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Irish Dance Competitions (Feiseanna) A feis (pronounced 'fesh') is an Irish dance competition. Dancers at the Courtney McMahon School are eligible to enter feiseanna organised by An Coimisiun, one of Irish Dancing's governing bodies. Opportunities to compete are many and varied - there are local, regional and international feiseanna that cater for a very broad skill level, from novice through to elite performer. Your first feis: what to expect We will advise you when your child is ready to take part in a feis. To be 'feis ready', a child needs to be able to execute their steps with confidence, good timing and good posture. The Southern England Regional Council (SERC) approves feiseanna on behalf of An Coimisiun in this part of England. The number of feiseanna that take place in the London region varies year by year, but is usually approximately twelve. Competitions are typically staged in large secondary schools. Dancers compete in single year age groups (Under 5, Under 6, Under 7, Under 8 through to Under 18 and over). A dancer's age is taken from 1st January of that year, so a child that is aged 9 as at 1st January of the current year would compete in the Under 10 category. Dancers compete with children of a similar level of competence and skill. Dancers first compete in the 'Beginner' grade, and can potentially progress up to the 'Open' grade in each particlar dance (Four light-shoe dances - Reel, Light Jig, Hop Jig, Slip Jig, and two hard-shoe dances - Heavy Jig, Hornpipe) Beginner Grade To progress to the next grade, a dancer must be placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd Primary Grade To progress to the next grade, a dancer must be placed 1st Intermediate Grade To progress to the next grade, a dancer must be placed 1st Open Grade The top grade. Dancers at this level take part in championships, perform on a proper stage, and are assessed by a panel of at least three adjudicators. Competitions for Beginner, Primary and Intermediate grade dancers are usually staged in a gymnasium. Dancers typically perform in groups of three to live music. Progressing from 'Beginner' towards the 'Open' grade A dancer is likely to progress through the grades at different speeds for specific dances. For example, a dancer may have advanced two levels, from 'Beginner' to 'Intermediate' in the Reel and Light Jig, one level from 'Beginner' to 'Primary' in the Hop Jig, and still be competing at the 'Beginner' grade in the Heavy Jig and Hornpipe. Dancers vary in natural talent and aptitude for learning, and this influences the speed at which they acquire the skills needed to perform well at light and hard shoe dances. There is no ideal route through the grades, and a lightening progression is not always good because it can foster an unrealistic expectation of winning without an appreciation for the need for continued effort, application and good sportspersonship. Dancers are assessed by an adjudicator (a person that has passed both the teaching (TCRG) and adjudicating (ADCRG) exams of An Coimisiun. Often, adjudicators are rotated at feiseanna, so that more that one person assesses each dancer. Dancers are awarded a mark (to a maximum of 100) and ranked accordingly, the best performers are awarded trophies or medals. The marks awarded by adjudicators in the first three competition grades are not made public. A hall superviser will simply announce the order of ranking. Not every child will be placed in any particular dance. Typically, one in four dancers will be given an award. A dancer is only permitted to compete outside of the Southern England region in dances that are in the Intermediate grade or above. (There are a few exceptions to this An Coimisiun ruling, usually feiseanna held on the border between the Southern and Midlands regions). How do adjudicators decide on the best performers? Adjudicating is not an exact science, there are subjective elements to it, and whilst there will be a lot of common ground in what adjudicators perceive to be fine dancing, there will be differences in opinion. Some of the key elements that will be assesed are: Timing Good timing is fundamental, and errors in timing will not be overlooked; Turn out Well placed, turned-out feet with heels well elevated from the floor; Posture Good carriage, up-right upper body, minimum gap between arms and upper body - without introducing rigidity; Execution Steps performed with crispness and sharpness; Rhythm Musicality is critical to hard shoe performances. Additional aspects of a performance that may influence an adjudicator's assessment include: Elevation The overall level of lift achieved by a dancer, including aerial manoeuvres and extensions; Presence & Projection The extent to which a dancer draws attention, takes ownership of their performance, and entertains; Steps Good execution is paramount, but interesting material can have a bearing on marks; Appearance A combination of a dancer's outfit, overall appearance, posture and presence. Costumes: what to wear when competing Boys Throughout the grades, boys wear black trousers, a smart shirt and tie, and possibly a waistcoat. Girls Dancers should wear outfits appropriate for their age and grade. At the 'Beginner' grade, girls should wear a simple outfit consiting of a black skirt and white blouse, or a simple black outfit. Hair should be tidy, but natural. At the 'Primary' grade, girls can continue to wear a black skirt and white blouse, a simple black outfit, or a basic Irish dance costume. At the 'Intermediate' grade, it is recommended that girls wear a well-fitted Irish dance costume. At the 'Open' grade, dancers can continue to wear the costume worn at the 'Intermediate' grade. Dancers that are new to the 'Open' grade will first compete in 'Preliminary Championships' before progressing to 'Open Championships', at which point a good quality costume becomes imperative. NEW SERC RULING ON COSTUMES As of May 2009, dancers will only be permitted to wear an Irish dance costume in the 'Intermediate' and 'Open' grades. Dancers in the 'Beginner' and 'Primary' grades will be expected to wear a black skirt and white blouse, or a simple black outfit. This new ruling is very welcome, as it reduces the cost of the activity, and will encourage young dancers to address faults in posture and carriage that are sometimes hidden by elaborate costumes. Second-hand costumes often become available for sale within the school. It is preferable to buy dresses from within the school, where possible, because there is the opportunity to try on the costume and to get the opinion of your child's teachers. Irish dance costumes are easy to purchase online, but there is a risk of a dress being a poor fit, and of an inferior quality to that expected. We advise against making any dress purchase without consulting your child's teachers. In the event of commissioning a new costume, we will advise on dressmakers, as well as styles, designs and colours. Irish dance dresses, particulary the more elaborate ones worn by experienced dancers can look a little 'over-the-top' without the addition of a wig. Irish dance dresses are performance costumes, and at the 'Open' grade, dancers perform on large stages - wigs and stage make-up do complement the costumes, and can help showcase a dancer's talents. It shouild be noted that no make-up is permitted to be worn by children and young people competing in either the 'Beginner' or 'Primary' grades up to and including the Under-12 age category. Some practicalities: gettting feis ready
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 Suitable 'Beginner' grade outfits
(immediately above)  Suitable 'Primary' / 'Intermediate' costumes (immediately above and below)   A suitable 'Intermediate' / 'Open' grade costume (above)
 Suitable 'Open' grade costumes (above)
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