IrishCentral: Adult-friendly Irish dance feiseanna for January

Megan Howard TCRG teaches a beginner adult Irish dance class
at Culkin School in Silver Spring, Maryland
photo credit Bill H on flickr

This article first appeared on IrishCentral.com.

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.


Many feiseanna offer competitions for adult Irish dancers.  Here's a quick glance at feiseanna that are friendly to adult Irish dancers in January. 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

Feis New Orleans 2012
New Orleans, LA - Jan 14, 2012
McTeggart, Louisiana
B/BII, N/PW
4 soft shoe
2 hard shoe, traditional speed only
2 hand reel or light jig, 3 hand reel, 4,6,8 book dance

specials: double reel, music, vocal, art, spoken word, baking

Blakey Calgary Feis 2012
Calgary, AB - Jan 20, 2012 to Jan 22, 2012
Blakey School of Irish Dance
B, N, PW
4 soft shoe
2 hard shoe
traditional set
2,3,4,6,8, progressive

specials: treble reel

King-O'Sullivan Winterfeis 2012
Atlanta, GA - Jan 21, 2012
King O'Sullivan School of Irish Dance
B, N, O
3 soft shoe
2 hard shoe

parent/child figure (any)

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Wisconsin Winterfeis 2012
Waukesha, WI - Jan 21, 2012
Cashel-Dennehy
B/BII, N/PW
3 soft shoe
2 hard shoe, traditional speeds only
traditional set
figure (any)


Irish Cultural & Heritage Society Feis 2012
Waukesha, WI - Jan 22, 2012
Irish Cultural and Heritage Heritage Center
B/BII, N/PW
3 soft shoe
2 hard shoe, traditional speeds only
traditional set

figure (any)

Colorado WinterFeis 2012
Castle Rock, CO - Jan 27, 2012 to Jan 28, 2012
Wick School
B(over 40), B, N, PW
4 soft shoe
2 hard shoe, traditional speeds only
traditional set
2,3,4,6,8, 

specials: trophy (soft shoe and non-trad set)

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IrishCentral: Adult Irish dancer Andria Beauvais from Celtic Steps

Adult Irish dancer Andria Beauvais from Celtic Steps in Colorado

When I talk to other adult Irish dancers, I often find that they feel isolated. While you may be the only adult dancer in your area, there are thousands more who lace up their hard shoes and pound the floor with seasoned feet. If you are an adult Irish dancer (any level or age) or know of an Irish dancer that would like to be spotlighted, please send an email to christy at dorrity dot net.

Welcome to Andria Beauvais from Celtic Steps in Colorado. Thank you for taking the time to do an interview for our adult Irish dancers.  

Who began dancing first, your daughter or yourself?

My daughter actually started dancing first. We happened to go to the Colorado Springs St. Patricks day parade and saw Irish dancers there and, well, it all began that day.

How did you get started in Irish dancing?

I actually got started after my daughter had been dancing for a while. Honestly, watching her I thought this isn't that hard, I can do this. Not too long after taking classes I actually did my first feis and have been going strong since then.

As an adult do you feel encouraged and supported at Celtic Steps?
I actually get a lot of support at Celtic steps. About 5 years ago I dropped down to the age groups and had to dance with the kids. The Celtic steps family is very supportive of everyone. Even when you think you can't do it, there is some who will always say you can do it. Most of the time they are right but there are somethings that my body just won't do.

You own Sheehan’s Irish Shop. What inspired you to open an online dance store?

I opened the Irish dance store so that there was something local here in Colorado Springs so people could get shoes and supplies faster than driving 45 mins to an hour to the shops in Denver.
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What are your short and long term personal goals for Irish dancing?

Right now I'm not sure what my goals are for Irish dance are. I've been dancing for several years, first as an adult and then in the age groups. My main goal in Irish dance after I dropped down to the age groups was to make it to championship and I have reached that goal.

Will you be competing in slow speeds this coming year?

I've been dancing slow speeds for several years.  I do help with colorado springs Celtic steps adult class and I have been working with them on their slow steps and they are actually very excited about doing the slow steps.

What do you think the future looks like for adult Irish dancers?

Things have changed so much for the adult dancers over the past few year and I really hope that it continues for them. I hope that maybe some day they will bring championships back for the adults. As long as there is an interest, I think the adults will continue to keep dancing and enjoying it.

