Today we’d like to introduce you to Owen Barrington.
Owen, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Believe it or not, I am originally from the city of Anchorage, Alaska, having being born and raised there through my completion of high school. It was there that I discovered the art of Irish dancing, which took me on a life journey around the world, touring with some of the most successful dance shows in history, and gaining me a rare and prestigious title of a “World Champion.”
I began Irish dancing at the relatively late age of 12, at the request of my mother. I did not want to start at first. Dancing was for girls (I thought) and I was far more interested in music, sports, and more boy-ish things in general. Eventually my mother won and I then started on a journey that would open up the entire world to my feet. A world far beyond the frigid snow of Alaska to places and experiences I could have never imagined. It wasn’t until I saw a video of the show “Riverdance” that I truly understood what this dance form could be. Strong, athletic, powerful, and graceful all at the same time. From that moment on I decided I would give this “Irish dance thing” a try and see where it got me.
By the age of 15, I began my competitive Irish dance career under the instruction of famous teacher and choreographer Tony Comerford. After the exhilaration of my first competition, I was hooked on dancing for good. It was nerve racking, but the adrenaline, excitement, and fun that followed was something I could get used to and gave me the confidence to pursue more.
In spite of my late start, I became the first Alaskan to reach “Open Champion” status in competition and was also the first to qualify for the World Irish Dancing Championships. In 2005, I achieved something I had only dreamed of as a young boy and I was accepted into the touring show “Riverdance” and toured all across North America. I had never forgotten the memory of watching the show for the first time on video, and to finally be considered one of the cast members was truly a dream come true.
Over the following years, I had been featured on several hit T.V. shows including “Dancing with the Stars”, “Good Morning L.A.” and “Canada AM”. I also performed the lead dancer role in the Emmy nominated and award winning PBS special “Michael Londra’s Beyond Celtic”, as well as performed for audiences and dignitaries throughout the world in other touring shows like “Celtic Fire”. I have had the honor to share the stage with famous performers like The Chieftains, De Dannan, Eileen Ivers, and Natalie MacMaster, and all of this happened because my mother forced me into Irish dancing. As they say, “mothers are always right.”
In between my touring life, I took a few years off to gain my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, as well as give my competitive dance career one more shot. While I had seen much success in the past, the ultimate goal for any competitive Irish dancer is to place well at the World Championships, of which to that point I had come in 5th place in my best year. Through hard work, sweat, broken bones, and tears, in 2008 I was finally crowned the Senior Men’s World Irish Dance Champion in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was a moment I will never forget, and a title I will never take for granted. After achieving the highest award Irish dancing has to offer, I decided to hang-up my competitive career and go back to touring professionally while I worked on the next phase of my dance journey; to become a teacher. I retired from competitive Irish dancing with countless local and regional winnings, as well as career titles including twice Western U.S. Regional Champion, twice North American Champion, and All-Ireland Champion.
In 2010 while still touring, I studied and took the examination to become a certified Irish dance teacher (a T.C.R.G. with An Coimisiun Le Rinci Gaelacha) and passed on the first try. This licensed me to teach competitive Irish dancing and would enable me to pass on the joy, passion, discipline, tradition and life-enriching experiences Irish dancing had given me. But where would I teach? As it turns out, life had a path already set for me.
During one fateful show, as I was touring through Houston, I met two sisters named Laura and Erin Cass who had a small and growing local Irish dance school. We all hit it off so well that it almost seemed too good to be true. They expressed the need for help in growing their young school, and I was looking for a place to teach and call home. After only a few weeks of discussion, the decision was made and I was moving to Texas and I’ve never looked back.
Has it been a smooth road?
Houston being so wide spread has always posed as a challenge in introducing new students to Irish dancing because of the travel time for parents. It is our hope that with now 4 locations we can be more accessible to those wanting to give it a try.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Cass-Barrington Academy of Irish Dance – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
We have been teaching children the art of traditional Irish step dancing (the dance form featured in internationally acclaimed shows like “Riverdance” and “Lord of the Dance”) in the greater Houston area for the past 13 years. We love how Irish dancing offers opportunities for getting in touch with your heritage, physical fitness, international competitions and performances, as well as developing friendships across the globe.
Our students are supported and taught how to set and achieve their personal goals, be supportive and a team player, demonstrate self-discipline, and learn that both hard work and fun can go hand-in-hand. As our students master their challenging technique and exciting choreography, and begin to move-up through the levels of Irish dance, they will accomplish even more aspirations as they build a sense of self-confidence that will carry through in all aspects of their lives.
Pricing:
- First Class Is Always Free
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cass-barrington.com/
- Phone: 832-680-5447
- Email: info@cass-barrington.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassbarringtonacademy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cassbarringtonacademy
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cass_barrington
Image Credit:
Owen Barrington Jumping – Apogee Photography Anchorage, Alaska
All Other Photos – The Cass-Barrington Academy of Irish Dance
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