Glossary

Definitions of some Irish Dance terms and phrases that you may have heard in class but weren't sure what they meant:

 

dance out (noun) a dance performance for the public, for example, at a nursing home, luncheon, or wedding. Students of the Carle School are able to participate in several dance outs throughout the year, many concentrated around St. Patrick's Day.

 

 

feis (pronounced fesh), pl. feiseanna (fesh-ah'-na) (noun) an Irish dance competition where dancers compete in their own age group and level against dancers from their own school and other schools.

There are several feiseanna held in the Central New York area, including our local feis, the Southern Tier Feis, in August on the campus of Broome Community College in Binghamton, NY. If you'll be attending your first feis, please visit this page created by the Teelin School in Maryland that gives a nice run through in pictures and text of what to expect.

 

feis, feising (verb) the act of attending and competing in a feis ("we were feising last weekend").

 

ghillies (noun) soft shoes worn by Irish dancers, characterized by a criss-cross lace pattern from toe to knot. Beginning dancers at the Carle School can wear ballet shoes, but all dancers in Advanced Beginner and higher levels are to wear ghillies.

 

 

hard shoes (noun) shoes worn by Irish dancers for treble (heavy) jig, hornpipe, and traditional set dances. They have fiberglass heels and tips. Instruction in hard shoe dancing at the Carle School usually begins during Advanced Beginner class.

 

 

over (noun) a dance move characterized by leaping into the air with the front leg extended straight out horizontally and the rear leg/foot brought back and up with knee pointed down.

 

recital (noun) a yearly dance performance for family and friends. The Carle School holds its recital in January at the Anderson Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Binghamton University.

school dress (noun) a dress made in a school's colors, worn by dancers for dance outs, recitals, and competitions. At beginner and advanced beginner competition levels, girls can only wear a school dress or a blouse and skirt. At higher levels, girls are eligible to wear individualized solo dresses but can also continue to wear school dresses or a blouse and skirt. In competition, boys wear a dress shirt, dress pants, tie, and some wear a vest.

 

 

solo dress (noun) a dress that dancers can purchase and wear in competition once they reach the Novice grade in a particular dance. When dancers are transitioning from Advanced Beginner grade to Novice grade, some continue to compete in their school dress while others take two dresses to competitions so they can wear their solo dress in their novice dances.