Since she was a child, Camille Slaght has been driven to master Irish dance

Camille Slaght is dancing as part of the new CBC Arts series The Move. Over the coming weeks, we will introduce you to six dancers, each of whom will invite you into their routines, providing a deeper understanding of the movements that hold personal significance for them. Watch all released episodes of The Move right here.

When Camille Slaght was in elementary school, she sat in the audience while one of her classmates performed an Irish dance routine at a talent show. Seeing the power and grace of this tiny body kicking and jumping in her colourful and shiny outfit was enough to draw Camille into a sport she would one day come to dominate.

"Once I started, I knew there was a lot more to it than the costumes and the bling."

Watch the video:

The Move: Camille Slaght

7 years ago

Duration 3:28

"I liked how [Irish dance] seemed to me like a serious sport but a performance and art at the same time."

Camille performs in numerous competitions nationally and internationally, currently holding the titles of Eastern Canadian Champion and All Scotland Champion in Irish dance. While most people know some version of Irish dancing from popular theatrical productions such as Riverdance or Lord of the Dance, Camille describes it as an artform that incorporates more than just legwork and jumps.

"I liked how it seemed to me like a serious sport but a performance and art at the same time."

In this video she demonstrates The Bird, a move that requires a performer to jump to impressive heights and kick one leg forward in a fluid movement, while the other taps the dancer's bum at the apex of the jump.

"It's my favourite because I love feeling suspended in the air for a moment."

Like many forms of dance, it requires a great deal of discipline to excel, with Camille balancing her university classes with four to five-hour practice sessions, multiple times per week. While she has had her fair share of injuries and missed her fairer share of parties, the intensive training regiment was also something that drew her deeper into the sport.

"I loved the discipline of it. It's kind of a rare thing for a child to love that kind of discipline, but my parents noticed that I really liked that environment where I could really push myself and see myself improve."

Camille dances for the Butler Fearon O'Connor School of Irish Dance and will be competing at the World Championships April 1st in Glasgow, Scotland.

Watch all the episodes of The Move so far right here.