The Villanova Irish Dance Team will be hosting its third Annual Intercollegiate Irish Dance Festival on Saturday, Oct. 24th in the Jake Nevin Fieldhouse. The competition will feature 10 collegiate teams and will begin at 11:00 a.m. with each team competing in the 4-hand, 8-hand, treble reel and fun number competitions (a crowd favorite). 

The Grand Showcase will follow at 6 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.) featuring performances from the top collegiate teams, dancers and more. Attention freshmen: This event is ACS-approved!

Captain Rory Beglane ‘16 is looking forward to the team’s third bout at the intercollegiate festival.

The Villanovan: How are you preparing for the festival?

Rory Beglane: Each year is a ton of work to host this event. Our team has been preparing since June to be ready to host the nine visiting universities, on top of our own practices to be ready to compete. It is a lot of work but we’ve always done well and have had it pay off.

TV: What are you most looking forward to?

RB: I’m most looking forward to the fun number competition which starts at 6 p.m. It is the heart and soul of Collegiate Irish Dance as it is a creative piece where teams can dance to modern songs and dance in a non conventional way. 

TV: What does the audience have to look forward to?

RB: This will be by far the best year of dancing we have had yet. The returning teams are more prepared. Overall, we have a record number of 10 participating universities. It will definitely be a fantastic show.  Last season, the Irish Dance Team won the 4-hand, 8-hand, Advanced Treble Reel and Fun Number competitions last year. After that huge success, we have been working hard to raise the bar and repeat it this year. 

This interview was edited for clarity and length.