St.
Patrick’s Day might be well past us, but there’s a new
documentary hitting select cities to hold ya over ’til next March.
To many,
the competitive world of Irish dance is befuddling. High kicks and
gorgeous twirls have been showcased in hit productions like
Riverdance and
Lord of the Dance.
But past the stage lights, tour buses and tapping Michael Flatley,
there’s a driving force of children, teens and adults all over the
globe tirelessly practicing hours every day for one thing: The title
of World Champion. JIG,
a 93-minute feature documentary hitting theaters this Friday,
June 17, brings us into
their world.
A former
competitive Irish dancer myself, I can attest to the fact that the
Irish dancing lifestyle mirrors a zany episode of Toddlers
& Tiaras. There are
wigs, rhinestones, fake tans. OK, some
stage moms, too. But JIG
goes beyond the vanity, shining light on very different families with
extremely different backgrounds as they all prepare for the fortieth
Irish Dancing World Championships (what one might consider the
Olympics of Irish dance) held in Glasgow, Scotland last March.
In the
flick, you’ll meet 10-year-olds Brogan from Derry, Northern Ireland
and Julia from Long Island, New York—each other’s biggest
competitors facing off in their very first World Championships. There
will be 10-year-old John from Birmingham, England, the only one in a
family of five boys to dance, and his classmate and mentor Joe, 15,
who relocated from California with his fam for dance.
You’ll
see the stories of Galway, Ireland’s Claire, London’s Simona and
Suzanne of Glasgow—three 19-year-olds who have danced against each
other their entire lives and are all heading to the fortieth World
Championships with gold in mind.
Then
there’s the story of Sandun “The Flying Dutchman,” a
16-year-old Sri Lanka native adopted by a family in Rotterdam,
Holland, who will stop at nothing for a position in top five in his
age group. Ana and her adult ceili team from Moscow, Russia, on the
other hand, just want to give it their all on stage after a traveling
hiccup puts a damper on things.
Every
dancer’s story is different in JIG,
yet each shows the sacrifices, struggles and joy that come along with
the life of being a competitive Irish dancer. From dance classes to
at-home interviews, you’ll grow to love all of the athletes
featured in this flick—and the teachers and parents who tirelessly
support them. And you’ll find yourself rooting for all during the
film’s nail-biting competitive conclusion.
If
you’re looking for an inspirational movie with the full package:
Hard work, obsession, success and failure, be sure to check out
JIG,
premiering in New York, Boston, Chicago and Toronto this Friday.
CLICK HERE
for more info on the film.
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