The U.S. flag led the way as dancers processed onto the Kimmel Center stage with flags from every nation representated in the championships.
In the beginning, the opening ceremony of the World Irish Dancing Championships was a dignified affair, with dancers from around the world parading onto the Kimmel Center stage with the flags of their countries, the Olympic theme playing in the background.
After that, assorted dignitaries, including Mayor Michael Nutter, took the stage to make welcoming speeches.
And it seemed that the Sunday evening ceremony would end in pomp and circumstance.
But whoever might have thought so probably had not reckoned on the Greater Kensington String Band.
The Kensington Band took the joint (can we call Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center a “joint?”) by storm. Some 6,000 dancers and thousands more family members, dance teachers, judges, officials and fans from around the world are attending this first-ever championship in North America, and it was pretty clear most of them had never seen a genuine Philadelphia Mummer before.
It didn’t take them long to get into the spirit of things, though. Much to the amazement of the Kensington band—and possibly the horror of Kimmel Center ushers—dozens of dancers converged on the stage, some of them clambering up over the edge in their clunky hard shoes, dignity forgotten.
In a matter of minutes, it felt more like New Year’s Day on Broad Street.
Like everybody else in the place, a photographer from Maryland was swept up in the spirit of things. “This is a great day for Philadelphia,” he said.
Ain’t it the truth. We have photos, above.
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