The New England Regional Irish Dance Championships, also known as the Oireachtas, was held in Hartford the weekend of November 16-18. It is the area’s most prestigious event, bringing in top dancers from schools in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine, and competitions have as many as 100 competitors.

Dancers representing the Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance were proud to bring home three regional titles, two World Championship qualifying positions, five National Championship qualifying positions, a top five podium placing team, and numerous other medals and recalls.

The World Irish Dance Championships, which is the Olympics of Irish dance, will be held in North America this year. The Ashurst Academy is proud to announce that two of its dancers — Piper Normand of Canton and Cian Walls of Woodbridge — qualified to compete in their respective solo championships.

In the traditional set championships, first place titles were earned by Adeline Gibowicz and Emelia Gibowicz of Danbury and Abigail Dugan of Washington.

Awards were also won by Newtown dancers Tess Brantl, Acadia Petersen, Britta Petersen, Deirdre Smith, and Raeanne Yeomans.

The Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance is directed by former Riverdance and Lord of the Dance stars Craig Ashurst and Christina Dolzall-Ashurst of Newtown. Both were highly successful competitive dancers themselves, collectively holding many regional, national, and international titles.

The Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance holds classes and camps in Newtown, Danbury, and Southbury for dancers ages 4 and up. For information, visit ashurstirishdance.com or call 203-928-0689.