Flying Irish
Frequently Asked Questions
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What does my child/dance student need to start Irish Dance?
Class attire is Flying Irish black shorts and green tee shirt (available from NEPA), poodle socks (girls) or white athletic socks (boys) and soft shoes (black leather ballet slippers for Little Leprechauns, ghillies forgirls, black leather jazz shoes for boys). Adults may wear fitted black leggings instead of the shorts.
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Once your student has tried a few Irish Dance classes, you will want to order a team jacket from Optimum Sport. Team jackets are required for dancers to wear when arriving at events, and are used as parade attire. For our littlest dancers, the jacket, along with long black pants & a green hair bow, is their show attire.
How are shoes fitted?
Irish Dance shoes must be fitted to the dancers' feet, flush to the ends of their toes. Room to grow in shoes presents a safety hazard and means that our teachers can't see if a dancer is doing their movements correctly.
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When will my child/dance student need a team costume?
Dancers, ages 6 & up, who are going to participate in either shows or competitions will need to order the Flying Irish team costumes from Prime Dress Designs during our school ordering period. Beginner & Intermediate Girls - leotard, skirt & crown (girls); Novice & up Girls - team dress, with cape & crown; Boys - embroidered vest (paired with black trousers and a green button down shirt); Adults - sleeveless dress with cape & hair bow.
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Are those super fancy costumes required?
Solo, or one-of-a-kind, costumes, are for top level competitive dancers. At the Flying Irish, we only require those costumes for dancers competing overseas. These costumes are works of art and are priced accordingly. All solo costumes, or costume designs, must be approved by our teachers prior to purchasing.
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Are competitions required?
Competition is a historical part of the Irish Dance experience. While we encourage all of our dancers to participate in at least our school's feiseanna, we understand that some dancers may not be ready for competition after their first year. We let our dancers know that we encourage competition as a means to challenge themselves, learn to encourage & support their teammates and as a way to put class comments & corrections into context. We do not focus on attending competitions just to beat others. Some of our programs may require competitive experience.
