

“When you compete in a new dress, it’s a confidence booster,” she said.

Grace and her mother Beth remember when Grace first started dancing and reflect on how far she has come.

“We used to say, maybe one day we’ll go to worlds,” Beth said, still in awe that the dream now is a reality.

Beth, Grace and Grace’s sister Abbie leave for Ireland Friday.