Flying Irish

Feiseanna (competitions)

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Irish Dance competitions have been happening since the 1700s--a time when Irish Dance and Irish music were not legal in Ireland! Competition is needed to fully appreciate Irish Dance in all its aspects as an art form, cultural heritage and competitive sport. Irish Dance is highly cumulative. A dancer who knows their dances but has not fully mastered the material (i.e. is not level advancing in competition) is not training at the level they need to train their bodies to do material at the next level.

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Feiseanna: Flying Irish dancers participate in Open Platform competitions. Be aware that other organizations have different rules and adjudication rubrics than our organization, Rince Tua Nua. Speak with your child’s instructor before signing up for these events.

 

Flying Irish Feiseanna: The Flying Irish host the New England Championships in November and a Spring Feis in April. Our dancers are expected to compete in both of these events so they can experience competitions. These events are required for Flying Irish Dancers to attend Nationals.

 

National & International Championships: Solo dancers who wish to attend National and International events must meet qualification requirements; must take the required classes; may not miss classes in the weeks prior to the event; may not miss more too many regularly scheduled solo dance class nights; and are required to attend all extra classes or workshops associated with that event. These dancers need to regularly attend feiseanna throughout the year to stay sharp competitively.

 

Dancers who attend are representing the Flying Irish and, in International competitions, the United States. They must dress and behave appropriately both on and off the dance floor.

 

Parents will know their child is ready for these events if they are practicing regularly throughout the week without reminders and practice sessions include working to improve each of their steps (rather than just running through their material), technique drills and conditioning exercises.

 

Team Dancing: Team members may chosen by instructor selection, audition and/or class participation. Tardiness or absence from classes can result in a dancer losing their place on the team. Ceilis and figures are danced in the Flying Irish team costume. Freestyle routines may require the purchase of additional costumes.

 

Transfer Students

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Students transferring from another Irish Dance school will undergo a retraining period. They may participate in competitions once they have mastered the Flying Irish material needed for feiseanna and have met RTN's transfer rules. Transfer students may need to be assessed within a class to determine the best class placement.

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Performances

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There will be one performance for all of our dancers, at a family-themed event, the Hooley.

 

The Flying Irish Dance Troupe program  is for dancers who want to perform at other events and to be members of our competitive teams.  Entertaining an audience while communicating the joy of dance through a performance is one of the greatest achievements for a dance student. Dancers must be taking Soft, Hard and Teams classes to be members of the Flying Irish Dance Troupe, and will need to meet certain standards to participate in performances. Shows happen throughout the year, with the majority of them in March.

 

Dancers who are sick are not allowed to participate in performances. Dancers must participate fully in all classes the week prior to scheduled performances in order to participate in the upcoming performance.

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No student with the Flying Irish, LLC, is permitted to perform or teach material learned in class without the express permission of one of the instructors. Non-traditional material is proprietary to Flying Irish, LLC. Dancers who wish to perform their own choreography (ex. in talent shows or competitions) must work with an instructor prior to auditioning/performing/competing.

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Event Attendance

Dancers are required to attend all regularly scheduled classes for the TWO WEEKS prior to the event, as well as all event-related special rehearsals in order to participate in that event. In the event of an emergency, proof of the emergency may be emailed to the studio (doctor's note, etc.).

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