Could The World's Best Irish Dancer Be From Chelmsford? We'll See This Weekend

St. Patrick’s Day might be over, but the world’s finest Irish Dancers are descending upon Boston next weekend, including some who trained right here in Chelmsford.

The Heavey-Quinn Irish Academy of Dance, which has locations in North Chelmsford, as well as Malden and West Roxbury, is sending 45 dancers from this area and throughout New England to the 2013 Irish Step Dancing World Championships, this Sunday, March 24 at the Hines Convention Center.

According to Mary Heavey-Quinn, owner of the studio, the event is considered “the Olympics” of Irish Step Dancing and draws competitors from as far away as Russia and Japan whether it is held within Ireland itself, or in the United States as it has been on occasion.

The time required to even participate in the event since the New England Oireachtas in December, which determined regional qualifiers for the event, has meant the dancers from the Heavey-Quinn Academy have had little more on their schedules than dancing, sleeping and school for the past three months.

“It’s certainly a lot of dedication during normal circumstances, I’d say at least three days a week,” says Heavey-Quinn. “But between December and March, I’d say I own my dancers during that time. School work comes first, but anything else comes last.”

Several dancers her studio has sent to the World Championships have gone on to perform in shows like Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.

And according to Heavey-Quinn, Chelmsford’s helped play a role in nurturing that success over the 15 years she has been here, albeit a minor one.

“I didn’t always own my own studio, but I’ve always been here and it’s been a convenient location and handy for me,” she says. “I don’t know if the town has done anything to promote my business, but I like the location and the school system is good.”

More information on the Heavey-Quinn Academy is available on its website.