0:00:09 > 0:00:13The world of Irish dancing is one that's constantly evolving
0:00:13 > 0:00:15and with the advent of global success stories
0:00:15 > 0:00:17like Riverdance and Lord Of The Dance,
0:00:17 > 0:00:20it's an art form that's been thrust onto the world stage
0:00:20 > 0:00:22over the past 20 years.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31But it's not all about timing and fancy footwork these days.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Increasingly, the life of an Irish dancer is a glitzy one,
0:00:34 > 0:00:37filled with multicoloured sequins,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40curly hair pieces, and layers of fake tan.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49And the grown-ups have decided it's no longer just for kids.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I'm Cathy Desmond. I'm 50 years old.
0:01:10 > 0:01:11I'm an Irish dancer
0:01:11 > 0:01:15and I dance with the Olive Hurley School of Irish Dancing in Dublin.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23I'm a Mum of three. I have an 18-year-old and 13-year-old twins.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24They keep me busy -
0:01:24 > 0:01:29school runs, homework, cooking, cleaning, the list is endless.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34Cathy took up Irish dancing as an 11-year-old
0:01:34 > 0:01:35and showed great promise.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39But she disliked competing and gave up again at the age of 17.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44I'd always had a bit of a gra for Irish dancing,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47but not so much that I'd go back to dancing,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50but when I turned 40 I had a birthday party
0:01:50 > 0:01:54and my friend went to the DJ with a CD with Irish music
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and said, "She does Irish dancing."
0:01:57 > 0:01:58So I was in complete shock,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02because at that point I probably hadn't danced in about 25 years.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05So, I was coerced onto the floor anyway
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and I got up and did the most basic easy reel ever.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10And it was embarrassing,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14because I knew in my heart and soul that I was capable of a lot more.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16So, that kind of gave me the incentive to maybe,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18before I got a bit too old,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22to go back and explore going into dancing again.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25OK. So, may I have the adults at the back, please,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27the little ones in the front.
0:02:27 > 0:02:32After some research, Cathy joined the Olive Hurley School of Irish Dancing,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34and quickly began to impress her teacher.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The first day Cathy came into my class,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40I saw this little lady, say 4'10", 5', walking in,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44and she'd a little bag and long hair and glasses.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48She came along, and I noticed she had very good rhythm.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50But, as far as I was concerned, she was just in to, you know,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54enjoy coming back to dancing and keeping fit.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56La la la la, la-la, la-la.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I think, initially, the children in the class,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02they looked as if, "Oh, someone's mum has just started to dance.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04"Why is there a mum dancing?"
0:03:04 > 0:03:07I think they were wondering why I was there
0:03:07 > 0:03:09and I was starting to wonder why I was there as well.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12But once I started to dance, and then they saw,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14"Well, you know, she's one of us."
0:03:14 > 0:03:17And I was very accepted into the class then.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Then, the girls were doing feises, and the boys,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24so Cathy tapped me on the shoulder one day,
0:03:24 > 0:03:25about six months after she started,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27"Could I go to that feis?"
0:03:27 > 0:03:30So I said, "Why not? Yes, of course."
0:03:30 > 0:03:35And so, she went. I think it was over 16, or over 18.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37And of course, Cathy told everybody she was 41
0:03:37 > 0:03:39and she did six competitions,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41she got straight firsts in the whole lost.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43So, she beat all these beautiful 16-year-olds
0:03:43 > 0:03:45and then she went into the next level,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48which was the intermediate level, and did the same thing again.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51And so, everybody was looking at this older lady
0:03:51 > 0:03:52who came back to dance,
0:03:52 > 0:03:55and she's sweeping the boards in front of all these beauties.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02For Cathy, the pinnacle of her competitive dance career came at 45,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04when she qualified for the World Championships.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10I'd try to qualify several times before then,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13but that year in particular was very important to me.
