WHAT IS A FEIS?
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 Quickfeis or Feisworx.
How do I sign up for a Feis? - Create an account on Quickfeis and/or Feisworx. You will find a list of upcoming feises on their websites or right here on our website calendar.
Need help registering? Email the Booster Club at ohareidboosterclub@gmail.com.
How do I know what to sign up for? - Your teacher will tell you which 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: Beginner 2 to Novice) based on your dancer’s feis placements.
How is the competition arranged? - Each dancer competes with children their own age and level. Age groups are listed as U6, U7, U8, etc within each level (Beginner 1, Beginner 2, Novice, etc.). Your dancer’s age group is determined by how old they were on January 1st of this year. For example, if your child was 8 on January 1st, they will compete Under 9 for the entire year even after their birthday. They will then move to U10 the following year on January 1st.
What time should I arrive at a feis? - Plan to arrive 1 hour prior to your dancer’s start time. Always check the feis syllabus for start times and stage schedules (the syllabus is listed on Quickfeis/Feisworx where you registered). You want to give your dancer enough time to get their competitor number, find their stage, put their shoes/costume on, and practice beforehand. Arriving early will help them stay calm and focused which is crucial!
Where do I get my child’s competition number? - You’ll see a registration desk to check in near the front entrance of the feis. Give them your dancer’s name and they will give you their competitor number to secure to the front of their costume with safety pins. On the back of the number card, you will find a list of dances they’re registered for and which stage(s) you’ll be dancing on.
Where do I go once I have the competition number? - Find your stage and a place to put your things down nearby. Warm up and listen for the stage monitors to call your dancers up to check in and dance.
What time will my dancer dance? - Beginners typically dance first thing in the morning around 8-9am depending on when the feis starts. The stage schedule is released about 1 week prior to the competition which will show you the start time and a list of each competition in the order in which they’ll be danced. Each stage will run at it’s own pace, so exact start/finish times are hard to predict. There are signs at the front of each stage listing which competition is on stage NOW and which competition will be on stage NEXT. When your dancer’s competition is listed as NEXT, please send them side stage to check in with the stage monitor.
What do we do after my dancer is finished dancing? Once you’re done dancing, you will wait to see the results posted. You can find these on Quickfeis/Feisworx and some feises also have a results board where they are posted in person. If your dancer places, head to the awards table to collect your medal/ribbon! You are free to go after this.
What should my dancer wear? - Check out the Feis Attire page on our site