Meg Talks - The MWM Irish Dance Podcast

In this episode, Megan and Annabelle explore the importance of focus, mindset, and community in achieving success in Irish dancing. They share practical tips on how to prioritize key areas, measure progress, and build confidence to stay on track. Chapters: 00:00 - The Importance of Focus in Dance 02:54 - Navigating Corrections and Mindset 05:30 - The Power of One Thing 08:23 - Understanding the Wh...

Megan shares insights on managing competition nerves, mindset, and preparation for Irish dancers heading to major competitions like NAN's and British Nationals. She emphasises the importance of mindset, proper warm-up, and enjoying the experience regardless of results. Chapters: 00:00 - The Pressure of Competition 07:35 - Managing Expectations and External Pressure 14:12 - The Importance of Prepar...

In this episode, Megan and Annabelle explore key questions about mindset, confidence, and emotional well-being in Irish dance. They share practical insights, personal stories, and resources to help dancers, parents, and coaches foster a positive and resilient mindset.   Chapters: 02:52 - The Pressure of Performance 05:42 - Parental Influence on Dancers 08:37 - Communication Between Parents an...

Megan Kerrigan shares her passion for Irish dance, emphasising the importance of community, friendships, and joy over competition. She discusses her personal experiences, the value of community events like MWM Fest, and how these elements shape dancers' lives beyond trophies.   Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Irish Dance and Personal Journey 02:44 - The Importance of Friendships in Dan...

This episode explores the crucial differences between confidence and self-belief in dancers preparing for nationals. Megan and Annabelle share insights on how these mindsets impact performance, how to recognise signs of lacking self-belief, and practical strategies to build confidence and self-belief from now until competition day.   Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Confidence and Self-Belie...

Annabelle takes the reins as host to talk directly to dance parents about what to say and do to boost their dancer's confidence. Chapters: Confidence comes from support at home, not talent or results. Pressure and support look similar but land very differently. What a dancer hears isn't always what a parent means. How you frame mistakes decides if they bounce back or spiral. Watch out for over-coa...

In this episode, Megan Kerrigan shares the strategies that help Irish dancers qualify for nationals faster — without burning out along the way. She walks through how to build a structured plan you can actually stick to, why zeroing in on just one area of improvement at a time leads to bigger breakthroughs, and how tracking your progress (even the small wins) keeps your confidence climbing week aft...

In this episode, Megan Kerrigan and Annabelle discuss the challenges of dancer motivation post-competition, communication strategies for parents, and how to support dancers through emotional and mental hurdles. They share personal stories, practical tips, and introduce a new parent-focused masterclass to foster better understanding and relationships. Chapters: 00:00 - Understanding Dancer Motivati...

In this episode, Megan Kerrigan offers encouragement and practical advice for dance parents, especially those new to the Irish dance world. She emphasises that no question is stupid, and the journey should be about supporting your dancer's individual development, not comparison or pressure.   Chapters: 2:00 - Competition Tips 6:00 - Grading Levels Explained 10:00 - Supporting Your Dancer 15:0...

This episode explores the mindset and development stages of Irish dancers in prelims, emphasising the importance of patience, mindset shifts, and celebrating small wins. Megan Kerrigan and Annabelle discuss how to manage comparison, support dancers emotionally, and view prelims as a vital stepping stone rather than a limbo stage. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Mindset Matters 00:28 Understanding...

Megan Kerrigan offers practical advice for Irish dancers feeling stuck post-competition season. She emphasises the importance of focusing on one key area, understanding your 'why,' and using targeted challenges to rebuild confidence and progress steadily.   Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to the Journey of Irish Dance 00:30 - Understanding the Feeling of Being Stuck 03:36 - The Importance of S...

This episode explores the emotional aftermath of dance competitions, focusing on the 'come down' experienced by dancers and parents after major events like Worlds. It offers insights into managing expectations, normalising feelings, and maintaining resilience in the dance community. Chapters: 00:00 - The Emotional Come Down After Competition 02:42  -  Navigating Parental Responsibilities...

