Mark Coffey/Sun photo
LIGHT FEET for Irish dancing, deft hands for helping to care for the sick, mark Hailey Beebe’s career path.
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Nursing student competes nationally, internationally in Irish dance events
BY: Charles Redfield, Staff Writer
Hailey Beebe has followed her feet since elementary school.
“There was a girl in first grade that did Irish dancing for show and tell,” Beebe said. “I wanted to try it, but it took me two years to convince my mother to let me do it. I was doing gymnastics.”
Since third grade, Beebe, 23, a University of Missouri at Kansas City nursing student, has danced at O'Raida Academy of Irish Dance. She teaches for O'Raida at the North Campus of Bishop Miege High School, Roeland Park, and competes internationally.
Competitions, called feisenna, involve dancing for 1½ to 2 minutes and there are three styles: soft and hard shoe, and team.
“Soft shoe is a lot like ballet,” Beebe said. “Hard shoe is like tap dancing, while team dancing is like the cheerleading competitions you see on TV.”
Beebe said she likes soft shoe best.
“I have a natural talent for it. There is a lot of ballet in it. I like soft-shoe dancing because I am very light on my feet,” she said.
“Her hard work, determination and commitment helped her achieve success,” Irish native Christine O'Raida said. “She has been able to balance and prioritize dance and school. She has a very supportive family. Her parents have had to bring her here (for lessons) and to competitions when she was younger.”
Beebe took off the spring 2003 semester from UMKC to work with Trinity Irish Dance Company, Chicago.
“It was a lot of fun, but ... I want to finish school and get the degree. Then I will think about dancing again,” she said.
Beebe will compete in the national championships in Ottawa, Canada, during the week of July Fourth. She placed fourth in 2004 in regionals, 28th in the nation in 2006 and 27th at the 2002 world championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Beebe's mother, Mary Alice Beebe, is a registered nurse for Midwest Pulmonary Consultants near St. Luke's Hospital and her father, David Beebe, is an operating room technician at St. Luke's.
“I always liked math and science and my parents are in the medical field,” Beebe said. “I love taking care of people.”
Beebe plans to graduate in spring 2008 with a bachelor of science degree in nursing. She plans to go into pediatrics nursing.
“I have been working at KU Med in pediatrics and would like to work there or Children's Mercy Hospital,” she said, “Kids are so much more innocent than adults. I like taking care of little kids.”
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“There was a girl in first grade that did Irish dancing for show and tell,” Beebe said. “I wanted to try it, but it took me two years to convince my mother to let me do it. I was doing gymnastics.”
Since third grade, Beebe, 23, a University of Missouri at Kansas City nursing student, has danced at O'Raida Academy of Irish Dance. She teaches for O'Raida at the North Campus of Bishop Miege High School, Roeland Park, and competes internationally.
Competitions, called feisenna, involve dancing for 1½ to 2 minutes and there are three styles: soft and hard shoe, and team.
“Soft shoe is a lot like ballet,” Beebe said. “Hard shoe is like tap dancing, while team dancing is like the cheerleading competitions you see on TV.”
Beebe said she likes soft shoe best.
“I have a natural talent for it. There is a lot of ballet in it. I like soft-shoe dancing because I am very light on my feet,” she said.
“Her hard work, determination and commitment helped her achieve success,” Irish native Christine O'Raida said. “She has been able to balance and prioritize dance and school. She has a very supportive family. Her parents have had to bring her here (for lessons) and to competitions when she was younger.”
Beebe took off the spring 2003 semester from UMKC to work with Trinity Irish Dance Company, Chicago.
“It was a lot of fun, but ... I want to finish school and get the degree. Then I will think about dancing again,” she said.
Beebe will compete in the national championships in Ottawa, Canada, during the week of July Fourth. She placed fourth in 2004 in regionals, 28th in the nation in 2006 and 27th at the 2002 world championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Beebe's mother, Mary Alice Beebe, is a registered nurse for Midwest Pulmonary Consultants near St. Luke's Hospital and her father, David Beebe, is an operating room technician at St. Luke's.
“I always liked math and science and my parents are in the medical field,” Beebe said. “I love taking care of people.”
Beebe plans to graduate in spring 2008 with a bachelor of science degree in nursing. She plans to go into pediatrics nursing.
“I have been working at KU Med in pediatrics and would like to work there or Children's Mercy Hospital,” she said, “Kids are so much more innocent than adults. I like taking care of little kids.”