What is a Feis?

The Gaelic word "feis" (pronounced fesh) translates in English to "an assembly". Traditionally a feis was a festival involving a culmination of cultural arts. Today at a feis we focus primarily on the dancing, but there are still categories for baking, music, needlepoint, art, Irish language, and song. Dancers from many different schools come together and dance to live music. They receive comments from an adjudicator on how to improve their dancing, and perhaps even win a medal! It's a great way to promote the culture, showcase talent, and reward the children for their hard work. 

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I remember gazing out the car window on the lookout for other "feisheads" on the highway as we drove to the feis with my sisters when I was a little girl. Feisheads were quick to spot of course, because the curlers at the time only came in bright neon colors. We would get excited to see the dancers from other schools performing different steps incorporating moves we had never seen before. The feis was our cultural epicenter, it's where we would see old friends and familiar faces. It always felt more like a participatory festival than a competition to me.

​My mom was always so proud of us for engaging with the community in a positive way and showcasing our art. She made sure we knew that she was proud of us whether or not we won a medal, because keeping the tradition alive was enough to be proud of. Stepping out onto a stage took courage and my mom's unconditional support gave us the reassurance we needed. After my first feis I remember it feeling easier to raise my hand at school. As I got older and the Irish dance performances and competitions became second nature, my self-confidence was strong and laid a solid foundation for the rest of my life. Even to this day, I still attribute my confidence to Irish dance. 

In Irish dancing it is easy to get caught up into your own bubble because the majority of our time is spent at the studio. I love Dunleavy and the people who fill it, but one of the biggest reasons I enjoy attending a feis is because I get to witness and appreciate other schools and the fruits of their labor. It reminds me that Irish dancing is a powerful, flowing river that we have the honor of stepping into. It has been flowing long before we were born, and will continue on long after we are gone. Witnessing the tradition come alive is incredibly moving. 

Feis FAQ

 Is my child ready to compete?
It is exciting to see the dancers from other schools performing different steps and witnessing the product of all their hard work. At a competition dancers will perform their steps two or three at a time with dancers from other schools. Because each school does different steps we want to make sure our dancers know their steps solid before entering in a competition. We want competing to be a positive experience that your child is proud of and boosts their self-esteem. 

We have a system at Dunleavy of "clearing" dancers to compete each dance. This is our way of approving each dance for competition. A dancer is cleared when they can perform it to music independently without any mistakes. Look beside your child's name on the class list to see what dances they are cleared for. If there are dances written beside your child's name they are ready to compete!

When are Feis held?
Take a look at the Dunleavy calendar, we have all the nearby  competitions listed (Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, etc). Amy attends all of the competitions listed on the Calendar. There are many more competitions than what is listed on our calendar, take a look at the iFeis website for a full listing of the competitions. 

​Where are feis held?
Traditionally competitions were held outside, but today it is more common for them to take place indoors in convention centers. There is no fee to attend a feis as a spectator. We encourage families to attend a feis to watch before their child is ready to compete. Watching is a great way to bond as a team and cheer on the other Dunleavy dancers! It's also a great opportunity for you and your child to familiarize yourself with a feis before participating in one.
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How do I register for a feis?
Registration is completed online through the iFeis website.

iFeis

Dunleavy Requirements to Compete:

• Cleared to compete- dances they are cleared for will be listed beside their name in their Class List
• Participate in at least one performance to have gained the exposure of dancing in front of a crowd (there are many opportunities around St. Patrick's Day for beginner dancers to participate in!)
• Have attended a competition as a spectator to take in the experience before participating (recommended)
• Have attended a Mock Feis at the studio to simulate what participating in a competition will feel like 
• Have attended a Feis Meeting 

Feis Checklist

• Sock Glue (Can be bought from the Rutherford table at the feis)
  
• Number Holder (Can be bought from the Rutherford table at the feis)
  
• Safety Pins
  
• Clean popcorn socks (for girls)
  
• Black dress socks (for boys)
  
• Lollies (girls wear these under their skirts)
  
• Dress (for girls)
  
• Shirt, Vest, Pants, Tie (for boys)
  
• Hair supplies (girls)
  
• Pen, pencil, highlighter
  
• Feis syllabus
  
• Stage schedule
  
• Competition Number
  
• Water Bottle
  
• Granola Bars
  
• Advil
  
• Dance Shoes
  
• Hair Spray
  
• Nail polish remover and cotton balls (Ideally nail polish was removed before the feis, but just in case!)
  
• Pearl Earrings (if dancers choose to wear earrings they must be pearls)
  
• Bobby pins
  
• Scissors
  
• Lint Roller
  
• Camera- Just kidding!  No photographs or videos are allowed at the feis!

Sample Feis Syllabus

Competition Number

Competition Numbers: These are the events the dancer is enrolled in. 

Number Card:  Dancers will pin this number to their costume

Competitor Number: The number used to identify the dancer when they are on stage. 

Age Category: The dancer was 5 years old on January 1st, so they will compete in the U6 age category for that entire calendar year.

Competition Numbers: These are the events the dancer is enrolled in. 

This dancer will be in the following competitions:

• Competition #1006: The Boys & Girls Beginner Reel in the Under 6 Age Category
• Competition #1106: The Boys & Girls Beginner Light Jig in the Under 6 Age Category

Stage Schedule

The stage schedule will be posted on the feis website a few days before the competition. Print this schedule out and highlight your dancer's competition numbers. 

After you highlight the competition numbers on the syllabus you will know what stage your child will be on. If a dancer is competing multiple dances they will sometimes be dancing on two different stages. When you get to the feis find your stage. There will be a big poster beside the stage with the stage numbers. 

On each stage there will also be a list of competition numbers that will be posted beside the stage number. This is a list of all the competitions that will be held on that stage. There will be another posting labeled "Now" which indicates which competition is currently on stage, and another posting labeled "Next" which indicates the group of dancers that are lined up to go on stage next. When your dancer's competition is next, they should check-in with the stage monitor so they can be placed side stage in rows of chairs. The stage monitor will help the dancers walk on the stage, and another volunteer will count the children off to start their dance. Once the competition is over the stage monitor will have the dancers bow and walk off the stage.