This Virginia Native Is Changing the Way People Think About Irish Dancing on TikTok

Morgan Bullock saw Irish dancing for the first time when she was 10 years old. "It was like nothing I'd ever seen," says the Richmond resident. "It was mesmerizing. I immediately asked my mom if I could start classes." She's been Irish dancing ever since and connecting with people all over the world thanks to this shared passion.

In March 2020, when the coronavirus meant she was spending more time at home and online, the 21-year-old began posting videos of herself Irish dancing on TikTok, a social media platform. To her surprise, they went viral. "A lot of people were just shocked by it, especially by me not looking like how they would typically picture an Irish dancer," she says. "And pairing the dancing with contemporary music was something many viewers had never seen either. There was an overwhelmingly positive response. People wanted to see more." After catching wind of her video, the world-famous Riverdance show invited her to perform with them the next time their tour brings them to Virginia. And while Bullock looks forward to the day she can join the cast for a show, she's got her sights set on another stage for now. "I recently qualified for the 2021 World Irish Dancing Championships that are supposed to be held in July in Dublin," she says. "Fingers crossed that can happen!"