Dream

Normally when I dream about dancing, I'm the dancer. I can usually execute bicycles and double clicks as well, which leads to momentary excitement and then crushing disappointment when I awake. This time around, I dreamt I was the teacher. Make of this what you will.

I was at the World Championships, back in Dublin, with my sole qualifier. A little girl called Ruby O'Callaghan who had never qualified before. She had recalled in the U13 and we were warming up for her hornpipe set - I think it was Ace & Deuce. I told her she'd already surpassed any expectations and made us all very proud, so just go out and enjoy it. At results time, they called the scores out in reverse numerical order and she was 210. In dreamland, the scoring wasn't quite like it is in real life - she got 200 for her jig, 515 for slip, and 800-and-something for her set. She'd won! We went to the toilet on the upper floor to get her into her dress and touch up the make-up, but we got shut in there and they started her presentation without her. We finally made it back into the arena hall, and saw the podium filled but for the top spot, and marched backstage.

I told one of the sisters (you know!) running the stage that it was disgusting but by the time I was starting my rant, Ruby had gone up on stage to get her globe and I just started bawling. The sister hugged me and said I would teach many more champions in my time. But the steps were broken and I couldn't get up on to the stage to congratulate her - the sister had to climb up and drag me up after her.

I woke up briefly at this point, and must have missed a lot as by the time I got back to sleep Ruby was dancing the Blackthorn Stick on stage at the British Nationals.

Fingers crossed I get a Ruby.