Out of all the sports and activities out in the world to choose from, you may be wondering, “Why Irish Dance?” Click here for a list of reasons why we, Tamorans, view Irish Dance as not only an amazing art+sport and way of life but also a way to build important life skills.

Absolutely not! While Irish Dance embodies the beauty of Ireland and Irish culture, the Irish Dance community welcomes all and encourages everyone to take part in the art+sport. 

No, you do not need to compete to be an Irish Dancer. We have dancers that choose to take classes as an extracurricular activity without competing. However, the benefits of competition are that it allows you to meet other Irish Dancers in the community and work toward goals you set for yourself--plus the medals and trophies are always fun!

A feis is a local Irish Dance competition where you get a chance to dance in front of a judge and earn placements that allow you to move up through the different levels. You also are able to meet dancers from other schools in the area and form lifelong friendships!

There are 6 competitive levels: Beginner 1, Beginner 2, Novice, Prizewinner, Preliminary Championship, and Open Championship. These levels become increasingly more demanding, as both the technique and choreography increase in intricacy and required skill level. As dancers progress through the levels, additional performance and competitive opportunities become available, including opportunities to compete overseas. 

Grade Exams "provide a structured framework...to provide a strong foundation in Irish Dance. [They] are unlike competitions in that each candidate is individually examined and receives a detailed written assessment of their performance and knowledge of the grade being attempt. The scheme consists of an optional preliminary grade, followed by 12 grades with each one becoming increasingly more demanding on the candidates' skill, knowledge, and ability" (CLRG, 2020). A dancer must pass all 12 grades to apply to take the official Irish Dancing teaching exam for the Teagascóir Choimisiúin le Rinci Gaelacha (TCRG) credential.