0:04:13 > 0:04:19My dad passed away in 2007 and he knew what my dancing dream was,
0:04:19 > 0:04:23and I tried to qualify in the November of that year
0:04:23 > 0:04:25and for the first time ever, I qualified.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29I just firmly believe that it was his parting gift to me.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34I would imagine Cathy has made history by qualifying at 46,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37or whatever she was, to dance at the Worlds.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39I don't think anyone else ever did that.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Cathy has failed to qualify for the Worlds since 2008
0:04:45 > 0:04:48but having recently reached her 50th birthday,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51she remains determined to keep trying.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54It's not a vain attempt to hold on to my youth.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56I do it for the love of dancing.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00And if it was something else I'd do it just as enthusiastically.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04This morning, her friend Sue arrives for a catch-up and some practice.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06- Hi.- Ready?- Come on in.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Oh, you have your mag!
0:05:08 > 0:05:10They're saying the older groups
0:05:10 > 0:05:13are going for simple, sophisticated dresses.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16- They don't know me at all. - That's me!
0:05:16 > 0:05:18I have a simple, sophisticated dress. I'm happy.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21What do you think of the blue? It's a bit much, isn't it?
0:05:21 > 0:05:25- How can you have too much sparkle? - It's too glitzy.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26How can it be too glitzy?
0:05:26 > 0:05:30Yeah, but you see at my age, you know, you have to be a little...
0:05:30 > 0:05:33- You're only as young as you feel. - Ah, no, but still.
0:05:33 > 0:05:38My dancing buddy is a girl called Sue. She's 28.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42And we pretty much do everything together. We help each other out.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44We learn steps together.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47If she doesn't know something, I'll teach her, and vice versa.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49So, what do you think? Will we have a look at the set?
0:05:49 > 0:05:53- Will you fix it for me? - Change to the new way, yeah?
0:05:53 > 0:05:55TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:06:15 > 0:06:18CATHY HUMS ALONG
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Despite the fact there is a 22-year age gap between myself and Sue,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23we get on really, really well together.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28So, if Sue doesn't come to class, I don't really feel right going over
0:06:28 > 0:06:30and sitting with the 15, 16-year-olds.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32I'm just a little bit out of my depth.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34Even though I get on really well with them,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37it's just to have someone a bit nearer to my age
0:06:37 > 0:06:39to hang out with in class, basically.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44Yeah, OK.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48At 50 years of age, Cathy is unusual in the Irish dance context.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52But on the Continent, she would hardly stand out.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54In Munich, dancers from all over Europe are preparing to
0:06:54 > 0:06:57descend on the annual feis, which is
0:06:57 > 0:07:01one of the biggest competitions of the year for adult dancers.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:07:18 > 0:07:23When I first came here it was in '92, and Riverdance came in '94,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26and my whole thing was, well, I'll open a class of children.
0:07:26 > 0:07:27But adults came.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30So when I advertised, it was adults that came
0:07:30 > 0:07:32and because they saw the show Riverdance,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35it was, "I want to learn this, I want to do Riverdance."
0:07:35 > 0:07:38TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:07:43 > 0:07:48My name is Marco. I was born in Germany and I grew up in Italy.
0:07:48 > 0:07:53I dance for the over-30s. I'm 48.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57I'm not a dancer, generally,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01but I love Irish dance,
0:08:01 > 0:08:06due to this...sequences of steps
0:08:06 > 0:08:09and the rhythm of music and it's good, also, for fitness.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18I think, at my age,
0:08:18 > 0:08:23I can't be a champion, but we will see.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30The adults, they want to compete because they want to get better.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32So, they take it that seriously.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34They actually work out, they practice.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Some of them do even fitness clubs alongside,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38just for their Irish dance, to get better.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49The first time that I saw the Irish dance was Riverdance,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52and it was unbelievable.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Actually, we were very far from the stage, but at the same time,
0:08:56 > 0:09:02I felt like as if I was there on the stage, it was feeling incredible.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07At the same time, when I am on the stage, actually,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09I feel like a young boy.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11I mean, I'm a bit nervous.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16My legs becomes soft and I know that it seems strange
0:09:16 > 0:09:20that a man of 52 years old can feel like that,
0:09:20 > 0:09:25but it's a strange sensation when you are there in front of the judges.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39It's not just about dance. They're learning everything about Ireland.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41They want to learn our accent,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43they want to learn the way we walk, the way we talk.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45What we do after a feis, you know,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48maybe go to the Irish pubs afterwards, things like that.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58I love the music and all the steps, crossing and jumping
0:09:58 > 0:10:01and flying across the floor.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03A lot of people think that she's Irish.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Once we were in St Stephens Green Park,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and there were some Japanese and Italian tourists
0:10:09 > 0:10:12that were taking pictures of her,
0:10:12 > 0:10:17thinking that she was Irish and we just pretended to be Irish.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21We just said, "OK, don't speak!"
