Today we’d like to introduce you to Declan Magennis.
Declan, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in a small town outside of Belfast in the North of Ireland. I began Irish dancing at a relatively young age and progressed through the levels quickly to become an open champion. I was lucky enough to have become an Ulster, All-Ireland and World Champion in my time as a competitive Irish dancer. After graduating from Queen’s University Belfast with a First Class Honors Law Degree I made the decision to turn professional and I travelled to over 30 countries, across all continents as a pro dancer. It was during my years as a professional dancer that I came to the realization that all my hard work as a kid had paid off. I was living my dream and getting paid to do what I loved the most. Between 2014-2016 I completed a 19 month stint at Raglan Road in Disney Springs. During that time I applied for permanent residency in the US. In 2018 I was granted permanent resident status and thus my next chapter was about to begin. I moved to Orlando full time in May 2019 and started my dance school in January of 2020. I began slowly with one studio class and after school program per week. I had just under two months of teaching in person with five kids before the pandemic struck. I continued to take the kids through zoom classes but worried that it would be impossible to grow considering the circumstances. Finally in June of 2020 studios reopened and my classes went from 5 kids to 12 to 16. In just over three months, I had grown to over 30 kids. I went from teaching two days a week to five days in a relatively short period of time. Currently, I have over 70 kids enrolled in the school, expanded into the Melbourne area and I couldn’t be happier with the progress each and every student is making. Teaching can be hard but when you see kids progress and blossom into amazing dancers and performers, it is a very rewarding feeling.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, I have had a few bumps along the way. COVID struck two months after I had opened the school. Initially, I thought it was game over and that I would never be able to get the school up and running as I had originally hoped. However, I continued to take online classes for a few months and when the studios reopened, I worked harder than ever to try and get the word out about Irish Dance in Orlando. I attended Friday night events in local communities and performed. I used Instagram and Facebook to upload content that would eventually become my main source of exposure for the school. I frequently get a lot of new beginner dancers because a parent sees videos on Instagram and decides, ‘hey, this looks cool I want my kids to try it out’.
Another obstacle that I faced was the physical demands of performing. My body has taken quite a beating in my time as a competitive and professional dancer. I have had broken bones, torn ligaments, sprains and fractures throughout my 22 year career. However, the hardest part about being injured isn’t actually the physical injury but more so the mental aspect. It can be hard to stay positive the entire time you have to heal and recover. Typically your head is telling you that you’re falling behind but in reality you need the rest in order to make a complete recovery. It is important to have your family and close friends around you at that time to help keep you motivated and remind you why you dance in the first place…because you love it so much!! Results come and go but your love for Irish dance will always be there when you have the right support system.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Magennis Academy of Irish Dance?
Magennis Academy of Irish Dance is Orlando’s premier Irish Dance school with several locations across Orlando and Melbourne. We specialize in detailed and tailored Irish Dance instruction based on a 20+ year career as a competitive and professional dancer. Our academy is run by former world champion turned professional dancer Declan Magennis (Irish native) who has traveled extensively with top Irish Dance shows to over 30+ countries on every continent. Our classes are based on a positive and encouraging environment. We are very excited to have dancers in the top 10 in the nation in 2021 where over 4000+ dancers competed. Currently we are the only school with a certified male instructor in Orlando. We cater to all levels and abilities from beginner right through to championship level. We even offer classes for those who just want to keep up their fitness levels. We also offer kids the opportunity to do graded examinations 1-12 in order to adequately prepare for the teachers exams. There is something for everyone at Magennis Academy of Irish Dance and we look forward to welcoming any new dancers to the family.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
The thing that is so great about Orlando is that you can never run out of things to do. You can go to the parks, the beach or downtown and it’s all within a reasonable distance. I love how many restaurants and independent coffee shops there are. My personal favorite is ‘deeply coffee’ in downtown Orlando. I love the atmosphere there and the baristas always do such an amazing job not only making coffee but providing exceptional customer service. The springs are always another personal favorite, it’s nice on a hot day to go out on a canoe and just enjoy the beauty that Florida has to offer.
In terms of dislikes, I am not the biggest fan of the humidity and the traffic but I think most people will agree with that. The i4 has been under construction for a long time now and I for one will be very happy to see it all finished up.
Pricing:
- $80 per month (1 class per week)
- $160 per month (2 classes per week)
Contact Info:
- Email: info@magennisdanceacademy.com
- Website: https://magennisdanceacademy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magennisacademy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/magennisdanceacademy/
Image Credits:
Declan Magennis – Director Magennis Academy of Irish Dance
