Caroline McCarthy, 17, of Bradford Woods, will head to Belfast, Ireland, in March to live her dream of competing in the world championship of Irish step dancing.

It's a remarkable achievement on its own merit, but for Caroline, the accomplishment comes five years after a doctor told her she should stop dancing altogether.

She started tap dancing when she was 10 and injured her foot when she was 12. Her doctor diagnosed her with arthritis in that foot, most likely caused by dancing on her toes, and recommended that she stop dancing to avoid further complications.

"It was heartbreaking to hear the doctor say her dancing days were over," recalled her mother, Ann McCarthy.

By today's standards, Caroline started dancing late in life. She took tap lessons after school in fourth grade and the teacher told Mrs. McCarthy her daughter had talent. Caroline was quick to catch on to new steps, the teacher said, and would benefit from further instruction.

Caroline said her interest in Irish dance was piqued when she saw a live performance of "The Lord of the Dance," an elaborate stage show that features the quick steps, erect posture and stiff arms of traditional Irish step dancing.

"I just remember when I was 10 seeing 'Lord of the Dance' and saying, 'I want to do that,' " Caroline said.

All of her four siblings were athletic, and the highly competitive nature of the dance style fit that mold.

"It's not as much like ballet or just taking a dance class," Caroline said. "It's really hard. I really like the competitions."

Competitions are held all year long, and a rigorous training schedule is required.

So, when the doctors told Caroline she had to take it easy on her feet and ankles, the advice didn't mesh with the demands of the dance she'd learned to love. She and her parents agreed that she could continue as long as she limited her activity.

That meant practicing just four days a week, which might sound sufficient for other dance styles or sports, but not for Irish step dancing.

"A lot of the people that are really good will be practicing every day for two hours," Caroline said.

Also, many serious dancers will cross train, working out in a gym or running to build strength and endurance. Caroline has never attempted to add that to her routine.

"I don't like to practice more than two days in a row," she said.

Despite the limited schedule, she's always dreamed of competing at the highest level.

"Ever since I've started, my goal has been to qualify for the world championships," she said. "This year there was a lot of stress because I don't want to dance in college."

With plans to attend college to study business, Caroline, a senior at North Allegheny Senior High School, saw this as her last chance to achieve her dream. In November, during a regional competition in Chicago, she won her shot.

She knows that the competition will be fierce at the world event, and she doesn't expect to win, considering her limited ability to practice.

But just making it to the weeklong event, she will have achieved her goal and overcome the obstacle she was presented with as a young girl.

That has come as a real surprise to her parents, who thought their daughter would be too busy during her senior year in high school to think about a world competition.

"We didn't imagine she would make it to the world championship," Mrs. McCarthy said. "We figured this year she would be winding down, thinking about college."