0:10:21 > 0:10:24And they took pictures and maybe they went back home showing the
0:10:24 > 0:10:31pictures of a typical Irish girl that instead was Italian.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33And it's not just the Italians who have discovered
0:10:33 > 0:10:36a love for Irish dancing later in life.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39Yuri is a 40-year-old businessman from Moscow
0:10:39 > 0:10:42who has been taking private dance lessons for the past five years.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56When I found an internet site about Irish dancing in Moscow,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58more than ten years go, I decided,
0:10:58 > 0:11:05"I'm almost 30, I'm very old for dancing. It's not for me.
0:11:05 > 0:11:10"I will just play music, Irish music, and that's all."
0:11:12 > 0:11:17I'm a general director of a company producing automation devices
0:11:17 > 0:11:22and now, I've about 100 employees there.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And they don't know about his dancing
0:11:25 > 0:11:28because he is really serious.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30He doesn't smile himself in the mirror.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34He is always serious, and he goes like, "grr,"
0:11:34 > 0:11:40so he just can't dance. He can't!
0:11:40 > 0:11:44When such a serious man like a general director came to dance,
0:11:44 > 0:11:47it's not very good!
0:11:47 > 0:11:51It's minus ten for image!
0:11:51 > 0:11:56# I'll hear you and I will sing to you... #
0:11:56 > 0:11:59When we came to Ireland, it was raining. But he was smiling.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01It was so strange.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06So, I decided I could bring some Ireland to Russia.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09But I'm really jealous person,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13so it was difficult to me to find a school with a male dancer,
0:12:13 > 0:12:18because they didn't like all the short skirts and all the make-up
0:12:18 > 0:12:21and all these girls around,
0:12:21 > 0:12:27so I was trying to find a male dancer to give some private lessons.
0:12:27 > 0:12:33And it worked, because the male dancer was the best one in Russia,
0:12:33 > 0:12:38so he trained him good and in half a year, he got his first medals.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Hopes for more silverware are high,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46as Yuri and his family make their way to the competition.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50The adult dancers competing here take the event very seriously,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54and Yuri is suffering from pre dance nerves.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56In my professional life,
0:12:56 > 0:13:03I had a chance every day to make speeches and discuss any questions.
0:13:03 > 0:13:04But this competition,
0:13:04 > 0:13:12every time, it's harder for me than any hard business conversation.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Yuri squeezes in some last-minute practise,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22and across town, another group of hopefuls from Norway
0:13:22 > 0:13:25are nervously heading to the feis.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30I actually started when I was 16 but because I was in school
0:13:30 > 0:13:34and I didn't live in Oslo, I didn't have a school to go to.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36I didn't know where I could do dance.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40So, I just had like a workshop here and a workshop there.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45So, I lost a lot of years there. But still, 16, that's old, actually.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49That's when people retire in Ireland!
