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| Competitions |
§ 0 Basic principles
- The following rules for competitions are to be understood as a proposal. However, IDN members organising their own competitions are asked to keep as narrow as possible to this proposal in order to safeguard a defined and reliable standard for the participants and guarantee comparability.
- Simple dancing competitions are called Féile, dancing competitions with additional events are called Feis, and dancing championships are called Oireachtas.
- Open and internal Féilte and Feiseanna are planned, organised and held by IDN members on their own authority. No licence is necessary. It is sufficient that the event follows the rules of IDN and the date is reported to the IDN secretariat. However, synchronisation with other dates is strongly recommended.
- Oireachtais are planned and organised by the local IDN branches, whose territory they cover, on their own authority. The holding will be transferred to IDN members willing to do this on their own responsibility.
- All IDN members have the right to hold or to participate in dancing competitions outside of IDN in any way.
- Open dancing competitions of IDN members and dancing championships of IDN branches are open to all dancers independent of organisation or school membership. Internal dancing competitions of IDN members are limited to invited guests.
- For competition qualification standard contests are held in all performance levels. For rewarding special abilities trophy contests are held in all performance levels. For deciding the best participants of a competition championships are held in open level.
- Performance levels are Basic Level - Bun Ghrád, Primary Level - Tús Ghrád, Main Level - Meán Ghrád, Open Level - Ard Ghrád. For trophy contests several performance levels may be combined.
- Standard contests at internal dancing competitions are not qualifying for performance levels.
- The division into age groups at dancing competitions is done by the organiser. Main objective for standard contests is to shape them such that the number of participants is sufficient for competition qualification. Main objective for trophy and championship contests is to make them a challenge, which on the other hand offers real chances to every participant.
§ 1 General
- The instructions of the organiser and their representatives are to be followed.
- No smoking in the dressing area as well as in the dancing hall.
- Photography and video recording is free and can be used freely. However, they stay copyrighted property of the organiser and must be provided to the organiser on request for free use free of charge. Participants and visitors grant the unlimited right to the organiser to use photographs and video recordings of the event where they are pictured just as they like. Usage of flash during contests beginning or in progress is strictly forbidden.
- It is not allowed to give instructions to dancers while they are competing.
- The arrangement of measures in case of violation of these rules is solely to the responsibility of the organiser.
- Participation in a contest is at one's own risk. The organiser cannot be made responsible for physical or material damage. The participants themselves are responsible for their insurance cover.
- Participants and guests are liable to the organiser for damage caused be them. Parents and minders are held liable for their children.
- The participants themselves are responsible for the observance of the copyright of third parties for choreographies, costumes and music used by them.
- The organiser has the right to operatively vary rules in favour of the participants.
§ 2 Participation
- The Féile / The Feis / The Oireachtas is open to all dancers independent of organisation or school membership.
OR
The Féile / The Feis is open to all pupils of the [name of the school] and invited guests.
- The age group is determined by age as of January 1st of the current year.
OR
The age group is determined by age as of January 1st of the following year.
- The dancers themselves are responsible to arrive at a contest in time. Published schedules are not binding.
- After a contest has been closed it cannot be opened again for late dancers.
- Dancers must wear clothing appropriate for a traditional Irish dancing competition. Celtic design should be preferred. Adjudicators have the right to deduct points for grossly inappropriate clothing.
- Dancers must wear traditional Irish dancing footwear. Adjudicators have the right to exclude dancers without appropriate footwear from the contest.
- Jewellery must not disturb the overall impression of the dance. Adjudicators have the right to demand to stop wearing grossly disturbing jewellery as a prerequisite for participation in a contest.
- It is recommended to best avoid artificial hair pieces and make-up, except when necessary for performance.
- Dancers must be in costume including shoes when receiving awards.
§ 3 Solo dancing
- All dancers start in those performance levels they are qualified for.
OR
All dancers may start in all performance levels without qualification.
- The participating dancers will stand in a line on stage. Two at a time will come forward to dance. During the last 8 bars the next two dancers get ready and start immediately afterwards without break.
- The trophy contests follow the same rule. However, it can be ordered that one to four dancers dance at a time, and that as finish a common step is to be danced by all dancers simultaneously.
- After finishing their dance the dancers will bow briefly and leave the stage to the side without obstructing the next dancers. They will go back to their place in the line and wait until the adjudicator has indicated the end of the contest. Before leaving all dancers will bow first to the adjudicator, then to the musician.
- In all performance levels light reel, light jig, hop jig and slip jig as well as treble reel, treble jig, hornpipe and sling as well as solo set can be danced as standard contests.
- In all performance levels in standard contests 32 bars per dance must be danced, except for the solo sets where a full step and a half set are to be danced.
- In all performance levels only steps not exceeding the respective difficulty level may be danced.
- In all performance levels any dances or combination of dances of any length may be held as trophy contests.
