A fig for a kiss.

Luka King
Mar 17, 2022
3 min read

Raised a good Irish Catholic girl, I have nearly a decade of history in traditional Irish dance.

Throughout those years, I performed in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in San Francisco, competed in local feiseanna and semi-national championships (or oireachtas), and won a handful of prize Irish crystalware (which I thought was silly at the time, but now find great use for). What I loved about it most, though, was the element of storytelling that surrounded the dances and the tunes (I recall a traditional piece aptly named “The Storyteller”)—it was here that I first learned the tragic mythology of the River Shannon and was transported into the mystical world of fairy rings and changelings. I hung up the ghillies a long time ago, but have clearly retained a reverence for the art of storytelling and a fascination for the music, folklore, and mythology that the tradition so heavily draws from. So when March rolls around, it's my excuse to tell a tale. This month's offering is coming to you a little earlier than usual in hopes that it reaches you in time for St. Patrick's Day. Let me introduce you to the Children of Lir, a legend which is a part of the Irish Mythological Cycle (a collection consisting of numerous tales and poems found in medieval manuscripts). This mythical tale from the post-Christianization period went on to inspire other artistic adaptations such as the beautiful ballet of Swan Lake. While the tale is rather tragic, what I love most about this story is the grace these sweet swans somehow maintain after 900 years of battering and bruising and betrayal. And when they finally reach home again, they're old and estranged and have lived a million strange and sea-bound lifetimes. Perhaps I am projecting, but I find my heartstrings especially pulled by their plight in recent weeks; shortly after I announced my imminent summer move to NYC in last month's newsletter, I was dealt some personal happenings that have unfortunately changed the trajectory of my plans. I'll still be leaving Chicago, but will be returning to my home of San Francisco and will again be Bay Area-based instead. Expect me to be available there full-time again in mid-April—so soon! Chicago, you'll have until the end of March to catch me for the last time before I head out of town. I won't go into detail of the situation here out of respect for some semblance of privacy, but in light of the let-down and the undeniable whiplash of it all, it's almost amusing to me that what I mostly feel is relief. At last, I will lay my head and rest my wings on familiar shores once more! For now, I'll continue to live and study and create nestled between those golden hills I hold so dear. The great big world will still be out there when I'm ready. My tour dates for April will unfortunately be postponed, and I will be reaching out individually within the week to return deposits to those who have sent them. I'll also be providing further updates to my timeline when I have all my ducks (swans?) in a row. Please bear with me through this— changes in my schedule may very well occur as I make all of my arrangements. “Man plans and God laughs,” or something like that! You can keep up with my veritable comedy of errors via my Twitter and Instagram as always, as well as my private fans site.