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Ase is a teacher at the Ronan McCormack School in Oslo,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56and is joined in Munich by some of her dancing students,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Gerd and Eva.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02This is my first time doing the Munich Feis.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04I've never been there before
0:14:04 > 0:14:08and I've been supposed to dance at the Milan Feis two years ago,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12but then I got pneumonia, so I couldn't dance.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16And then in November I broke my foot one week before the Salzburg Feis,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20so, I didn't... This is my first proper feis.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23That's a scary thing, you know, when you're an adult dancer -
0:14:23 > 0:14:26it's injuries, because you never know if it's going to heal,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28or if it's going to heal proper or end.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31When you're ten, it's like, you're growing anyway,
0:14:31 > 0:14:34so managing a little bit of bone doesn't really matter as much
0:14:34 > 0:14:38most of the time, as long as it's not in growth. So it's good.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43I feel really like my bones are, you know, little less flexible.
0:14:43 > 0:14:44I jump less. It's harder.
0:14:44 > 0:14:49It's harder to get warmed up, all in all, but I'm still working it.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52And the older you get, the scarier it is.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54The older you get the harder it is.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59- TANNOY:- 'Change here for the U4 and the U5.'
0:14:59 > 0:15:04It's here. This is it. It's here. It's here! We're here!
0:15:12 > 0:15:17In Dublin, an adult dancer's worst fear has come to fruition.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21Cathy has picked up an injury, and it's throwing into jeopardy
0:15:21 > 0:15:25her dream of once again qualifying for the Worlds.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Cathy has been having an issue with her left hamstring,
0:15:29 > 0:15:33so she's been getting treated here on and off for the last five months.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35She's becoming an awful lot looser.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Her muscle isn't as tight as what it used to be,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40but her pain isn't much better,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42so there's still a lot more to do with her.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Just try and relax.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50- It's better than last week.- Yeah, I know it is. It's much better.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52You know, you're getting up to...
0:15:52 > 0:15:55- That's tight, but it's not overly painful.- Yeah.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58Normally, we wouldn't see any 50-year-olds with Cathy's
0:15:58 > 0:15:59type of injury, really.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Most 50 rules we get in would have some neck pain, back pain,
0:16:02 > 0:16:04more of a wear and tear type of thing
0:16:04 > 0:16:08rather than a sports injury or a dancing injury.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10But it's common enough that the older you get,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13the little bit more time it takes then to get back on your feet,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16get back to normal, and get back pain free again, unfortunately.
0:16:19 > 0:16:20Ooh!
0:16:20 > 0:16:22- Sorry, Cathy. OK?- Yeah, yeah.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25'It's the longest injury I've ever had.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27'I've had hamstring injuries before,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31'but they've always righted themselves within a couple of months.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36'But this one's been nagging at me now since the end of last year.'
0:16:36 > 0:16:38- Are you OK?- Mm-hm. Mm...
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Give me a shout if it gets too much, OK?
0:16:41 > 0:16:45I suppose in the back of my mind, I have a nagging thought
0:16:45 > 0:16:49that maybe it's the end of my career as a competitive dancer,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52but not as a dancer. I mean, I'll always dance,
0:16:52 > 0:16:56but just maybe the competition end of it might be finished.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01But I'm trying to keep my head in the sand about that. I'm in denial.
0:17:02 > 0:17:08I'll go through this pain and hopefully it'll make a difference.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10CLOCK BELLS CHIME
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Its competition time in Munich and Yuri's wife, Maria,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20is nervously waiting for him to perform.
0:17:22 > 0:17:28It's so difficult to look at him and to know that he can fail any minute.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30It's hard to watch, really.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:17:49 > 0:17:55And Maria has given her husband and extra incentive for victory.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58We probably will have more kids if he dances well.
0:17:58 > 0:18:03I like champions, and he knows it. I'll choose the best.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06SHE GIGGLES
0:18:10 > 0:18:15Meanwhile, backstage, the nerves are building for 29-year-old Ase.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25Very nervous. I can't lie to you, no.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28It's weird, because it's not really a big deal,
0:18:28 > 0:18:32but I won the heat last year and then now I'm back and,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34you know, and I have to carry the cup in.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37It's like, "Here, this used to be mine, and I'm not getting it back."
