Lazaris Dances to Success

Evelyn Lazaris; Clements senior by day, Irish dancer by night. Lazaris’s love for dancing originated from her grandmother who always wanted to dance, but never had the chance to do so.

“I always think of how privileged I am to be able to Irish dance when she never had the opportunity,” says Lazaris.

Her greatest achievement as well as her most memorable experience was moving into open championships, which is the highest level of Irish dancing. At the time, Lazaris had to dance with a knee brace, but that didn’t stop her from competing.

“The most challenging part of Irish dancing is the stress that it puts on our bodies. Maintaining perfect posture and technique while leaping into the air or pounding our feet into the ground can take a toll on muscles and joints,” says Lazaris.

Over the fifteen years that she has been dancing for, Lazaris has a ritual that she does in order to prepare for competitions. A few weeks before the competition day, she pictures herself dancing perfectly on stage, which helps with correcting her mistakes as well as getting her mind into competition mode. Also, she has a strict diet for the three months that lead up to the competition.  

“We train basically like Olympic athletes. As far as look goes, think beauty pageant, only more athletic. Complete with spray tans, makeup and of course curly wigs- no the hair isn’t real,” says Lazaris.

What makes Irish dancing unique compared to other types of dances is that the dancers never use their arms. During competition, any movement of the members’ upper body is prohibited.

“A little background on this- dancing had at one point been banned in Ireland. Of course that didn’t stop the Irish! People would dance in their homes from the waist down, so if anyone were to look through the windows, it would appear as though they were not dancing,” says Lazaris.

Her advice to anyone that wants to dance is to always take chances. Her greatest achievements occurred because she took many risks. From trying a new move to taking on a whole new dance style, it has helped shape the dancer that she is today.  

As the end of the year approaches, Lazaris plans on finishing the year with a bang along with the support of her dance team. She aspires to become an orthopedic surgeon and will never forget the memories that she’s made with her friends and family.