Teelin Beginner Treble Choreography and Music Competitions November 20, 2016 | 1:00-3:00pm Circle D Farm in Woodbine Welcome! Each dancer (or musician) will have a competitor card available at the admissions desk, and the dancer’s competition section(s) will be listed on the card. Competitions have been divided into sections based on dancer’s age and Teelin class level. Each section will be judged separately. Teelin Teams who will be competing at the Southern Region (Regional Championships) this December will also be staging dress rehearsals today in between our competition events! Special thanks to our adjudicators – Joe Duffey for dancing competitions, and Sean McComiskey for music competitions – and to Sean for providing music for the dance competitions! Stage Schedule Note: Competitors, look at your competitor card to see your assigned section for each event, and then check the board near the stage to see the order for each section. * Competition groups “1” for each event will perform 1 step only. All others will perform 2 steps. 1. Reels (R) – sections 1R*, 2R, 3R 2. Team Dress Rehearsals (Cross Reel teams, and all U10 4-hand teams) 3. Light (LJ) – sections 1LJ*, 2LJ, 3LJ 4. Team Dress Rehearsals (U15b, U15c, U12a, U12b girls 4-hand teams, and all Sweets of May teams) 5. Slip Jigs (SJ) – sections 1SJ*, 2SJ 6. Team Dress Rehearsals (U12c girls, U12d girls, U12 mixed and 15&O mixed 4-hand teams) 7. Treble Reel Choreography Competitions (TR) – sections AB/N, N/PW 8. Music Competition (not before 2:15pm) 9. Award Ceremony A few helpful tips for competitors: • When you arrive, pick up your competitor number • The “Competitor Waiting Area” next to the stage from the registration table and pin it at the waist is for competitors only. (Parents, you can see the of your costume. It must be visible to the judge dancers in that area, but please let them be there while you are competing. independently. Reassuring nods and smiles are • Dancers – double knot your shoelaces!!! encouraged!) • Look for the poster (or white board) near the • While on stage, smile and enjoy the experience! stage with the competition numbers listed. THIS is the best part of competing – demonstrating Competitions will be crossed out as they are your love of dance to a captive audience! completed. • If you make a mistake or forget your step, DON’T • Dancers are invited to warm-up with a dance STOP! Keep going as best as you can—even coach in the designated warm-up area. (Note: make something up. Just do your best and it will This is NOT typical of a “regular feis”; we are be great! doing it today because this competition is for • If you accidentally fall while dancing, don’t panic. Teelin dancers only, and it will help teach the That happens every so often. Get up, smile, and dancers how to warm up on their own at a feis.) start again—it’ll be OK! • Dancers should check in with the Stage Manager • Please be quiet when dancers are on the stage. (she will be holding a clipboard) two competitions • Have fun! If you have any questions, just ask. before theirs is scheduled. Keep an eye on the ** See reverse side for spectator tips! ** schedule and check in promptly. Competitors not at the stage when their competition begins will forfeit that competition. A few helpful tips for spectators: The following excerpts are taken from “Feiseanna • Legs crossed (so that it looks like one knee is 101”. The article in its entirety (and many other helpful hiding behind the other) and legs turned out (so resources) may be found at www.teelin.com. that the inside of the ankle bone is facing forward). WHAT IS A FEIS? (AND HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE • Upright upper body carriage with arms straight THAT?!) at the dancer’s sides, chin level, eyes forward, head evenly balanced atop relaxed neck and The Gaelic word feis (pronounced “fesh”) refers to shoulders. a gathering of dancers for a sanctioned • Graceful and energetic movement, including high competition, each representing various Irish Dance elevation on the toes and snappy legs that kick Schools. Dancers perform in front of a judge (or the dancer’s bum if crossing from behind to in judges) to live music. front, or vice versa. A REVIEW OF IRISH DANCE TERMINOLOGY • Well-executed jumps that incorporate all of the A step is a series of Irish dance moves choreographed above principles, and an overall sense of “lift” to fit a certain musical cadence. In Irish dance, a step throughout a dance. has two sections: a right foot section and left foot • Confident and pleasant affect. (SMILE!) section. Each foot is danced to eight bars of music; For each event, a dancer must perform two steps in therefore each step is 16 bars. sequence. At a feis, competitors will dance two or To begin competing, a dancer must be able to perform three at a time, and will typically be lined up next to two full steps of a dance (unless there is a special dancers from other schools. Therefore, competitors category for beginners requiring only one step). will not be performing the same steps as the dancer(s) next to them on stage. Steps are choreographed for each category of dance: reel, light , , , and . There ARTISTIC EXPRESSION – AN IMPORTANT NOTE are many steps of each dance. TO DANCERS Irish dance steps are performed in soft shoes and/or Irish dance is a very athletic sport. But unlike many hard shoes. Beginners are first taught in soft shoes. traditional sports, dance is a performance art. Teelin The soft shoe dances taught at Teelin (in progression offers many opportunities to nurture and encourage of difficulty) are: reel, light jig, and slip jig. our students’ artistic development. Competing at a feis is one such opportunity. It is important to As dancers progress to hard shoes, treble jigs and remember that Irish dance competitions are not are taught. These dances are first taught simply attempts to win medals or trophies – they are to traditional speed music. More advanced dancers a celebration of Irish culture through the expression will then learn treble jig and hornpipe steps at slower of music and dance. tempo music, which allows for more complicated footwork. Dancing at a feis is exciting, and many dancers truly enjoy the discipline that is required to develop Traditional set dances have specific traditional their dancing to a competitive level. However, all choreography performed to a specific tune. Advanced dancers (and their parents!) are advised to keep their dancers will also learn treble reels and non-traditional competitive drive in check. Even the most skilled set dances (which have teacher-created choreography dancer is not going to compete well if she or he is not performed to a set tune). having fun. HOW ARE IRISH DANCE COMPETITIONS Dancers, remember to allow the performer in you to JUDGED? shine and to ENJOY the time on stage! A judge marks scores for each dancer’s technique, Interested in learning more about Irish dance timing, poise and presentation, and then awards competitions? Please ask questions at the Teelin placement proportionate to the number of entries Beginner Feis! Or visit the Teelin website at and to the degree of proficiency shown. Judging is www.teelin.com—”Feis Information.” somewhat subjective; results will vary. Basic Irish dance skills include (but are not limited to): • Good timing (meaning the dance movements match the rhythm of the music). • Pointed toes with arched feet any time feet are off the floor, and high on “tippy toes” when stepping.