What does “Feis” mean? - A Feis (pronounced fesh) is an Irish dancing competition. The Word “Feis” is Irish Gaelic for “Festival.” Throughout the year there will be many feiseanna (plural of feis) that your dancer can compete in. Dancers are always encouraged to feis, but are never required to. Feising will help your dancer set goals and gain confidence. They will learn how to win and lose gracefully while meeting new friends and cheering on other O’Hare dancers. With your teachers permission, you can register for feiseanna online via Feisworx or Quickfeis.
If you need help registering, email the Booster Club at ohareidboosterclub@gmail.com.
How do I sign up for a Feis? - There are several registration sites used for Feiseanna. Feisworx and Quickfeis are the most common registration sites used in our region. Visit their websites to see what feiseanna are coming up and you can check the list in the studio. You will need to set up accounts on these websites the first time you register. If you need help creating an account email the Booster Club at ohareidboosterclub@gmail.com.
How do I know what dances to sign up for? - Your teacher will tell you what dances (light jig, reel etc) and what level your dancer should register for. We will also inform you when your dancer moves to the next level (ex: Adv Beginner to Novice) based on dancers competition results/placements.
How is the competition arranged? - Each dancer competes with children their own age and level. The arrangement typically goes by Under 8, Under 9, Under 10, etc. within each level (Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Novice, etc.). The first day of the year is the cutoff date to determine age group. For example, if your child is 8 and they were born in March they dance “under 8”. A child born in November would also be “under 8”. If you are unsure what age group to register for, you can ask your teacher or contact the Booster Club for help registering for a feis.
How early do I need to get there? - If the Feis states that it is starting at 9:00 am you should try to be there by 8:15 am. (Each Feis may start at different times, so please check the syllabus & stage schedule.) You need to do a few things before it begins (warm-ups, etc.), and you want your child to not be rushed, calm and ready to go!
Where do I get my child’s competition number? - Once you are at the Feis there will be a sign telling you where to pick up your competitor number. They are usually in alphabetical order by last name.
Where do I go once I have the competition number? - Once you have your number you go to your stage area. Look for signs for your stage and find a place to put your things down. Warm up and listen for the stage monitors to call your dancers up to check in and dance.
What time will my dancer dance? - There is no easy answer. It's best to carve out a lot of time per competition. Beginners almost always dance at the beginning of the day; however, there are a few feiseanna where the beginners dance after lunch. Schedules are not released until about a week before the competition. Irish dance competitions have hundreds of dancers with up to 8 stages will have a list of competitions on each. Every stage will go through them at their pace which is why exact times are not known until it happens. Competitors need to wait around until they see that their comp is coming up. Stage monitors will not hold competitions.
What should my dancer wear? - Check out the Feis Attire page on our site