Feis Q&A Page

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What is a FEIS?
The word "feis" (pronounced fesh) comes from a Gaelic word meaning "festival". In the context of Irish
dance today, it means "competition". This guide gives an overview of competitive Irish Dance and what a feis is like. It is geared primarily to dancers in the Beginner/Adv. Beginner levels. If you have specific questions that are not answered here, talk to Peggy.
When and where are these feiseanna held?
Dance schools and other interested Irish organizations hold dance competitions throughout the year, all over the country and all over the world. The North American Feis Commission is responsible for organizing feiseanna in the US and Canada. Their site lists these events and can be viewed by region. How do I register?
Each feis will offer a syllabus that lists the pertinent info for that event. Forms are available at the studio. Pick the ones that you might like to attend, ask Peggy how to fill them out, and mail them in. Some allow on-line registration through e-feis but when you are beginning you should talk to Peggy first.What are the fees?
Each dancer is charged a fee per dance, typically $4 - $8 or $9, depending on the hosts. If your dancer dances a reel, light jig and slip jig for instance, the fee could be $12 - $27. There is usually a family cap. There is always a fee at the door for non-dancers (kids too most of the time). These amounts are usually listed on the syllabus.

What level do I belong in?
The following is taken from the NAFC site and is generally printed word-for-word on the syllabus:

• Beginner Grade: A beginner is a competitor who has not taken a full year of Irish Dance lessons, thereby giving beginners a full year with such status. A Beginner must move into the Advanced Beginner category the next year.
• Advanced Beginner Grade: (also called Beginner II) An advanced beginner who wins 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place will advance to the Novice category in that particular dance.
• Competition dancers are reel, light jig, slip jig, traditional treble jig and traditional hornpipe., as a minimum requirement.
• Novice Grade: A novice who wins a 1st place will advance to the Open (Prizewinner) category in that particular dance.
• Open Grade (Prizewinner): A competitor who does not qualify as a Beginner, Advanced Beginner or as a Novice
• After Prizewinner there are two more levels: Preliminary and Open Championships.

In addition to the "grade level" the competitions are separated by boys and girls and by age.
Your Feis Age is your age as of January 1 of that year. It does not change on your birthday.
The final word on what level you should dance in comes from Peggy.

What happens at a feis? Once you have registered, paid and arrived at the feis, the fun really begins!

• Numbers: Each dancer receives a number which is worn on a string or ribbon around the waist. Some dancers have plastic sleeves to tuck the number in to. Some of the boys pin it to their shirt. Some feiseanna send the numbers out to the teachers ahead of time and others pass them out at the door when you arrive. (It is more common to get them at the door at the CT ones for some reason.) **regarding number holders: when these first came on the scene everyone bought them but they were shiny and the judges had trouble with light reflecting off of them. Newer holders have a matte finish and there is less glare, but some feiseanna have banned them.
• Times: A stage schedule will be posted at the door and on occasion you will receive it ahead of time with the numbers. Generally the syllabus has a tentative schedule so you have an idea of the time. These things almost never run "on-time" and any schedule you receive should be considered a guideline and not definate Some competitions even start early so plan to be ready to dance up to 1/2 hour ahead of time. Each feis will have dancers on several stages at one time. Some of these stages are in the same room (such as a gym) and others are spread around the venue. Out-door have several stages that are apart from one another. Sometimes the dances are held one after the other at the same stage. This is very easy if all of your dances are in the same grade level. Often a dancer is in Novice for a couple of dances and Adv. Beginner for others. This would require two line ups.
  Sometimes you move to a different stage for each dance. This seems a little dicey when you are new to "feising", but you learn to figure it out. In this case holding on to the syllabus is handy. You can always get one at the door if you lose yours. On the syllabus each dance is given a number. The stage schedule will list the dances by number. For example: If your syllabus said: Reel: 141, Lt Jig 142, Slip Jig 143, Treb Jig 144 and Hornpige 145, you might do your reel and slip jig at stage 1, your lt jig at stage 3 and the others at stage 4. From time to time it will look as if two dances will be held simultaneously. Don't panic! You are never alone in this situation and the stage-hands who help to line up the competitors can tell you what to do.

**regarding "stages"...sometimes the dancer is on an actual stage but more often than not a "stage" means an "area" that is cordonned off and designated as Stage A, Stage B and so on.

• Costume: Ask Peggy about attire. If you are curling your hair, wear the curlers to the feis and give yourself time to take them out, fix and spray the hair in to place and still be ready 1/2 hour early to line up. If you take the curlers out at home, try to use a hair-net to keep the hair in shape in the car. If you are "wigging it" same plan...give yourself time to attach the wig properly before dancing. Dancers change in to their costumes in a variety of places. Some use the bathrooms but some venues have a small number and the lines get long. The best plan is to wear a bathing suit or other clothing that will allow you to change in the hall. Some competitions have changing rooms and/or practice rooms. If you dance both hard and soft shoe dances it is generally soft-shoe first. Special competitions such as Traditional Set or Treble Reel are the exceptions. (novice and PW generally)
• Dancing: Once you have made it to the right stage at the right time the dancers will line up to dance. They have practiced their dances in class or feis practice and are ready to go. Beginners and sometimes advanced beginners are given a "start" by the stage hand, but they will learn to start on their own early on. With the exception of some beginner or pre-beginner competitions they dance two at a time. You should not line up next to someone from your own school because you probably have the same steps. You mustn't crash into the other dancer either. This is practiced in class also. At the end of your dance, you bow to the judge and go quickly back to the line without getting in the way of the ones who just started. Stand tall and smile while you are waiting and you are considered part of the competition until your row is dismissed.
• Results and Awards: Most feiseanna will post the winners on grids in a hallway or other open space. When the results are posted, find the number of the dance you did, and look for your number on the list. You may place in some dances and not in others. Good sportsmanship must apply here at all times. If you place, take your number to the awards table and they will present your with your prize. At the beginner - novice levels it is usually a medal. Some competitions announce the winners right at the stage. In this case they start at 4th or 3rd and go up to first.
• Reporting: Remember to let Peggy know how you did! It is a good idea to track results at home so that they can be referred to when deciding when to move up a level.

What Hotels do we stay at?
Marriott is the personal preferred hotel we typically book; we must have indoor pool! Restaurant preferrable. Sign up at The Marriott and use your rewards card to accumulate points. Easy online booking, unless hotel is offering special rate for the feis. We will also try to find the Marriott with the best rate even if it means we drive a few extra miles to the feis.

**It is a NAFC rule that there is no video photography allowed during the competitions at all. Also prohibited during competition is flash photography. Some digital camera or camera phone owners have been questioned recently. Please respect this rule. It stems from the rights to the choreography.