Helen Conroy is an Irish Line dancer who lives and breathes Line dance. Here, she tells us about how she became hooked and what she is still trying to achieve…
I fi rst came across Line dancing in
July 1994. A new Country and Western Bar opened in Cork City called ‘The Crazy Horse Salon’. The new bar was packed with Beginner Line dancers every night and it looked fantastic fun. However I was eight months pregnant with my daughter at the time and felt really frustrated that I could not join in on the fun. In September of 1994 while standing
in a queue in my local shop I noticed a fl yer advertising Line dance classes in my area. I began classes the very next week, the fi rst dance I learned was ‘The Elvira’ and I was hooked! Line Dancing fi rst began in Cork in
May 1994 the main teacher was Mrs Rona Coulter and my fi rst teacher Mrs Patricia Crowley was trained by
Rona. I started to compete and I am proud to say that I won all the dance competitions at that time. A few years later I started teaching for Rona too. Rona retired from Line dancing after 14 years, but she is still very active in the Ballroom dancing scene. My club ‘Texas Twisters’ was formed
nine years ago and I now run morning and evening classes as well as the occasional Sunday afternoon charity social and one yearly Line dance weekend. My classes are for adults of all ages and I mostly teach Beginners because I love their energy and enthusiasm. My motto is “keep it FUN for everyone” and we do. My husband Pat also Line dances he
loves dancing to the Country music and I am aware that I am a lucky woman
to have a partner who loves the same things I do. We got married in Corpus Christy, South Texas six years ago, an experience never to be forgotten. My daughter Megan, now 17, is also
a Line dancer (aren’t I lucky?) and has been dancing since she was fi ve years old. She loves pop music and of course, Line dances to all the latest tunes. My 24 year old son Christopher has no interest in Line dancing but there may still be some hope as sometimes I catch him humming along to a country tune, (Cotton Eye Joe, anyone?). Perhaps we brain washed him when
he was younger! As for me I like to dance and choreograph to all types of music. As long as it inspires me, I am game. I have travelled all over Ireland,
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