NH’s Irish dance prodigy Brielle Maguire takes on the world

Brielle Maguire knew what she wanted to do from age 5. She figured it out during a family vacation to Disney, when she and other kids were invited on stage at a restaurant to learn how to Irish dance. Brielle never wanted to stop. 

“We ended up trying it out and she loved it right off the bat, she felt very comfortable with the classes,” her mother, Lea Maguire, said. 

Now 13, the Stratham resident won the North American Irish Dance Championship in July against about 100 other dancers in Texas, and earned a spot to compete at the world championships next February in Dublin, Ireland. 

“I was so happy,” Brielle said. “All the hard work I put in before paid off and that feeling was just the best. I knew I had a shot, but I definitely was not certain I was going to win.” 

Brielle is no stranger to podiums. Not only was this Brielle’s second time winning the North American championships,  she’s podiumed three years in a row at the world championships, traveling to places like Montreal, Glasgow, Northern Ireland,, Ireland, and England. 

Anne Murray MacRitchie, the owner of Murray Academy, has been Brielle’s teacher since she was 5.

“She’s really incredible,” MacRitchie said. “From the day she walked in, she had talent but she’s worked hard as well.” 

Brielle got good fast. She competed in her first North American championship in Vancouver when she was 7, placing third. 

“She was special right at the beginning,” MacRitchie said. “You can tell she took to it right away, like a duck to water.” 

Irish dancing, made popular by the Riverdance show, requires a strong core. Good dancers have to have a strong mentality and good footwork.

MacRitchie has been teaching for 20 years. Though Irish dancing isn’t well known, MacRitchie said there’s a strong subculture in New Hampshire. She has over 160 dancers at her studio in Exeter, and many of them have been successful. At this year’s North American championships, eight of MacRitchie’s dancers were in the top 10, and 17 placed in the top 20. 

MacRitchie said her students end up at the top in their sport because of their personalities. 

“They’re ambitious kids, so they’re fun to watch,” she said.

Part of Brielle’s success comes from her family’s commitment.

“Her family is all in,” MacRitchie said. “It’s a challenge. Once you get up to that level it’s one thing, it’s another thing trying to stay there. It takes an enormous amount of perseverance and determination.”   

Brielle’s family moved within 10 minutes of the dance studio in 2020. Before that, they were driving 30 minutes a day for Brielle’s dance lessons. 

“We knew that Brielle had to be there so often,” Brielle’s mothersaid. The time commitment has been worth it.

“Murray Academy is a family,” Maguire said. “Miss Anne is literally like a second mom to her. She really cares about her as a whole person. It’s not just about the dance, but also about the community.”

Brielle will compete against 160 of the best dancers in the world in Dublin. The dancers compete in age groups before five different judges. 

Brielle’s best aspects of her dance are her jumps and lifts. She also stands out from the competitors with her signature look. Ever since she started competing, she’s dressed as a peacock—wearing eye-catching, bright costumes that match her outgoing personality.

“It’s showy, it’s exciting to watch,” Maguire said. 

The colorful, beaded costumes dancers wear cost $2,500 to $3,500, depending on the number of beads and crystals. Tall wigs, which cost $80 to $150, are also a staple of the ensemble. 

“The wigs started to be a thing because not everybody’s hair curls nicely, or not everybody’s hair is full and thick,” Maguire said. “So people started using wigs to try to elevate the girls’ appearance on stage.”

It takes about two hours to get Brielle ready prior to the competition. Maguire builds the wig using hair donuts. 

“We use three of those and then we have to stretch the wig over that, and then style it to almost make it look natural, which is bizarre, because it’s so not natural,” Maguire said. 

At 11, the dancers can start wearing makeup. They use fake tan on their legs to accentuate their muscles. 

“The judges are looking for extensions and certain components,” Maguire said, explaining that tan legs help with that. 

Brielle said she likes performing the best. 

“It’s my favorite part of all of it— just getting on stage, the nerves just leaving my body,” she said. “I sometimes travel with my friends, which is the best, it’s nice when you get to the destination. The downside is the jetlag.”

Brielle just started eighth grade. She admitted the time commitment to dance is a sacrifice. 

“Especially with school and taking time off, it’s hard and it puts more pressure on me because I’m sacrificing a lot toward it,” she said. 

She has high hopes to one day be part of the Riverdance show. Until then, her goal is more simple: “Just to keep working hard and keep dancing my best and pleasing myself,” Brielle said.