Adult-friendly Irish dance feiseanna for February

Adult Irish dancers demonstrating ceili dancing
photo credit: Ainemcg/flickr

Many feiseanna offer competitions for adult Irish dancers.  Here's a quick glance at feiseanna that are friendly to adult Irish dancers in February.
Plan on supporting a feis in your area that includes adult Irish dancers and keep an eye out for those feiseanna who are offering slow speed dances for adults. 
*source: www.feisworx.com 

Key: FF-first feis B-beginner, N-novice, PW-prize winner, O-open championship

Heart of Texas Feis 2012
Houston, TX - Feb 4, 2012
McTeggart Irish Dancers of South Texas
B1/B2, N/PW

4 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, slow speeds are offered for adults

2,3,4,6,8 hand

specials: traditional set

Mall Of America Feis 2012
Bloomington. MN - Feb 4, 2012 to Feb 5, 2012
O'Shea Irish Dance

B1/B2, N/PW

3 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, traditional speeds only

traditional set

8 hand

specials: music

Rince ISSS Championships 2012
Edmonton, AB - Feb 4, 2012 to Feb 5, 2012
Knock School of Irish Dance

B, N, PW

4 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, 

traditional set

2,3,4,6,8, progressive

specials: art

Shelley Wasatch Winterfeis 2012
Kearns, UT - Feb 4, 2012
The Shelley School of Irish Dance

B, N/PW

4 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, slow speeds allowed 

(even though the syllabus states otherwise)

traditional set

2,8, hand 

specials: double reel, art

The North Coast Feis 2012
Celevland, OH - Feb 4, 2012
Various Cleveland Area Dance Schools

B1/B2, N/PW

3 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, traditional speed only

traditional set

Feis Na Tara 2012
Atlanta, GA - Feb 17, 2012 to Feb 18, 2012
Mulligan School of Irish Dance

B1/B2, N/PW

3 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, traditional speed only

traditional set

4,8 hand

specials: music and spoken Gaelic

St. Louis Irish Arts Feis 2012
St. Louis, MO - Feb 17, 2012 to Feb 18, 2012
St. Louis Irish Arts

B1/B2, N/PW

3 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, traditional speed only

traditional set

4,8 hand; 2,3,4 parent/sibling 

specials: arts & crafts, music

St. Louis Winterfeis 2012
St. Louis, MO - Feb 19, 2012
St. Louis Winter Feis

B1/B2, N/PW

3 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, traditional speed only

traditional set

6,8 hand; 2,3,4 parent/sibling 

specials: arts & crafts, music, baking

New Mexico State Championship & Feis 2012
Albuquerque, NM - Feb 25, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012
McTeggart, NM

B, N/PW

3 soft shoe

2 hard shoe, traditional speed only

traditional set

parent/sibling 

specials: art 

Van Eire Feis 2012
Surrey, BC - Feb 25, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012
Van Eire Traditional Dance Assoc

B, N/PW

3 soft shoe

2 hard shoe

traditional set

2,3,4,6,8 hand

specials: reel treble jig

*if you have a photo of your adult class practicing or performing that you would like to see featured, please email.

For North America's favorite Irish dancing magazine delivered directly to your mailbox, subscribe now!

Dropping down, an adult Irish dancer's dilemma

Photo Credit Curtis Judd Photography

This article was first published in the Oct/Nov 2011 issue of Feis America Magazine.

“This is my last feis in the adult category,” I confided to an adult dancer as we stood backstage, ready in our class dresses for the Prizewinner competition. After consulting with my TCRG, we agree that I can start learning slow speed dances, drop down to compete with the teens, and lift the ceiling on how far I can progress in Irish dance.

I didn’t expect to have second thoughts about dropping down to the “& overs”, but as I competed in the adult category and observed the adults who have already “dropped down” my decision began to waver.  Now that the time is near for me to drop down as an adult, I must weigh the pros and cons.

There are many reasons why I want to drop down, foremost of which are to challenge myself, compete and rub shoulders with the many dancers in my area who have dropped down already, and wear a coveted solo dress.

