Mamas eye Ireland
From left, the Sarah Parshall, Christy Hainline and Mikki Stevens of the Red Hot Mamas dance during the trip meeting for their Ireland St. Patrick's Day tour in March. The group was invited to perform at Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival in 2020 and 2021 as well, but COVID-19 restrictions kept them from traveling. HANNAH NEFF/Press
From left, Red Hot Mamas Sarah Parshall and Christy Hainline from Spokane dance as they prepare for their Ireland tour in March 2022. HANNAH NEFF/Press
From left, Red Hot Mamas Sarah Parshall, Christy Hainline and Mikki Stevens dance at the group meeting on Tuesday at the Post Falls Armory. HANNAH NEFF/Press
These red-hot gals are itching to get a little green — emerald green, that is.
Hoping for the best, 14 Red Hot Mama dancers from the North Idaho and Spokane areas are still planning to dance their way into the hearts of Ireland during the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day Festival.
Mikki Stevens, director of the comedy dance group, said with COVID-19 travel restrictions, they’re hoping things work out when their March 11-19 tour rolls around.
“You just have to go with the flow every day,” Stevens said. “Our thing is we already paid in full, so we either kind of gamble that this one is going to happen or we lose everything.”
The Mamas were invited to perform at Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival in 2020 and 2021 as well, but COVID-19 restrictions kept them grounded.
“Hopefully we’ll get to go this time,” Mama Christy Hainline of Spokane Valley said. “My suitcase is ready.”
About 12 Mamas showed up for the trip meeting Tuesday evening at the Post Falls Armory.
Debbie Raeon of Coeur d’Alene said she was in New York the first time their trip got shut down in 2020 and wasn’t surprised as she could tell COVID-19 was going to be something serious.
For this trip she’s going to wait and see what happens.
“I’m vaccinated so I don’t have a lot of worry, but with the new variants it might require something different,” Raeon said. “No one knows at this point.”
There are still COVID-19 travel restrictions to enter Ireland and Stevens passed out a 30-page manual.
The first time the Mamas planned the trip they had 42 participants. As of now they have 28 participants, 14 from the North Idaho and Spokane area and the other half from Texas. They need at least 20 to meet the group requirement for their performance.
“I’m so excited,” Hainline said. “I want to be able to perform like we usually do and bring shine to not only our country, but to Ireland.”
