>>>
>>> OUR
>>> OUR NEXT GUEST IS BEHIND AN AMAZINGLY GIFT GROUP OF
PERFORMERS THE DRAKE SCHOOL OF
IRISH DANCE IS A HIGHLY
SPIRITED COMPANY AND HAS
CHARMED AUDIENCES ACROSS THE
COUNTRY FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.
HERE TO TELL US MORE IS THE
DIRECTOR KARL DRAKE.
YOU ARE A GREAT COACH.
EVEN BEFORE THE SHOW -- HE WAS
TRYING TO TEACH ME SOME THINGS.
I MEAN, YOU'RE SO MOTIVATING.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO START
THIS SCHOOL 30 YEARS AGO?
>> FIRST OF ALL, THANKS FOR
HAVING US COME IN.
>> WE LOVE HAVING YOU.
>> HAPPY EARLY ST. PATRICK'S
DAY.
DAY.
DAY. IT
DAY. IT WAS A DREAM TO COME TO
AMERICA AND I WANTED TO OPEN UP
THE FIRST IRISH DANCE SCHOOL IN
THE SOUTH AND THAT WAS MY
DREAM.
DREAM.
DREAM. THE DREAM HAS COME TRUE.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. IN A BIG WAY.
IN FACT, CONGRATULATIONS NEXT
MONTH.
MONTH.
MONTH. SOME OF THESE STUDENTS ARE
GOING TO BE COMPETING ON A
WORLD LEVEL.
WORLD LEVEL. THE WORLD IRISH DANCE
CHAMPIONSHIP.
CHAMPIONSHIP. HOW DID THAT ALL COME ABOUT?
>> WE HAVE A QUALIFYING EVENT
FIRST AND THEN IT WAS IN
HOUSTON, TEXAS IN DECEMBER.
AND WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO
HAVE QUITE A FEW OF OUR DANCERS
QUALIFY FOR THIS YEAR'S WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS.
CHAMPIONSHIPS. AND EVEN HAVE SOME OF THEM HERE
WITH US THIS MORNING.
>> THEY'RE SO BEAUTIFUL AND
TALENTED.
TALENTED.
TALENTED. IT'S JUST AMAZING TO SEE WHAT
THEY CAN DO.
THE COMPANY HAS GROWN SO MUCH
OVER THE YEARS.
NOW AIR NOT EVEN JUST IN
ATLANTA, RIGHT?
ATLANTA, RIGHT? >> VERY, VERY PROUD.
WE'VE DOUBLY EXPANDED INTO
MEXICO, INTO CHINA AND MOST
RECENTLY I JUST WENT TO MUMBAI.
>> THAT'S AMAZING.
>> VERY PROUD.
VERY, VERY PROUD.
JUST DID THE FIRST IRISH DANCE
WORKSHOP IN MUMBAI, INDIA.
>> HOW WAS THE TURNOUT?
>> AMAZING.
>> AMAZING. CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK.
A MOVIE IS COMING.
WATCH OUT.
WATCH OUT. >> THAT'S GOING TO BE GOOD.
>> CAN AN ITALIAN JOIN IN?
YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DANCE.
SPEAKING OF DANCE, IT IS SUCH
GREAT EXERCISE.
GREAT EXERCISE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, A FUN WAY FOR
EVERYONE OF ALL AGES TO GET IN
SHAPE BUT ESPECIALLY ADULTS.
YOU HAVE CLASSES, TOO?
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. WE'RE FINDING THE ADULTS LOVE
THE SOCIAL PART.
THEY GO AFTER THEIR CLASSES,
THEY HANG OUT, THEY HAVE MUSIC
SESSIONS.
SESSIONS.
SESSIONS. I WAS JUST IN HAWAII AND AFTER
THE CLASS, THEY HAVE THIS BIG
SOCIAL.
SOCIAL.
SOCIAL. THEY ALL GET TOGETHER AND HAVE
DRINKING SESSIONS, AS WELL.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. SO A LITTLE EXERCISE --
>> JUST LOVING THIS.
AND IT'S GETTING BACK TO THEIR
CULTURE AS WELL BUT IT IS GREAT
FOR THE EXERCISE.
AND IT'S A GREAT STRESS
RELIEVER AS WELL I THINK FOR
THEM.
THEM.
THEM. BUT
THEM. BUT WE WERE -- THE ADULT
PROGRAM HAS REALLY GROWN NOT
JUST HERE IN ATLANTA.
IT'S GROWING EVERYWHERE.
>> THAT'S FANTASTIC.
WE ARE SO THRILLED.
SOME OF THE STUDENTS ARE HERE
TODAY TO SHOW OFF THEIR AMAZING
SKILLS.
SKILLS.
SKILLS. THIS IS DRAKE SCHOOL OF IRISH
DANCE'S MOMENT TO SHINE.
♪[
♪[ MUSIC
♪[ MUSIC ]♪
.
. >>
. >> YOU
. >> YOU HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF
PRIVATE LESSONS.
PRIVATE LESSONS. >> I HAVE NOT HAD PRIVATE
LESSONS.
LESSONS.
LESSONS. >> I HAD NO SKILLS.
WHERE'S OUR CAMERA?
OKAY, TEACH ME.
>> WE'RE DOING THE REEL.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY.
>> OKAY. THAT ONE.
THAT ONE.
THAT ONE. OKAY.
OKAY.
OKAY. >>
OKAY. >> POINT AND POINT AND BACK TWO
THREE.
THREE.
THREE. POINT AND POINT BACK TWO THREE.
HOP TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX
SEVEN.
SEVEN.
SEVEN. POINT 'EM, POINT 'EM ONE TWO
THREE.
.
. >>
. >> WHAT
. >> WHAT ABOUT THE ARMS?
>> WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT
THE ARMS?
THE ARMS?
THE ARMS? >> I'M SCOTTISH.
THIS IS IRISH.
>> WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS COMING.
WE SO APPRECIATE IT.
MAKING OUR ST. PATRICK'S DAY
CELEBRATION SO SPECIAL.
LADIES, YOU'RE AMAZING.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT THE DRAKE SCHOOL OF IRISH
DANCE, VISIT THEM AT DRAKE
DANCE.COM.
DANCE.COM. SO FUN, THANK YOU.
LOVE IT!
LOVE IT!
LOVE IT! COMING UP IN "REAL TALK," TRUE
CONFESSIONS DAY.