To me, the appeal of switching categories as an adult has to do with aspiring higher and pushing myself to get better. Even though I love to dance just for the sake of the art form, competition lights a fire under me that propels me forward in skill.  Because there is a limit to how far I can progress in the adult category, I look forward to dropping down to fuel my motivation to excel.

I love the camaraderie and encouragement of other adult dancers. Many of the adult dancers in my area have already dropped down into &overs and I would love to join them.

I can’t wait to dance in a sparkly, colorful, made-for-me solo dress. There’s something about knowing that you are dressed to kill that helps you dance your best.  Even though there are some dancers who wear solo dresses in the adult prizewinner category, I’m going to hold off on that privilege until I drop down.  I can’t wait until I’ve earned the privilege of dancing onstage in a solo dress.

While I can’t wait to drop down into the &overs, a few things have happened since my last feis to make me consider staying in the adult category. A recent ruling by IDTANA allowing adults to do slow speeds, my own health issues, and the added knowledge that I would be unable to not participate in an adult ceili team all make me pause and reconsider where I want to compete in the near future.

At the Irish Dance Teacher’s Association of North America meeting at the North American Irishd Dance Championships, the attending TCRGs voted to allow adult competitors to compete in slow and fast speed hard shoe dances.  Because the ban on slow speeds for adults went into effect before I began dancing, I have never competed in a slow speed hardshoe before—a new challenge and reason for staying in the adult category.

A surgery and a recent back injury make me wonder if I should stay in the adult category.  Those who drop down with the teens practice faithfully and keep their bodies fit enough to compete for champion level.  Until I can recover and train my body, the adult category is a good place for me to be. I can keep up on competition but allow my body time to heal until I can handle a more rigorous schedule.

I would love to be a part of an adult ladies ceili team before I drop down to the &overs.  While I attended what I thought would be my last feis as an “adult”, I learned that as soon as I drop down, I will no longer be able to be on a ceili team with the other adults at my school. This information made me backtrack a little—perhaps I should stay in the adult category awhile longer.

Continuing on with the adult category suits me at my current progress level. As I recover from health setbacks, I can go at my own pace and still compete. Slow speed dances will keep me busy for a year or more and I will be eligible to compete with an adult team.  Will I still aspire to drop down and try for champion levels?  You bet—it might take me a little longer than I originally planned, but before I know it I’ll be waiting backstage of the &over competition in my new solo dress.

IrishCentral: Cosa Meara provides a network for collegiate adult Irish dancers

This article first appeared on IrishCentral.com.

Cosa Meara is the first Irish dance network for collegiate Irish dancers. Cosa Meara (pronounced koh-suh mah-ruh) began in 2006 as a student-run Irish dance company at the University of Illinois. The organization was started to provide Irish dancers a way to meet together to practice, prepare for competition and do shows on campus. 

Adult Irish dancers perform through Cosa Meara at
University of Illinois, Chicago.
photo credit Cosa Meara facebook page

Currently there are ten branches of Cosa Meara in the United States, each at a different university:

• Florida State University
• Loyala University Chicago
• Marquette University
• Syracuse University
• University of California, Santa Barbara
• University of Chicago
• University of Dayton
• University of Illinois at Chicago
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• University of Minnesota

-------------------

READ MORE:

Adult Irish dance team at Villanova University - VIDEO

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota's Irish Dance Track offers program for continuing Irish dance education

--------------------

The branches of Cosa Meara govern their own group, but together they form a supportive organization that promotes Irish dancing. Individual dancers still belong to their own home schools and if they compete, they do so under their original Irish dance teachers.

Anyone that is interested in promoting adult Irish dancers on their campus, can contact Cosa Meara on their website to find out more information. 

Quick note: Registration for the Shelley Wasatch Winterfeis (February 4, 2012) closes tomorrow, January 21.  The TCRG there assured me that they will offer slow speed dances for hard shoes for adult Irish dancers, even though it is not listed on their syllabus.  To register, go to www.feisworx.com.

For North America's favorite Irish dancing magazine delivered directly to your mailbox, subscribe now!