![Amy Mae Dolan [irtr] : r/BeautifulFemales](https://i.redd.it/ta3l6sjn2iy51.png)
When you’re in school, it’s super hard to have to decide on your future career. There’s already hours of homework and study and you’ll soon be making decisions about college courses and what to do after school. At KISS we’re chatting to people in different industries about how they’ve landed their dream role, what they actually do, and their advice to you. This week, we’re chatting to the lead dancer and captain of Riverdance Amy Mae Dolan about her fast-paced life and how she tries to live it to the fullest.
What is your current role?
I am a Principal dancer and Dance captain in the worldwide phenomenon – Riverdance.
I am about to begin a 4-month tour across the United States. Growing up as a competitive Irish dancer I dreamed of being the lead dancer in Riverdance some day, so I am very honoured to perform the role that inspired me to be a dancer.
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I also host masterclasses where I teach Irish dancers the importance of performance, mindset, visualisation, nutrition, sleep, hydration – everything it takes to be the best dancer you can possibly be. I like to use Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to inspire the next generation of dancers, offering my top tips on what it takes to be a top athlete. Dancing aside, I also have a huge passion for fashion and beauty and regularly share my lifestyle and style tips on my social channels.
Can you describe what your general day at work looks like?
On a one-show day, I arrive at work around 3pm and work on any content creation I have planned for my social channels. As Dance captain I organise and type up the rotations for that evening’s performance, this is basically the positions of each Irish dancer on stage during the show, and whether or not they are in massage when they are not on stage.
I then eat my dinner or a snack before heading into my pre-show massage at 4:50pm. Afterward, I attend rehearsals and do my hair and makeup before a 30-minute warm-up. After my warm-up, I’m ready to take to the stage! We finish the night with a cool down and stretch before doing it all again the next day, in a new city!
How did you decide on this type of career?
I wasn’t born when Riverdance first shocked the World at the Eurovision song contest in 1994, so I grew up in a house that already loved Riverdance. I had my parents’ wedding video and Riverdance on video and watched both over and over again. I grew up as a competitive Irish dancer and the biggest goal I ever set for myself was to be a Principal dancer in Riverdance. Dancing makes me feel extremely happy and very alive.
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I am my truest, most passionate self when I’m dancing, I feel strong, empowered, and creative. I am so lucky that I can now call this my job. Not many people get a standing ovation every night when they have finished their work, and I am very humbled by this. I truly feel like I’m one of the luckiest people in the world.
What did you study?
At school I completed my A levels in Biology, Mathematics and Chemistry and came out with 3 As. I had applied to university to study medicine, however in June 2016 after finishing school I completed the Riverdance Summer school. It was there I got my opportunity to audition for the show and I joined the cast in November 2016, going to China for my very first tour.
What are the ups and downs of the role?
The top moments of this role are simply incredible. The best moments of my life have been dancing this role in front of large audiences as big as 90,000 people. I love the feeling I get whilst performing every night and I adore the fact that I can push each day to constantly grow and improve. My potential in this role is limitless and that really inspires me to keep striving to be the best I can be.
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The main downside would be missing my family when I’m away on tour. As the eldest, I am very close to my siblings and I miss them a lot when I am away, thankfully facetime, Snapchat, WhatsApp etc make it easy to stay in touch. Sometimes I deal with some self-doubt, am I dancing good enough? Am I working hard enough to be my best? Am I as good this week as I was last year? But I remind myself it is very normal to feel this way. Journaling every day really helps me stay on track with my mindset and helps me always see how incredible it is that I have gotten as far as I have. As long as I try my best every day, that’s all I can expect of myself.
What advice would you give to a student looking to get into your line of work?
I would say decide on your biggest goal, write it down and make a plan. Break that big goal into lots of tiny goals that help you on your journey to achieving your dream. Make sure those goals are SMART goals; specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
Have an accountability partner, mine is my mum and she makes sure I stay on track with all my goals. Remember the journey will not be easy and will require sacrifice but choose to see every mistake, setback or disappointment as an opportunity to learn and grow. Lastly, use each and every day to improve and get one step closer to reaching your dream.