Feis

The term feis is commonly used referring to Irish dance competitions and, in Ireland, to immersive teaching courses, specialising in traditional music and culture.

[1][2] In Ancient Ireland communities placed great importance on local festivals, where Gaels could come together in song, dance, music, theatre and sport.

The largest of these was the Aonach, the great festival at Tara, which was then the city of Ireland's Ardrí, or "High King".

These feiseanna were a rich opportunity for storytellers to reach a large audience, and often warriors would recount their exploits in combat, clansmen would trace family genealogies, and bards and balladeers would lead the groups in legends, stories, and song.

These gatherings eventually gave rise to athletic and sporting competitions, including horse- and chariot-racing, as well as feats of strength and endurance.

The Fèis movement came about when a group of parents and other individuals – including Fr Colin MacInnes, Dr Angus MacDonald, Kenna Campbell and Isbhbel T MacDonald – on the Isle of Barra became concerned that local traditions were dying out and that island children were not being taught traditional music in the context of formal education.

The modern fèis is an opportunity for individuals to come together to develop skills in the Gaelic arts – song, dance, drama, and traditional music on a wide range of instruments.

The skills taught at Fèisean are a highly valued aspect of the informal education of young people, as demonstrated by the level of volunteer commitment and parental support in local areas.

[3] Today the Feis has experienced something of a rebirth, both for ethnic Gaels and for enthusiasts of the Gaelic culture in Ireland and Scotland, as well as throughout the world.

When these students reach a competition level decided on by the dance school, they can design or choose a costume of their own.

The most prestigious competition for top dancers is the Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne (the World Championships), held each Easter Week and in a different city each year.

Some feiseanna in the US also offer a 'first feis' category for the youngest dancers, to give them a more gentle introduction into the world of competitions.

In the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand almost all of the organisations separate the competitions into beginner (sometimes referred to as novice), primary, intermediate and open levels.

The most common way for dancers to advance between levels is through winning a dance when there are 6 or more competitors in the competition, although this depends on organisation.

This scoring method helps ensure that a single bad adjudicator does not unfairly ruin the results.

At Regional Oireachtas competitions, there are 5 judges who rate all three dance programs, creating the possibility of a perfect score of 500.