GLOSSARY OF IRISH DANCE TERMS

An Coimisium le Rinci Gaelacha (The Irish Dancing Commission)

T.C.R.G.: The teacher’s certificate for solo and ceili dancing.

A.D.C.R.G.: The adjudicator’s (judge’s) certificate.

T.M.R.F.  : The teacher’s certificate for ceili dancing only.

Non-certified: A dance teacher that is not certified to teach Irish Dancing by an organization.

Feis:  “Fesh” A regular competition for all levels of dancing that can also include competitions in art, music, writing and soda bread.    Pl. Feiseanna “Fesh-ahna”.

IDTANA: The Irish Dancing Teachers’ Association of North America

NAFC:  North American Feis Commission

Oireachtas: “O-roc-tus” Regional competitions, usually the main qualifiers for Worlds.  Remember the spelling by the acronym “Oh, I REACH TO A Star”, where the capital letters make up the spelling of  “Oireachtas”. Also referred to as the “O”.

Nationals: Competitions held under the name of a country (All-Irelands, All  Scotlands, Great Britains, North Americans, etc. Often used as a secondary qualifier for Worlds.

Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne: Worlds

Music and Dances
Ceili: Gaelic word for social gathering or party. Ceili dance is a group dance that has a standard  choreography and is danced pretty much the same around the world.

Choreography: Danced with a group to chosen music with steps choreographed by individual teachers.

Figures: Dances done with others.

Solo: Dance done by a single dancer with a variety of footwork which can be done in soft shoe or hard shoe.  Also called step dancing.

Stepabout: A performance done by a group of dancers-as in a Tully Show!

Lead- around: Beginning step of a dance that travels around in a circle and is often followed by a side step.

Feis Dances: Soft shoe: Solo dancing that concentrates on the lightness of dancers with leaps, kicks, and light, airy footwork. These dances are done in soft shoes or ghillies.

Jigs: Tradtional Jig,(or light jig),  Also can dance a Hop jig/single jig,

Slip jig: Done in 9/8 time. Boys do not dance this.

Reel: 2/4 or 4/4 time. Has a more active movement around the stage.

Hard shoes: Leather shoes with hard tips (fiberglass) and heels which make noise. Also known as heavies or jig shoes.

Hornpipe: Fast/Traditional-A beginning hard shoe dance to hornpipe music. Adv. Beginners do this.

Hornpipe: Slow/Contemporary-An advanced hard shoe dance to slower hornpipe music. Novice dancers may dance choice of fast or slow.

Treble Jig: Fast-A beginning hard shoe dance to double jig music. Also called Heavy Jig.

Treble jig: Slow-Advanced hard shoe dance to double jig music at slower speed.

Set Dance, Traditional: A fast, or traditional hard shoe dance to a specific tune with traditional steps that everyone dances the same. ie. St. Patrick’s Day and Garden of Daisies.

Set Dance, Non-Traditional:  Hard shoe steps are choreographed individually by each teacher to the
same dance tunes. ie. Three Sea Captains, Ace & Deuce.

Treble Reel: Usually the last competition of the day. A fast paced, lively hard shoe dance where dancers line up in a semi circle and step out to show their favorite hard shoe step. All dancers in the circle then dance a sequence together after each dancer has performed individually.

Costuming
Beginner costume: A simpler costume, usually a skirt and blouse for girls; a dress shirt and slacks for boys.

School costume: A costume uniform designed especially for and worn only by a particular school.Usually each school has a beginner costume and one for  Advance Beginner and above. Also team costumes.

Solo Costume: A one of a kind costume worn by an individual dancer who has achieved a certain level of ability and been approved to wear by their teacher.

Ghillies: Soft, ballet-like slippers cut low with long laces crossed and tied to show off the foot. Also called light shoes, soft shoes, and pumps.

Hard Shoes: Leather shoes with hard tips and heels to create the “tapping “noise or trebles. Also called Heavy shoes or jig shoes.

Poodle socks: White socks worn while dancing. The name is derived from the textured look of the sock leg.

Wig: Required by most schools for formal costumes and feiseanna.
        
Grade Levels:

First Feis: Dancers competing in their very first feis. After this one competition, the dancer MUST move into Beginner I or Beginner 2.

Beginner 1: A dancer who has been dancing for less than one year. Beginner 1 should move to Beginner 2 no later than Jan. 1st of the dancers second year of instruction. A beginner 1 dancer who starts in September may continue as a Beginner 1 until Dec. of the following year (16 mos.) before moving to Beginner 2. There is some discretion with this timing. Ask your teacher. They wear soft shoes and usually only do the Traditional Jig, Reel, Slip Jig and perhaps Hop jig/Single jig. 

Beginner 2: A dancer who has been dancing for more than one year and who has not won a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in Beginner 2. A dancer who has placed 1, 2 or 3 in a dance must move into Novice in that dance  no later than January 1st of the next calendar year or with teacher’s permission as soon as the next  feis.  It is usually recommended to stay in a level for the entire feis year.  Beginner 2 dances are reel, light jig, single jig, slip jig, treble jig, traditional hornpipe, and the Traditional Set St. Patrick’s Day.

Novice: This level is for dancers who have placed 1, 2 or3 in Beginner 2 in that particular dance in a prior  calendar year. In order to move up from Novice  to Open Prizewinner, a dancer must win a first place in that dance.  You are not required to move up in that dance until the next calendar year or you may move at the next feis with teacher’s permission. You may stay in a certain level for as long as it takes to  meet the requirements for each dance. It is not unusual to take a couple of years to place out of all  dances at the Novice level as you must get a first in each of them.

Open /Prizewinner: This is for dancers who have placed first at a dance in the Novice level.

Preliminary Championship (PC)- A dancer who wins first place in each of the Open (Prizewinner) solo categories(reel, slip jig, treble jig, and hornpipe) can move into PC with teacher’s permission. They
will dance a soft shoe dance and a hard shoe dance and will be judged by 3 judges.
 (3 steps of Reel or Slip Jig and 2 ½ steps of Hornpipe or Treble Jig)

Open Championship: (Champs) A dancer must win 2 first places in Preliminary Championship. They will perform a soft shoe and hard shoe dance as well as a Set dance for three judges.

Additional information:
              * The status of a dancer does not change unless there are 5 or more competitors in a competition.
              * NO photography or recording is allowed while a dancer is in midst of a competition.
              * NO make up or false tan may be used on any dancer in Beginner 1 or 2 for all ages 12 and under.
              * NO solo costumes on dancers in Beginner 1 or 2 levels.

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