Feising

Dagny started ballet and tap lessons when she was 4 years old. She really had fun and had NO stage fright whatsoever. On the advice of a very good friend, we decided to try Irish Dancing the year that Brittany Spears invaded the dance school recital and we've not been disappointed. Besides having a lovely teacher, Dagny has learned some very interesting dancing and made some good friends.

Irish Dancing has a long history. Today, mostly girls receive instruction and then some choose to compete in the feises. Dagny has been to 3 and each time has been a unique experience.

I will try to give you an idea of what a feis is like. Some are outdoors and others are inside. There are competitions on multiple stages going at the same time. At this Feis, 800+ competitors had registered. There were 4 stages in the main room and at least that many in the side rooms. Also, the girls can compete in the musical instrument competition and singing (using Irish music, of course.)

Music is live. At our most recent Feis, there were 2 gentleman providing music for all of the dancers.


Most of the dances are individual but there are a few that are for groups. The girls (and boys) must have co-ordinated outfits/hair (see the awful wigs they wear!) as well as performing their steps in unison.


Costumes - I could go on and on about them. Each school has a school uniform and it is up the school instructor to decide when the dancers no longer need to wear them and can switch the glittering costumes that you will see in the photos below. Dagny's instructor requires her dancers to wear the school uniform in Feises until they are at the novice level.

There are different levels of competition from the youngest beginners to seasoned dancers. To move through each level, a dancer must get a first place (and I think in the higher levels, it must be more than one first) in a dance. Hmmm...this is kind of hard to explain but I think that you all know what I'm talking about. Dagny is still an advanced beginner...meaning she has had more than one year of instruction but hasn't gotten first in a dance yet. Once she gets a first, she will be able to move to the next level in the dance (which would be novice.)

The process for competing in an individual dance seems a little weird at first. All competitors line up and then they dance 2 at a time, 2 steps each. Each school has different steps so each competitor is doing her own thing. Sometimes, when I watch the girls, I can't help but think that they will surely crash into each other as they dance about the mat but they never do!

As I was waiting for Dagny to dance, I spied some interesting sights. These spectators fit right in...


and I'll share a little known fact about socks. Well, Irish dancing socks, that is. Did you know that you should glue your socks on so that they don't fall down when you dance? It's very important not to have saggy socks.


This year, Dagny competed in 4 dances - the Reel, the Jig, the Slip Jig and the Treble Jig. The first 3 are soft shoe - ghellie - dances and the last is a hard shoe dance.

Here, everyone is lined up for the Reel. There were 21 competitors in this dance.


Because I videoed the Reel, I have pictures of Dagny dancing the Jig.


Raise those knees...


and jump up high!


Dagny did very well in this dance. She placed 2nd. When the day was done, she had 2 seconds and a third. She was very happy!


There is a no video rule at Feises. In the interest of the greater good, I decided to ignore this rule so that I could share Dagny's Reel with you all. Enjoy!