Class & Level Descriptions

Dancers in all levels are invited to do performances throughout the year, especially during the St. Patrick's Day season. Competitive options are available for dancers too with teacher's approval.

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Tiny tots or Tir na Nog: Dancers ages 3-4 learning the basic elements of Irish Dance (30 minute classes)

Beginner: A beginner is a student/competitor who has not taken a full year of Irish Dance lessons, thereby giving beginners a full year with such status. A Beginner must move into the Advanced Beginner category for the next year. (45 min classes)

Advanced Beginner: An Advanced Beginner who wins 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place will advance to the Novice category in that particular dance.

Novice: A Novice dancer who wins a 1st place in a dance will advance to the Prizewinner category in that particular dance. (1 hour classes)

Prizewinner: A Prizewinner dancers who wins a 1st place in Reel, Slip Jig, Treble Jig and Hornpipe are eligible for Preliminary Championship. (1+ hour classes)

NOTE: The status of the dancer does NOT change unless there are five or more dancers in a competition.

Preliminary Championship: A dancer who wins two (3) first place preliminary championship awards in one calendar year will move on to Open Championship the following year (as of Jan 1); if the second first-place win does not occur in the same feis year as the first win, as soon as the second win is achieved, in any age category, the dancer must move up to open championship level immediately. Only in the case of a back-to-back Feisanna (successive days) the first-place win in the first Feis will not change the dancer’s status for the second Feis. (1+ hour classes)

Open Championship: This is the highest level of competition. Dancers at this level qualify for a variety of high achieving championships throughout the world. *In order to compete at the World Championships, dancers must qualify for this opportunity. 

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