- In open level championship contests may be held. These consist of three rounds. In round 1 48 bars of a light dance of own choice, in round 2 48 bars of a heavy dance of own choice and in round 3 a full step and a full set of an open solo set of own choice must be danced. The standard contests may be used as preliminary rounds and rounds 1 and 2 as qualifiers in order to reduce the number of participants.
- For the four performance levels the following solo sets will be danced as standard contests:
- Basic: traditional St. Patrick's Day (1st step/set) or The Three Sea Captains (1st step/set),
- Primary: any traditional solo set (any traditional step/set combination),
- Main: open solo set in jig rhythm,
- Open: open solo set in hornpipe rhythm.
- For the four performance levels the following speeds for step dances are used (variations in live-played music may occur):
- Basic: light reel, hop jig and slip jig: 128 bpm; light jig: 120 bpm; treble reel: 124 bpm; treble jig: 93 bpm; hornpipe and sling: 140 bpm,
- Primary: light reel, hop jig and slip jig: 122 bpm; light jig: 114 bpm; treble reel: 120 bpm; treble jig: 85 bpm; hornpipe and sling: 128 bpm,
- Main: light jig: 109 bpm; treble jig: 77 bpm; all others 116 bpm,
- Open: light jig: 106 bpm; treble jig: 74 bpm; all others 113 bpm.
- For solo set dances the following speeds are used (variations in live-played music may occur):
- Traditionals: jig rhythm: 93 bpm; hornpipe rhythm: 140 bpm,
- Reel rhythm: free choice from 102 bpm to 113 bpm,
- Jig rhythm: free choice from 67 bpm to 74 bpm,
- Hornpipe rhythm: free choice from 102 bpm to 113 bpm,
- Slip jig rhythm: free choice from 102 bpm to 113 bpm.
- Toe stands are not allowed before an age of 12 years.
§ 4 Group dancing
- In group dancing contests can be held in traditional figure dancing, open figure dancing and show dancing.
- In group dancing dancers are allowed to take part with several groups in the same contest. The number of dancers within a group, who take part in a certain contest with this group only, must reach at least 50%.
- In traditional figure dancing contests all accepted traditional figure dances as well as historical social sets may be danced.
- Traditional figure dancing contests can be held in the following categories:
- up to 32 bars
- more than 32 and up to 56 bars
- more than 56 and up to 128 bars
- more than 128 bars
- multipart
or alternatively
- line dances
- round dances
- contra dances
- cotillons
- quadrilles
- Participants in traditional figure dancing contests must be able to dance the complete dance. The adjudicator may break off longer dances as required and confine social sets to two tours of the adjudicator's choice.
- In open figure dancing contests traditional basic material must be used. The difficulty level of the combinations used, however, is free of choice. As rhythms all rhythms used in traditional figure dances are possible. Own music can be used.
- Open figure dancing contests can be held in the following categories:
- 2-hand dances
- 3-hand dances
- 4-hand dances
- chorus dances
- set dances
- In open figure dancing contests for 2-hand, 3-hand and 4-hand dances 48 bars will be danced. Chorus dances with 5 to 20 dancers will be danced 1 minute minimum up to 3 minutes maximum. Set dances are confined to two tours of the dancers' choice. The adjudicator may break off longer dances as required.
- In show dancing contests any material and any rhythm can be used. However, the dance must be recognisable as Irish dancing. Own music will be used.
- Show dance contests can be held in the following categories:
- free choreography
- dance drama
- Show dances with 1 to 20 dancers will be danced 2 minutes minimum up to 5 minutes maximum.
- In figure dancing championship contests may be held. These consist of three rounds. In round 1 a 2-hand or 3-hand dance, in round 2 a traditional figure dance of own choice with more than 128 bars and in round 3 a chorus dance must be danced. Between rounds dancers must not be replaced.
OR
In figure dancing championship contests may be held. These consist of the results of all regular figure dancing contests, which are used as rounds. Only the best single team of a championship team within a contest is taken into account. If a championship team does not participate in one of the rounds, its place number is taken by 1 higher as if it came in last.
- In championship contests in figure dancing dancers cannot start for more than one team.
- For group dances the following speeds are used (variations in live-played music may occur):
- figure dances: hornpipes: variable from 180 bpm to 240 bpm; other rhythms: variable from 116 bpm to 123 bpm
- show dances: free choice
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| Principles |
| De-Commercialisation |
| The centre of attention is the dance, not the business with it! |
| Freedom of access |
| IDN competitions are open to all, independent of school and organisation membership. |
| Freedom of choice |
| IDN group heads allow their dancers free choice of teacher and renounce transfer rules. |
| Freedom of usage |
| IDN choreographies are allowed to be used freely, in so far as the purpose is not predominantly financial gain. Dance is free! |
| Authenticity |
| The IDN view on dancing is based on the entire Irish dancing tradition. Modern mixing with other dance forms is regarded as legitimate; however it is strictly distinguished from traditional Irish dance. |
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| Scientific rigour |
| The IDN standards for dance, examinations and competitions are based on historical facts and scientific analysis. |
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