Rachel Marston ’12
Dance Fever
Hometown: Vancouver, Washington
Rachel Marston isn’t certain yet where she’ll focus her studies at MHC. She’s thinking about biology, English, and art history--and she expects to find other areas of interest once she starts new classes. But she does have one focus of passion: Irish dance.
Marston has been studying and performing Irish dance for the past six years. “I don't have much Irish ancestry, [but] I greatly enjoy being immersed in the culture,” she said. “I compete in my community and around the country, and I’ve had the opportunity to meet dancers and teachers from all over the world.”
In competitions known as feiseanna, Marston dances in Open Championship, the highest of the six levels in Irish dance. She competes frequently and loves to perform, so she was delighted to learn she can participate in the Five College Dance Program and continue studying Irish dance right at MHC.
“I’m very excited to experience the Irish dance community here,” said Marston. “This is one of the main reasons I chose Mount Holyoke. I can take amazing classes in all disciplines and not have to choose between academics and the arts!”