Padraic Moyles talks to Megan Kirk

What age you started dancing, how long you have been dancing and for who?

My very first dance class was a tap and ballet class at age 3. I learned other types of dance (Ballroom, Swing, etc.) over the next few years, and began Irish dancing at age 14. I trained under Bella Yerina of the O’Connor School of Irish Dance, and later under Christine Byrne of the Aniar Academy of Irish Dance, both in Southern California. For the past four years, I have toured with Irish dance show Celtic Legends throughout the world.

Who was/is your dancing idol or inspiration?

When I was growing up, my mom was a great inspiration to me. She has always had a love for dance, and I aspired to be as graceful and enjoy dancing as much as she always did.

My greatest inspiration in Irish dancing is my workshop instructor of many years, Tara Barry. She has taught me so much, and she helped me take my dancing to a whole new level, both in competition and performance. Tara’s advice is still absolutely priceless to me, and always will be.

Biggest achievement in dancing to-date?

My biggest achievement in dancing is becoming a professional Irish dancer. This was a real turning point not only in my Irish dance career, but in my life, and though it’s not an easy career, it is so worth the hard work and dedication that dancers must give in order to make a great show. It has truly been an incredible ride so far, and the experiences on stage, the friendships I’ve made, and the places I’ve seen are all priceless to me!

What you expect or feel the live auditions will be like?

I expect to feel a big mix of excitement and nervousness when I get to the live auditions. I am in awe of the amount of talent that will be in that audition room, and I know that we will each be there to give our all for the judge. Yes, there will be a lot of nerves, but I am really looking forward to not only showing the judges what I can do, but also seeing each of my fellow dancers display their amazing abilities. I think we will all learn a lot from this experience and come away from it inspired to strive even further with our dancing.

Which video and which dancer outside of the top 20 was most impressive to you?

I am very impressed with Erin Trevena’s dancing in her video. She’s not only a beautiful Irish dancer with great rhythm and athleticism, but she is obviously also very well-rounded in other forms of dance. She shows the grace that female Irish dancers should have, superb stage presence, and on top of all of that, she’s impeccably in sync with her dance partner.

Megan