Georgia Stephens, St. Jude School sixth-grader, left, is shown with her dance instructor Jacinta O’Sullivan, of the Atlanta King O’Sullivan School of Irish Dance. Georgia will compete in the world Irish dance championships in Scotland in March.

ATLANTA—Georgia Stephens, a sixth-grader at St. Jude the Apostle School, will compete as a soloist at the 2016 World Irish Dance Championships, in Glasgow, Scotland, March 21-27.

She prepared for months for the international contest that combines strength, athleticism, musicality and artistry. Georgia qualified by placing in the top 10 percent of her age group in a regional competition.

Organized by Le Rincí Gaelacha, the Dublin-based Irish dancing commission, the annual event hosts 5,000 dancers from all over the world, though less than 1 percent of all Irish dancers ever qualify to attend this most prestigious Irish dance event of the year. A panel of 15 international Irish dance judges will grade each dancer vying for the title of world champion.

Said Georgia, “I’ve been watching world champion dancers on YouTube for years. … Now I get to actually see them dance on stage in person. That’s going to be one of the best parts. That and seeing Scotland and Ireland with my whole family.”

Georgia’s teacher is Jacinta O’Sullivan, of the Atlanta King O’Sullivan School of Irish Dance. Both are parishioners of St. Ann Church, Marietta.