I started dancing aged eight in the hall around the corner from my house, where I was brought up in Marino, Dublin . Luckily for me, Miss Walsh (the famous Marie Walsh) was teaching there at the time, as I could not have danced for a better teacher.

To this day, I have to admit it was my parent's attitude and support that resulted in my love of dancing. The first year I won the World was in Coloiste Mhuire, 19??. I came off the stage with the cup & was told to change into my school uniform (in the car) to sit my entrance exam for secondary school, where I was expected to achieve straight A's. Thank God for my parents whom kept my feet firmly on the ground. I then went on to be the only girl to win the World five years in succession in double age groups. In the days of my competitive career, the All Irelands were U/13, 16 & Senior, in which I succeeded in winning seven titles.

Teaching alongside my sister Aileen, we produced many All Ireland & World Champions. When I had my own children, I decided to put my family first & temporarily retired from teaching. However, I have just recently returned to teaching where I now live in Essex , England .

As a child, I was always told I had a talent that had to be shared. So, at the age of twelve, I started working with a charity Variety Group & performed in shows at hospitals, prisons & theatres. Later, I went on to professional shows, touring the world as a solo dancer, working with Pavorotti, Van Morrison, James Last & the Chieftains, to name but a few. I also worked closely with Tomas MacAna of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin as a choreographer and I spent time with RTE doing shows & adverts.

Over the years I have made many very special friends. Although we will in different countries around the world any may not be in regular contact, we have a great bond and respect for each other. It was through dancing, I met my husband Gerrard, and we married in 1996. He is also a successful teacher and adjudicator & surprisingly we have not killed each other yet.

Finally, before I bore you all to tears, I would like to wish all competitors the best of luck this week and hopefully, you will all dance well, be mannerly and achieve success.

Karen Petri
USA

Karen started dancing when she was 5 years old. She has won the US Eastern Regional Oireachtas 6 times. Her successful dancing career culminated with placing twice at the World Championships.

Karen graduated from Georgetown University in 1991, with a major in finance and a minor in psychology. Karen went on to work at Morgan Stanley on the Fixed Income Derivative Products trading desk until 1997, when she decided to teach Irish Step Dancing full time.

Karen passed her TCRG exam in 1992. She is the co-owner, with her sister Lisa, of The Petri School in New York . Petri dancers have won the World, Great Britain , British Nationals, and North American Championships. Karen passed her ADCRG exam in 2000. Karen has judged at World Championships, the North American Irish Dance Championships, the Australian Nationals, and many qualifiers. She is currently a member of An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha and the Treasurer of the Mid-Atlantic region of the US .

Karen co-chaired, with her sister Lisa, the 2004 NAIDC in Philadelphia . They will be repeating as co-chairs of the 2010 NAIDC in Orlando , Florida , 'where dreams will come true' .

After an unparalleled competitive career, Tim O'Hare started the O'Hare School of Irish Dance in Plymouth , Michigan in 1979. Along with numerous Regional and National Championships, Tim was the first North American dancer to win two World Championships.  In 1984, Tim opened schools in Cleveland and Akron , Ohio . He further expanded his school to Chicago in 1996.  Tim O'Hare has dedicated himself to the growth and development of young Irish dancers for over 25 years.

The O'Hare School Irish Dance now boasts more World Championship titles in solo dance than any other school in the United States .  His teaching success has been recognized by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.  Tim and his students were invited in 1999 to perform for the St. Patrick's Day Reception at President Clinton's White House.  He toured extensively with the Chieftains and was seen in the Disney film Mafia! as the "Lord of the Feet". Tim is honored to have been chosen to adjudicate the 2008 World Championships in Belfast .

Gerrard Meehan
England

My initial encounter with the 'World' was aged 10, when I competed for the first time at the Mansion House in Dublin .

Over many more years, I attended both All Ireland & World Championships at which I made many truly great friends, some sadly that are no longer with us. I have to say, my time and energy was more channelled into having the 'craic' rather than concentrating on the job in hand. There was many a time I would turn up at the Mansion House at 8am in the morning, having had very little sleep due to some party or other having taken place.

One of the distinct memories I have is being late and doing the business on stage, only for some one else to be even later and me being asked to be a 'pacer'. As you can imagine, this was a non runner, as it took me all my time to get around the stage the first time - happy days!

Unfortunately, the characters of this game, many legendary in their time, are a dying breed, with many having passed onto the dancing class in the sky, but the event remains the same in that it brings people together the world over and creates many valuable memories years down the road (no I'm not ninety yet, but given the grey hair, you would be forgiven for thinking so).

To put a bit of history to this blog, I started my dancing career in London aged four/five (can't remember which) for Kathleen O'Shea (now one half of the Maguire/O'shea Academy). Kathleen will tell you I was a model pupil & a joy to teach - NOT .

Following retirement aged 16, I travelled the world and when settled back in London , I started the Carrantouhil School (years later changed to Meehan School ) and achieved success at all, major competitions, including the All Ireland & World Championships.

Now, I have retired from teaching (yes I know so young to be retired, it's unbelievable but true) as my IT career took precedence to support the wife & kids - Maria Wogan, (lucky woman), also on the judging panel.

Finally, I would like to wish all competitors, teachers and parents a happy and successful time at the World Championships 2008 and look forward to meeting new/old friends alike.

Grainne NíChonchubhair
Leinster

From Dunboyne in Co Meath Bernadette has been teaching for thirty nine years in the Kildare and Dublin region. Now a grandmother she is helped in the school by Anne Walsh and her daughter Clodagh. A large number of her past pupils are now teachers and adjudicators. Bernadette is now Dance Director for the Irish Dance Company which performs all over Ireland at corporate events.

She is at present the feis registrar for the Leinster region. She enjoys adjudicating and this is her second world Championships and has also judged both the Australian and American Nationals.

Introduced to Irish Dancing at age five and competing successfully until 17, Chris thanks his parents (from Leitrim and Donegal) for cultivating a strong Irish identity throughout his childhood which is stronger today than ever before, through his teaching and adjudicating. All of Chris's dancing career and his early teaching was in An Comhdhail, where he spent many happy years. Shortly after qualifying as an adjudicator, Chris made the transition to An Coimisiun and has recently completed 13 enjoyable years as a judge.

Although Irish Dance teaching and adjudicating is squeezed in between his full time profession as a Marketing Director, Chris has managed to be a successful teacher at the All Irelands and Worlds as well as many local competitions. Chris still enjoys the challenges of teaching Irish Dance which he believes exist more today than perhaps ever before, in such a progressive form of dance. Indeed, nothing gives him greater pleasure than introducing beginners to Irish Dance with the aim of discovering new and gifted talent that will raise the bar in years to come.

This is the first time that Chris has judged at the Worlds and he would like to congratulate the parents of children competing at this event for their dedication and passion that they have for this form of dance.