Background

Angelina was born and raised in Lancaster County and began Irish dancing when she was 4 years old. Her dancing journey began with the Coyle School where she reached Preliminary Championships and enjoyed weekly lessons. When her older sister moved away, Angelina had to quit dancing due to lack of transportation. In her late teens, her older sister, Crystal, moved back to PA and opened Hooley. This made it possible for Angelina to start training again with her sister as her teacher. By 2011 Angelina had moved up into the top competitive level of Open Championships and continued on to compete at North American Championships, World Championships, and All Irelands before obtaining her TCRG certification. Angelina is married to Justin Press who is the owner and instructor at Ephrata Martial Arts. They have two daughters, Ember and Becca, who attend both Irish dance and martial arts classes.

Education/Certificates

• Passed TCRG examinations in May 2015

• Black belt in Kung Fu and Kickboxing

• CPR/AED/First Aid certified through American Red Cross

Achievements

As a senior lady dancer:

• 18th place at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships

• 27th place at the North American Championships

• 3rd place 4-hand team at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championships two years in a row

• Hooley’s first world qualifier

• Competed in the World Championships in 2013 and 2014 

• Opened and led the Reading branch location for 7 years 

• Stepped down to be a resource parent for children in foster care

Activities

Angelina teaches classes Ephrata Martial Arts, and helps teach classes at Hooley Irish Dance occasionally. Angelina enjoys homeschooling her girls, spending time with her family, going to the gym as well as sewing, knitting, crocheting, and other crafts.

Goals

Angelina wants to help students find joy and confidence through dancing as they work towards their personal goals.