What music do you practice your Irish to?

I personally love the Top Box cd (Dean Crouch) and Kin'sha cd.  I love anything that is more up beat and fun to dance to.

Thank you Andria. Congratulations on reaching your goal of Championship level and good luck in your future dancing.

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

IrishCentral: Adult Irish dance team at Villanova University

Villanova adult Irish dance team, Villanova, Pennsylvania

This article first appeared on IrishCentral.com.

The Irish dance club at Villanova University in Pennsylvania provides opportunities for all college students of all levels.  There are classes for the greenest beginner, and a course of study for those who desire to continue competing while in their collegiate years.

Villanova adult Irish dancers sporting Irish dance jackets

In 2006 a group of dedicated dancers wanted to share their love of Irish dance, music and culture with the Villanova community.  The Villanova Irish dance club was formed. All dances are choreographed by students and include traditional sets and ceilis and contemporary figures and solos. Co-captain Kristen Boersig has been told that there's a different sort of energy that sets them apart from other dancers on campus. "We like to mix traditional and modern moves to upbeat and recognizable songs," Boersig says. "That way the audience can make a connection and relate to the performances, even if they don’t understand the background of Irish dance.



The Irish dance team performs all year on the Villanova campus and in local areas around Villanova.  With St. Patrick’s Day comes an annual showcase as a way to celebrate the dances they have learned.

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Classes are available for beginner, intermediate and advanced classes.  Beginner adult Irish dancers get the opportunity to show their new dancing talents at many of the performances, including the St. Patrick’s Day Showcase.  Intermediate adult Irish dancers can learn more advanced technique in soft and hard shoes.  Advanced adult Irish dancers meet often for team and solo work, competing in regional, national and international competitions. 

Student Bridget Nyland was able to travel with the Villanova Irish dance club to Paris, France and participate in the European Celtic Irish Dance Festival. Bridget says, “It was noncompetitive and a great chance to meet other Irish dance groups from all over the world.”

Villanova adult Irish dancers at the European Celtic Irish Dance Festival

For more information about the Villanova Irish dance club, take a look at their website. 

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IrishCentral: Pros and cons of boys in Irish dance

The boys at a feis

This article first appeared on IrishCentral.com.

My husband and I have five sons and a daughter and they all take Irish dance lessons. As a family, we love to travel to feiseanna together to cheer on our three boys who are old enough to compete.

People tell us how lucky we are that we don’t have to spend the money on the many trappings of the girl’s costumes. Having boys in Irish dance is easier in a lot of ways, and yet I find myself counting the years until my daughter competes.

Why I love having sons who Irish dance.

First and foremost are the costumes. A solo dress for a young lady can be as or more expensive than the dress she says, “I do” in. But don’t think it stops there. Girls require shoes, poodle socks, tiaras or headbands, wigs, and incidentals such as earrings, sock glue and bloomers. Aside from shoes, boys who compete have much less expensive attire: vest, shirt and tie, slacks, and black socks.

I know it seems silly, but even though I pay much less for my boys’ costumes, I can’t wait until I can buy my daughter an outrageously priced sparkly dress. There is a part of me that longs to glue the rhinestones on her dress and watch her curls bounce above her head onstage.

My sons no longer perform the slip jig, a more feminine Irish dance, in competition. No slip jig means more time to practice other dances, and less dances to worry about it competition. I’m good with that. It is lovely to watch the girls perform the slip jig and give them a chance to shine. I suppose the boys make up for it by doing heel clicks in their reels.

Drama among boys is considerably lower than the interactions between female Irish dancers. Oh, the boys have their own kind of drama, but it usually consists of a look or a punch in the arm and it’s over.

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Boys have less competition than girls in Irish dance, especially at the regional, national and world levels.  There are just fewer boys in the sport. That means my sons have a better chance of placing than girls who technically may be better than them. Secretly I am relieved that my boys have less competition, but there is a part of me that worries that they won’t be motivated enough to push themselves to reach their potential.

Whether you have a boy in Irish dancing or a girl, a parent’s worries are universal: Will the time and money spent build in my dancer the character, perseverance, and confidence in him or herself to lay a foundation for a successful future?

If the answer is yes, we all win.

Do you have sons or daughters who Irish dance?  How do you view the differences between the sexes in Irish dance?

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