Diddlyi Spotlight: Augusto Canessa
Name: Augusto Canessa, TCRG
School/Dancing Organization: An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
How did you first become interested in Irish dancing?
Well, it is a bit strange actually. I was already into the “Celtic movement” and one day I bought a PC-DVD player and for a reason I can’t fully explain to this day, I got myself my first DVD, LOTD, only knowing that it had something to do with a guy called Michael Flatley who I had seen on MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch [TV show] doing some sort of Celtic dance. It sounds a bit mad but there you go!
I got very interested in the dance and made my first “dancing shoes” by attaching some wood, lead, and tap tips to flamenco shoes. [See image below.] After that I got myself a proper pair of dancing shoes; Antonio Pachelli Super Flexy Jig with Concorde heel and tip, narrow toe squared off, seven Irish!
How long have you been dancing?
I think I started in 2001 on my own, then, after LOTD came to Argentina I joined a very small group and left by 2002. Later that year I got in contact with Celtic Argentina, the main Irish Dancing Group in Argentina as I’ve heard that they invited Kevin McCormack ADCRG to do a series of workshops. I had a private lesson with him. It was great and so I joined Celtic Argentina and learned more about the dance and in 2003 Kevin returned to do more workshops that I took. I left Celtic Argentina at the beginning of 2004 and I decided to go for the TCRG and Kevin agreed to teach me. He sent me a DVD with some of the material for the exam so I could start working on it while being here [in Argentina].
In August 2004, I moved to Dublin and continued my training in preparation for the exam with Kevin, Mollie Farrelly and Margaret O’Brian. I took and passed the exam on December 2004. I came back to Argentina later in 2005 and started teaching and doing workshops. In 2008 I moved to Dublin again and spent some great months there dancing, learning and also teaching dancers from Chile and Colombia. I enjoyed life in Dublin with friends and I visited London and Paris as well.
Near the end of 2008 I came back and nowadays I am teaching and giving workshops to local groups, private lessons, etc while I work closely with Celtic Argentina where I have lots of great friends, they are brilliant!
Where did you learn your first steps?
Watching the steps on the LOTD and trying to mimic them…it was awful!! But my first lesson with Kevin was the fist time I came in contact with real traditional steps and a real teacher, so in some way, I consider those ones my first real steps.
How is Irish dancing viewed where you live? Was it difficult to find a dance school or dance group?
The general perception is very positive, although Irish Dancing is not as popular as other mainstream types of dances like Tango.
Regarding finding a school, yes, it was a bit difficult when I started, but nowadays there are many groups here in Buenos Aires and in the countryside as well. The biggest one, Celtic Argentina has recently celebrated a superb show commemorating their 30th anniversary. For that show, I danced “Reel Around The Sun” from Riverdance with them.
Do your friends/family understand your interest in Irish Dance?
Yes they do, they are proud are very supportive. They are great!
Do you have any particular things you’ve achieved through dance you’d like to share with Diddlyi?I would say that because of the dancing I’ve meet wonderful people along the way from many different places. I’ve been to Ireland, England and France and it was amazing going to those countries as I had only seen them on television. I feel much richer culturally speaking and all of this happened because of the dancing. I’d say my whole life would be rather different if I would have never started dancing.
What’s the most important thing you have learned from dancing? Or do you have anything you want to say to other dancers?
Well, I would like to say something I usually say when I teach at workshops: I believe that whether one is a great dancer or not, one should be humble. Have your pride of your achievements yes, but don’t go around showing off. That’s how I fell about it anyway.
Also, be careful, it is very easy to forget that Irish Dancing is about having fun and making friends in the process. You can become stressed and frustrated, that happened to me, I was so demanding with myself that there was a point where I did not like any of my dancing, but I managed to overcome that though.
What’s your favorite dance show and/or performer and why? Or is there any performer (even non dancing related) you admire?
Riverdance of course!, the one with Colin Dune and Kevin McCormack.
I admire Kevin McCormack, my teacher and friend. He is not only a great dancer but a wonderful person. He was extremely nice to me in helping me to get were I am today. The day he came to Argentina, it all changed for many dancers, including myself. He is the “Father” of Irish Dancing in Argentina I always say.
What’s the greatest thing about your dance school/dance group?
As I don’t have a “school” I can only talk about me as a teacher and about my workshops I suppose. What people seem to like about my way of teaching and my workshops is the fact that I put a lot of emphasis on the dance technique, I am a bit of a perfectionist. I do want my pupils to finish the lessons having really improved as much as possible, so I give a hundred percent when I teach. I suppose I could say that is the best thing about my way of teaching.
Do you have any fun/interesting/unusual stories about something that happened to you while dancing?
You know, I’ve spent two days trying to remember one….but I’ve got nothing! I will, probably, remember one the moment I send this email to Diddlyi! Ha ha!
Can you give us a little background about you (non dancing related)?
I was born June 15th of 1979! I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina but I would love to live in Ireland or England. I am a perfectionist in many aspects of my life. I love to learn about science, technology, physics, computers (In fact I work in IT), music, art, and many other things! I try to improve as person every day; I think that’s very important in life. I believe in Love, Respect and Moral Fiber. I love the English Language and all things related to it, I also study Japanese. I love Coffee, Lyons’ Gold Blend, running, swimming and being on the shower for an hour or more! Oh! And I also love the Irish weather, yes!, I do mean windy, cold, rainy, cloudy skies!
Is there anything else you’d like say/highlight or anyone you would like to thank?
Yes, I’d like to thank you guys for the opportunity to share my story with the members of Diddlyi. Also a very special thanks to all the people involved in my “Irish Life”: My Mum and Dad, Kevin McCormack and his great family, Mollie Farrelly, Margaret O’Brien, Emer Isdell and her lovely family, Fintan O’Toole, Dessie, Fiona, Tessie and Richard and all those good people who help me and gave me their friendship!
In One Word
[This is where we ask the spotlighted person to describe themselves and dance in one word.]
Augusto Canessa: I don’t know…me?
Best thing about ID: My life since I started dancing.
Worst thing about ID: Envy, gossip.
Strangest thing about ID: Amount of people into Irish Dancing and science.
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