When looking for a dance school, what is the best organization you want them to be part of? I know not every schools dancers can qualify for worlds, and as an Irish dancer, that’s your goal (so I assume). What organizations will give you that chance? Which organizations will not? Is any better or less than other’s? Is qualifying for the All Ireland’s just as good as worlds?

So I have a feis on the weekend and I noticed that my age group (PC17) was merged with the next older age group (PC99) even though my age group had 6 dancers registered and the other had 5. Can they do this? I thought you could only merge if an age group didn't have enough to count. I'm just wondering because merging seems to put the younger age group at a disadvantage.

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Former competitive dancer from 1993-2005...kept shoes and continue dancing for fun as a hobby. I rent the city community dance studio for $5/hr and dance by myself, however good or bad I continue to be, I do it for fun.
I had a fully torn ACL last year and am nearing the full recovery stage after surgery. I am walking 2+ miles/day and doing small jogs, though I can only do so much still.

Right now, doing hardshoe ever again seems impossible. Has anyone else gone through this as an adult? I know kids bounce back well from ACL surgery, but it's a bit different recovery process when you're almost 40.

Hello all,

A friend of mine has used hard shoes that I am looking to buy. My friend is asking for the same price they bought them for, so I was wondering if shoes are worth more or less after being used? They are in good condition as far as I can tell. I am aware that them being broken in probably has some value. Just wanted to get some outside opinions.

Hi all, My daughter is semi-new to preliminary championships, but I was going to sign her up for a feis near us and it said prelim 2nd chance. Can anyone explain what that is and should I sign her up for it?

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Hi yall! I’m feising in prelim this weekend and I‘m a little confused by the schedule. Basically it says that e.g at 12pm on stage 1 they have 5 age groups of prelims running concurrently. Does this mean each group does their 1st round, and then moving to 2nd for all? I don’t remember seeing this concurrent thing happen too often, last time I feised in prelim my age group did 1st round and 2nd round back to back without other age groups or competitions on that stage in between.

Hi all! I’m still rebuilding up strength from a 15 yr dance hiatus but I was wondering, what exercises would you recommend to help achieve a butterfly? I remember we started learning them right before I quit as a teen and was never able to do it.

Hi All! My 6 year old daughter has her first Feis next week and as her mom, I’m feeling…lost. I was a dancer growing up but this Irish dance world is way different! Is there anything you can think of that I need to pack? Have on hand? Any advice? We are both so nervous and I don’t want to forget anything!

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I’m a retired and returned dancer at 25 years old, never competed properly as a kid (only small class competitions) and I’m potentially interested in getting stuck in with some ‘real’ feises - I’m in England, live in Cheshire - what’s the best way to find comps locally?

Hi! Wondering what you all keep stocked in your zucas all the time? I have a U10 and U12 prize winners and whenever we are leaving for feisanna it’s just a mad dash to get out of the house and gather everything. I’d love to know what other dance parents always have stocked in the zucas to make feising easy! Thanks!

I‘m a senior in college and going to audition for our senior week talent show, thinking of just doing my competition reel because I‘m not good at choreographing stuff and I don’t know my school‘s show steps. I‘d still like to spice it up a little bit with some fun music at least, any recommendations? I might just end up scrolling Feis app for this, but in case someone has a favorite here!

Has anyone any tips on how to get a Ciara wig to stay on short fine hair? Like super fine and thin. We are progressing fairly quickly in dance, but only had to wear the wig once last year.

My daughter’s hair is too thin and fine to use a bun. By the time I gather it alll up and such the sides of her head look bawled.

I’m currently putting a small donut and then a large donut over the small one on top of her head and then two small donuts on the side. The top of the wig I think I can get fairly secured…..it didn’t fall off 🙈 but I can’t get the combs to secure at the back/base. I just end up anchoring them with heaps of pins into the donuts. The cap itself just seems huge for her head so the bottom of the wig bounces around like crazy.

My concern is finding a balance between keeping the wig on her head and pulling hair out. It grows so slow. I don’t want to hold her back but also conscious that her hair isn’t like “normal” girls.

What are your favorite/least non traditional set dances? It could be because you like the music, or because you have fond memories of dancing it

Hi there!

