As I have mentioned Angela has helped me so much physically. After countless years of doing box jumps and situps every week I remember how frustrating it was when I wasn't making any improvements in my dancing. Angela finally helped open my eyes and make me really question why I do those things when they do not correlate with the concept of Irish dance at all. After starting my 3D training with Angela, I finally started to see improvement in my dancing; and it gave me so much confidence and motivation to keep pushing. Another component that ties in with the physical side of dance is breathing. Learning how to control my breathing during my dance is one of the biggest and most important things to me. Focusing on this while dancing helped me make huge strides in the level of my dancing. 

Additionally Angela helped me so much with my mental state when it came to getting on the stage to dance. Before dancing at a competition the only thing I could think of was, “Where is the garbage can.” There had been at least 12 competitions in a row, Including all Irelands, of me running off the stage after my dance and throwing up. It was horrible, even the thought of it now makes me sick to my stomach. Me and Angela worked together to finally get my brain to a point where it wasn’t scared of dancing, it was exciting. Since then I have been able to reach so many of my goals including, placing top 5 at oireachtas and placing top 10 at nationals.”

By Michelle Quinn, Top 10 American Nationals Irish Dancer

Through Angela’s diligence in anatomy and physiology I have learned that less is more.  What does that mean?  Irish dance is a highly active sport that involves lots of distinct movements that the average young human body isn’t meant to do.  Repetitively stamping the floor is extremely damaging to multiple systems of the body, and can quickly cause injury on undeveloped bones.  Through proper 3D strength and conditioning one can learn the importance of strengthening non-dominant muscles and tendons to provide less chance for injury.  On AngelsTeam we learn how to slow down our movements, focus on our weaknesses, and learn that all systems of the body work together to grant you your movement.  

Training with Angela has also completely changed the mental game for me.  Before I came to Angela I would get extremely nervous before competitions.  To the point where I wouldn’t want to get up on stage, and when I would, my dancing would never come out the way I intended it to.  My teachers would even comment that my dancing was always better at class than at competition.  Through many exercises of calming the nervous system, I have been able to successfully get up on stage without my nerves affecting me.  At the Nationals this year my nervous system was able to grant me my movement, and I was able to jump from 56th place the year before, to 9th this year.  Thanks to Angela I have been able to become successful enough to World Qualify and place top 10 at major competitions.”

Erin Billington, Top 10 American Nationals Irish Dancer

Angela opened my eyes up to the functional world and made me realise that forcing that leg up or that turn out will absolutely not benefit my body in any capacity. After learning about the world of 3D movement I looked forward to preparing for training and competitions. Learning about the importance of breathing techniques transformed my training and I was able to reach new levels of “stamina”. 

I struggled with major anxiety and stress which was heightened coming up to competitions. I was have series of low moods coming up to competition as the anxiety was so much. Through working Angela we got control of my nervous system and I was able to prepare for competition without huge amounts of anxiety. 

While I met many of my competitive goals when working with Angela. I was so proud to set and reach new goals in achieving better health with Angela’s encouragement as well as becoming more conscious about my body’s needs. 

Ciara Keating, Top 5 World Championship Irish Dancer, Irish National Champion, British National Champion, Leinster Champion, Top 5 All Irelands Championships, Top 5 All Scotland's Championships