In this episode, Megan Kerrigan shares essential tips for dancers preparing for the final week before Worlds, focusing on protecting performance rather than making last-minute technical improvements. Whether you're heading to Worlds or any major competition, this episode offers valuable mindset and physical strategies to stay calm, confident, and ready.   Chapters: 00:00 - Final week focus: p...

In this episode, Megan Kerrigan explores the critical timing of training for major competitions like the World Championships. She emphasises the importance of shifting focus from intense training to refinement and protection in the final two weeks before the event. Meg shares practical tips on avoiding burnout, managing fatigue, and using mindset practices to enhance performance and confidence. &n...

In this episode, Megan Kerrigan and Annabelle explore the signs of burnout among dancers, especially before major competitions like Worlds. They share personal experiences, practical tips for managing stress, and the importance of self-awareness and self-care to prevent burnout.   Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction and Context of Burnout 05:53 - Identifying Burnout in Dancers 11:31 - Individual A...

Megan Kerrigan shares practical mindset strategies for Irish dancers preparing for major competitions like the World Championships. The episode covers evidence-based confidence building, planning, and mental techniques to perform at your best.   Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Mindset for Dancers 02:38 - The Importance of Mental Preparation 05:10 - Collecting Evidence of Improvement 08:01 -...

In this episode, Megan and Annabelle explore practical strategies for handling disappointment after setbacks in Irish dance competitions. They share personal stories, reflection techniques, and mindset shifts to help dancers and parents navigate tough moments and come back stronger.   Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to the episode's focus on recovery after setbacks 02:21 - Personal stories of...

In this episode of 'Move with Meg', host Olivia Graydon interviews Megan Kerrigan, a three-time world champion dancer and the creator of Broga, a revolutionary new Irish dance shoe. Megan shares the inspiration behind Broga, which stemmed from her observations of injuries among dancers, particularly stress fractures. She discusses her journey from identifying a problem in the dance community to de...

In this episode of Meg Talks, Megan Kerrigan discusses the essential preparations for Irish dancers leading up to the World Championships. She emphasises the importance of mental readiness, clarity in focus, and personal corrections rather than overwhelming oneself with too many changes. Megan also introduces the World Sprint program, designed to support dancers through goal setting, correction cl...

In this episode of Meg Talks, Megan Kerrigan and Annabelle discuss the emotional and mental preparation required for dancers participating in the All-Ireland Championships. They explore the common feelings of anxiety and self-doubt that arise before competitions, the importance of recognising these emotions, and strategies to manage them effectively. The conversation also covers the significance o...

In this episode of Meg Talks, Megan Kerrigan discusses the significance of the All Island Irish Dance Championships, emphasising the unique aspects of the competition, including the solo recall system and its impact on dancers' mindsets. She shares personal experiences and offers insights for dancers, parents, and teachers on how to prepare mentally and physically for the event. The conversation h...

In this episode of Mindset Matters, Megan Kerrigan and Annabelle delve into the interconnected themes of perfectionism, procrastination, and pressure - collectively referred to as the 'three P's.' They discuss how these issues manifest in the lives of Irish dancers, especially as they prepare for competitions like the World Championships. The conversation highlights the emotional toll these pressu...

In this episode of Meg Talks, Megan Kerrigan discusses the importance of understanding flexibility and the common struggle of achieving straight knees in dance. She shares her personal experiences and emphasises the need for education on body mechanics. The episode outlines five key areas that dancers should focus on to improve their flexibility and achieve straight knees, including lower back fle...

In this episode, Megan Kerrigan and Annabelle dive into the connection between enjoyment and progress in Irish dance. They chat about how, when the fun starts to fade, dancers often find themselves making more mistakes, losing focus, and feeling mentally drained, not because they aren’t capable, but because they’re exhausted. Together, they explore why enjoyment is such an important part of learni...

The conversation explores the relationship between enjoyment and learning, particularly in the context of dance and school. It highlights how a lack of enjoyment can lead to mistakes and decreased focus, affecting both academic and performance outcomes. Meg and Annabelle emphasise the importance of mental breaks to combat fatigue and improve overall well-being.   Chapters:   00:41 – Anna...