0:18:37 > 0:18:43That's how I feel. It's like, you know, I should be as good this year.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45SHE SPEAKS NORWEGIAN
0:18:45 > 0:18:47I feel that I need to prove, you know,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50that I'm good enough and that it's worth doing it,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54because I spent some much time and so much money, and I'm old.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57It's like, "What are you doing this for? Why are you playing around?
0:18:57 > 0:19:01You know? So, I guess that's the pressure.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05It's like I'm sweaty already from warning up.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07- That's nerves for you, darling. - Ugh!
0:19:25 > 0:19:27APPLAUSE
0:19:31 > 0:19:33It's prize-giving time in Munich,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37as the adult dancers anxiously await the results of their categories.
0:19:37 > 0:19:43Two-way tie for third, Stephanie Marbach, Rojahn Academy, and Dina...
0:19:43 > 0:19:48And after a nervous wait, there's good news for Yuri and his family.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50In first place, Yuri Murashev.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53APPLAUSE
0:20:13 > 0:20:15I am happy today,
0:20:15 > 0:20:20but I think that a lot of work is waiting for me next day.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I'm very grateful for my family,
0:20:29 > 0:20:34because they support me and my victory is their victory.
0:20:38 > 0:20:39Look at this.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Ase's hard work is rewarded, too.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48For the second year in a row,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52she takes first prize in the overall open category.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56For the 29-year-old, it's an emotional victory.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00I know it must be weird to see a grown-up woman being like,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04"Oh, God, I won, I won," but, you know, Irish dancing changed my life.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Thank you, girls'
0:21:11 > 0:21:14My biggest fear is being that girl on the stage that everyone is like,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17"Oh, what is she doing here?" You know?
0:21:17 > 0:21:20And I know it's like, I'm acting like I won the Worlds,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23but to me, it's as important...
0:21:23 > 0:21:27I know it's not even close, and that's ridiculous,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29but it's this reassurance that,
0:21:29 > 0:21:33you know, I can do this, I'm ready to do this,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36although I'm just an amateur and whatever.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39So, this is nice. It's going back home to its spot now.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47November, 2013,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50and the All-Irelands are taking place in Belfast this year.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53But unlike Munich, it's a young person's game.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00Cathy and her dance buddy, Sue, have decided to compete,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03but having not danced competitively for quite some time,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06the girls are feeling a little rusty.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08I've forgotten how to do this, Sue.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13- What is it?- It's stuff you put on to make your make-up stay.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15- Superglue? - CATHY LAUGHS
0:22:17 > 0:22:19life's too short to be wearing all this make-up.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Despite being plagued by injury for many months,
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Cathy is determined to stay upbeat.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30I haven't really given the leg much thought at all, to be honest.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34I'm so caught up in the nerves and the excitement of it
0:22:34 > 0:22:37that I haven't really thought about the leg.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Cathy and Sue head down for breakfast,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43but it's not long before the nerves kick
0:22:43 > 0:22:44- in.- I'm not hungry.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- Oh, you have to eat something. - I can't bear cereal, Cathy.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- I feel sick.- Let's go for it.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55Cathy, I think it's the first time in my life I've turned away food.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56No, just you have to have something.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01- I'm not hungry. - Just eat.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07- I can't eat that, Cathy. - Oh, my stomach's churning.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12THEY RECITE STEPS
0:23:15 > 0:23:17Having lost their appetite,
0:23:17 > 0:23:19they make their way to Belfast's Waterfront Hall,
0:23:19 > 0:23:24where dance teacher Olive Hurley is on hand for moral support.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29- D-day, D-day, D-day!- D-day. - You'll be great.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35OLIVE SINGS TRADITIONAL TUNE
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Yeah. There. Yeah. Good girl.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42But not everyone in the Irish dancing community has been
0:23:42 > 0:23:47quite so supportive of Cathy's decision to continue competing.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51There were a couple of teachers saw Cathy dancing with the over 20s
0:23:51 > 0:23:55and they couldn't understand this older lady dancing.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58I said, "What's the problem? She's living her dream."
