‘Back in my groove’: Eastern teen back at Irish dancing after suffering stroke

Earlier this year, Gracie McClain, a 17-year-old Eastern High School senior, qualified to compete in a national Irish dancing competition.

In the months leading up to her performance in July, she practiced every day dancing her treble jig and slip jig in the wooden loft overlooking the inside of her family’s barn.

Gracie was in the best shape she’d ever been in. She was confident. She was ready.

But she never expected that a sudden splitting headache, blurred vision and speech loss would bring her plans to an abrupt halt just one week before she was set to dance on the national stage.

“It’s not something I would have ever imagined happening that day,” Gracie said. “I did not wake up and think, ‘Today it all ends.'”

‘THE SKY’S THE LIMIT’

It was St. Patrick’s Day, and Eastern Elementary had invited dancers from the Richens/Timm Academy of Irish dance to perform for the students.

Gracie was in the first grade and watched with wonder as the dancers toe-walked, clicked, twisted, slid and kicked across the floor. She had never seen anything like it. When she went back to class, she took a flyer for the Irish dancing school and told her mom she wanted to try it.

“I just liked how energetic they were,” Gracie said. “Ever since I was little, I’ve loved music and dancing. Irish dancing just caught my eye and I thought maybe it’s something I’d want to do.”

Gracie started her first class with the dance academy at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Tipton. After the first practice, she was hooked. She liked that she could practice and compete year-round, as opposed to doing a seasonal sport that only lasted a few months. Plus, it was just something different to do.

“It’s not something you hear often, especially in Greentown, Indiana,” Gracie said. “People are usually like, ‘I run, I play tennis, I play volleyball.’ I’m like, ‘I Irish dance.'”

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