My neighbor found out I use to Irish dance (many years ago I’m embarrassed to say) and she has an in home dance studio. Nothing competitive - we do a bi yearly performance and it’s just a fun kind of laid back dance studio. She asked me to teach Irish dance this past spring season - I hesitantly accepted and I absolutely LOVE it!! Currently I just teach an adult class - I wanted to see how well it went first season. Out of all things I’ve retained in my life - Irish dancing is one of them. It just came back so naturally and I actually do enjoy teaching. But now that the dance season is coming to an end (starts back up in fall) - I am actually really sad to not be dancing during the summer. I thought to offer a free summer workout class and I want to focus more on cardio and getting our sweat on. What are some ideas of more high intense workouts do you do when you warm up / at the beginning of dance class (Irish dance themed)? I want to start compiling different ideas to do.

(Posting on behalf of a friend I dance with)

She’s bought a new pair of Antonio Pacelli heavies and is finding them very difficult to dance in due to the toe tip being rounded (as in the bit that sits on your toes/ball of your foot) so the feels like she’s going to tip over or is walking on stilts

Anyone have any tips on how to break them in/make them flatter? The pair she dances in currently are many years old so they’re pretty worn down and flat

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I’m trying to figure out what Senior Ladies are dancing at the 2025 Am Chomhdháil Worlds - Trying to figure out a syllabus for a competition.

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Hello!

I might cross post this onto the machine embroidery community as well. But wanted to see if anyone here has experience too.

I want to make my own solo dress, I am competent at sewing and following patterns and I also have an embroidery machine. I purchased a dress pattern and video master class from Earnest Threads.

The only part of the dressmaking process I cannot get my head around is the embroidery part. I would have to multi hoop it as it’s only a domestic embroidery machine I have. But how does one go from sketch/design, to embroidered onto the dress? All videos and explanations on the dressmaking process seem to skip over this part, which is what I’m struggling with the most. I would have thought there would be more information on the digitising/embroidery part.

It is all done by satin stitch anyway so if it comes to it I will just use my sewing machine and do it by hand, but does anyone know of any videos/instructions that explain the digitising/embroidery process?

I have been dancing on and off since I was 5 (15 years), and unfortunately have had to stop dancing for the past 6 months because of terrible hip bursitis. I know that dance has played a huge role in my bursitis. While I was both dancing and working my hip bursitis was awful, but as soon as I stopped dancing I saw great improvement, even though I was still working (waitress).

I saw a PT for a couple of months last Fall, but it was getting way too expensive.

What can I do to reduce my pain? When I dance I’m scared I’m wrecking my hips. Am I doomed to never dance again?

I just finished my 4th class and tonight it’s confirmed that I’ll be doing a ceili for a recital in June but for some reason I just cannot get the skip-2-3’s right in my head.

So let’s say I’m starting on my right foot. Here’s what I’m thinking is the correct way to do it:

1. My right foot comes up and hits my butt while my left foot jumps (1)

2. My right foot goes in front (2)

3. My left foot comes forward (not in front) to join my right (3)

4. My right foot taps in place?? (4)

5. My left foot comes up and hits my butt while my right foot jumps (1)

And so on.

I’m mostly confused about step 4, or basically what to do on the 4th beat. I’m not sure if I’m correct because in my dance I do 8 skip-2-3’s then move into a cut-2-3-4-5-6-7 and it doesn’t seem correct for me to tap my foot in place and then use that same foot to move into the cut-2-3 move.

Am I making sense?? Can someone help?

i feel completely alone and at a loss because of the lack of irish dance specific resources!! i’ve been trying to manage debilitating PF since JUNE and nothing seems to work. i even took some time off and focused on lots of PT. i’ve tried the chiro, stretching, anti inflammatories, inserts etc. i have a competition at the end of the month — it’s clear the problem won’t magically go away by then, so i’m trying to research a temporary pain management solution so i can get through the comp. it’s just so overwhelming. dancers who have had this problem, did you find a solution?? AND WHAT IS IT?!??😭😭😭😭

So because I am completely crazy I'm writing a ballet on Winter but that's a whole other story. As a sister show, to be performed right after, I'm writing a ballet about Ireland cause I love the country. All full of Irish Folk music in my weird ass style. Of course I will be wanting to put some Irish dancing in there but would that be impossible to do? Are the styles too different that I wouldn't find people proficient in both? I will not be the choreographer of the ballet but I know what I want in my head so I'm not completely ignorant to it.

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