Children appear on stage in twos, dancing simultaneously to the same music. Each will display a number on the front of the uniform.  They will most likely not be paired with a student from the same school, and therefore will not be performing the same step. Competitors step out in turn and perform their steps, return to line and wait  for the rest of the competitors to finish. 

     Competitors need to rely solely on their knowledge of the music to know when to start (since they will not recognize the steps from other schools). When all the competitors on the stage have danced, the next line of competitors will advance to the stage and dance.  A full competition may have several stages full of dancers. 

CLICK HERE TO SEE HELPFUL TIPS FOR SURVIVING YOUR FIRST FEIS.

COSTUMES

• A costume is required of each dancer entering a competition or performing with the school. Schools vary in their requirements for their students' first feis but most teachers require that their students be properly outfitted right from the beginning. Costumes can cost anywhere between $50 and $1,000. Again, they are not needed immediately - as dancers advance to a competitive level and/or participate in performances with the School, a costume becomes a requirement.  Our beginner “class” costume (uniform) costs approximately $110, and our advanced costume costs approximately $400.  Samples and order forms are available.  (More expensive costumes are optional - as students may eventually desire to create a personal solo dress). Second-hand costumes and shoes are often available from students within the School who have outgrown theirs. A list of “used” items is distributed periodically. Contact seamstress Marie Farrelly for more information about having a costume made  MFARRE8034@aol.com.  For information about ordering shoes, socks, and Irish music CDs / tapes, contact Tom Sheehan at TOMJSHEEHAN@VERIZON.NET

Click here to learn more about shoes and costumes.

GIRLS' HAIR

• Girls' hair is often seen in ringlets. The top section of hair ( or often all of the hair) is tied in a ponytail, and curled into ringlets to match the rest.  Bangs are often worn (this is where the headband is often seen as the separator). The Cara School DOES NOT require any particular hairstyle for competitions or other performances. It is however important to maintain a neat hairstyle so as not to provide a distraction from the dancing.  
  

MISCELLANEOUS

• Click here to see a list of upcoming feaisanna.

• It is very important to properly secure the laces on your shoes. A loose lace may come untied while dancing and cause mistakes or injury.  It is advisable to have a parent/adult double knot the laces - checking them prior to each event.

• Shawls and capes should also be secured.  It is a good idea to pin through to the blouse (if wearing the beginner jumper).  There have been occasions where the shawl slips off the shoulder.  This is a distraction for both the dancer and the judge - especially since the hands that could adjust it must remain at the dancer’s side while competing !

• If a dancer should make a slight mistake he/she should always recover and continue - DO NOT STOP (no score is even given to those who do stop)

• If a shoe comes untied, a headband falls off, a shawl moves, a brooch falls off,  a dancer falls, dancers bump into each other…. These things should be ignored as much as is possible.  Do not pick up anything that falls - until finished, do not stop dancing, don’t make any on-stage apologies - continue dancing.

• Be courteous to all stagehands, they are there to help.  If someone is on stage helping dancers to start  (this sometimes happens with beginners since some are unfamiliar with music) dancers always have the option to decline the help.  Sometimes the offer of help becomes a distraction and a dancer who could have successfully started without help is thrown off – causing deductions.  Considerable time is spent learning when to start and Cara dancers really should not need help.  Count the bars of music just as is done in class – each dancer does two steps (32 bars in total) and then the next dancer begins. 

• When the preceding dancer has 8 bars remaining (the left foot of the second step) the next dancer should step out of line, into a good starting position. One should place oneself where the judge has a clear view, as close to the center of the stage as is sensible, and should be in front of the on-stage line (that way there feet won’t cause any tripping). It is important to appear confident and to let the judge see the talent !! ( a nice smile never hurts either).

• Please note that every Feis syllabus explicitly prohibits any videotaping of competitions.

• Please be patient with event organizers as there are many many dancers, parents, musicians, judges etc that they are trying to accommodate.

• And, as always, have fun - it’s really NOT all about winning or losing !!

GOOD   LUCK  CARA  DANCERS!