The Trinity Irish Dancers have been busy this March, which is Irish Heritage Month, practicing, performing and competing in their traditional Irish dance forms. Dancers practice hard for years to become proficient in the beautiful and technical footwork.

One dancer, eleven-year-old Lizzie Pérez, has approached Irish dancing with particular gusto ever since her mother introduced her to it as a toddler.

“I saw them dancing and thought, ‘I want to be like them, I want to do that and become a great dancer,’” Pérez tells EXTRA.

Pérez says she practices several times a week in a group class at Trinity, and also has a private instructor come to her home. She has not competed this month but says that the contests are one of her favorite parts of dance.

“I like to compete. I like the medals and I like getting a chance to see how I can improve,” Pérez says.

During the summer, Pérez says that her troupe takes time off but that she still takes technique classes. She hopes to continue through the Trinity ranks as she gets older and eventually become a professional dancer.

Though she loves dance, Pérez enjoys many other activities including softball and dodgeball. Asked what her favorite subject in school is, she answers, “I guess all of them. I got straight A’s.”

Trinity is inviting families interested in dance to take part in their Taste of Trinity program this summer, welcoming boys and girls ages four through 12 who want to discover the basics of Irish dance, learning the proper techniques of movement set to the rhythm of Irish music. The cost per six-class session is $95, which includes a Trinity T-shirt. For more information, visit trinityirishdancers.com.