0:23:58 > 0:24:01"I'm uncomfortable," one teacher said to me. I said, "Why?"
0:24:01 > 0:24:03"Oh, she shouldn't be dancing at that age,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05"and she's intimidating the younger girls."
0:24:05 > 0:24:09I said, "What? How do you intimidate young girls, all beautiful girls?"
0:24:13 > 0:24:1421, 22...
0:24:16 > 0:24:19As Cathy waits side stage, it's time for a pre-dance ritual.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Very traditionally and very sentimentally,
0:24:23 > 0:24:25every time I dance, before I go on stage,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28I always just say a little prayer to my dad, because I know
0:24:28 > 0:24:32he's behind what I'm doing and I know he's always looking out for me.
0:24:32 > 0:24:33He's like my guardian angel.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36So I always just say a little prayer to him, saying,
0:24:36 > 0:24:40"Don't make me fall," or, "Let me get it right," or, "Let me do well."
0:24:40 > 0:24:42TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:24:45 > 0:24:48My first dance was a traditional set dance called King Of The Fairies.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52I think I did it OK. I kept in rhythm, I didn't go wrong.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56It was OK. It was grand. The standard was very, very high though.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Meanwhile, Sue is onstage, and not faring quite so well.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06My dances didn't go well.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08In the reel, the light round,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11I nearly had a collision with another girl, so I just stopped,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15so the judges had to ring the bell for us to come off and go on again.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19So, that knocks you off anyway. You can't place high after stopping.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- This is really happening, isn't it?- Oh, Cathy...
0:25:24 > 0:25:28And there's another reason why Sue is underperforming today.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30The officials are unaware,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33but she's four months pregnant with her third child.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36I have to stop drinking that. I need to go to the toilet.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Is there a loo?
0:25:38 > 0:25:42As Sue's hopes for a medal dwindle,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Cathy's takes to the stage to perform her reel,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49but the competition is steep and her expectations are low.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51My reel wasn't great.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53It could've been better, but it wasn't bad either.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55But again, the standard was the phenomenal.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:26:11 > 0:26:15Despite the high standard of this year's All-Irelands,
0:26:15 > 0:26:19there's a surprise in store for Cathy as the recalls announced.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27- ANNOUNCER:- '138, 139.'
0:26:27 > 0:26:28SHE GASPS
0:26:28 > 0:26:33'140. 141.'
0:26:33 > 0:26:38Oh, my God! I can't believe this! Oh, my God!
0:26:38 > 0:26:41When I heard Melanie got at, I was saying, "Oh, my God,"
0:26:41 > 0:26:46and then you get it. Like, happy days. Fantastic, well done.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Go on. God bless. Give it a welly! Good girl!
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Oh, my God. I'm so happy for her.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57It proves that it doesn't matter what age you are. Go grannies!
0:26:59 > 0:27:01TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Although she didn't finish in one of the top spots,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Cathy Desmond did manage to win a medal at the All-Irelands
0:27:08 > 0:27:11and hopes that future successes will follow.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13APPLAUSE
0:27:13 > 0:27:16I don't look on Cathy as old,
0:27:16 > 0:27:19I just look on Cathy as one of the girls.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21You don't think, like,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24"Mind out for Cathy, don't bump into her because she's old,"
0:27:24 > 0:27:26cos she's just Cathy.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Cathy is the only woman in the old world at 50 years of age
0:27:33 > 0:27:36who can go up and win an All-Ireland medal for solo dancing.
0:27:36 > 0:27:37It's just phenomenal.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39So, she really has fulfilled her dreams
0:27:39 > 0:27:43and shown everybody what we can do as we get older,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46and to believe in themselves and go for the dream, go for it.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Well done, girl.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54'I think I've proven myself today.'
0:27:54 > 0:27:58I don't care what happens now, I really don't. I'm happy.