Irish Dancing

[Itchy]

Hello all. Recently my daughter starter Irish dancing. It was innocent enough to start with but I am becoming very uncomfortable with it. My Mrs doesn't agree! These are my concerns, interested to hear from others in a similar situation on what they did. My daughter is 10 yrs old.

1- Kids from 4 yrs old competing as in there are winners and losers. Seems to me it should be about enjoyment at that age. Other sports are non competitive under 10.
2 - Fake tan and wigs. Sexualising small children in my opinion. Apparently you get marked down if you do not conform.
3- Feiseanna are some of the most disorganised shambles of events I've ever encountered. Last one my daughter arrived home at 1am, she was gone since 2pm to an event 1 hr from our house.
4- It's all about money. 1000 euro dresses (marked down if you don't wear at certain grades), expensive to enter, allow people to walk of  the street and register to fill the coffers, that's why it's so disorganised, place full of people selling crap.
5- Medals for all. Huge trophies and medals. It's like chocolate for kids keeps them coming back.
6- Psycho Mammies. They'd whinge about their kids being out in the rain for an hour's football, or having to support a  local football club but all the above is ok.
7- What's any of this doing to support the culture of traditional Irish dancing

I'm hoping someone will come on here and tell me I'm totally wrong and why.

[From the Bunker]

You are right! pulled our girl from it after a year. Sadly a money racket at every level.

[Denn Forever]

The whole fake tan and dresses and hairdos are silly and hate that if soneone wamts to compete at a high level, they have to conform with this  bull.

If your child is enjoying the lessons, go for it.  If her teacher is entering her into all these féis', maybe a quiet word in her ear,

On a different note, american football may  increase it's popularity.
https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2017/1013/912283-alex-collins-baltimore-ravens-irish-dancing/

[Hardy]

Start an alternative tan-free, not money driven organisation for people who are in it for the dancing/culture rather than the competition/fashion/money?

[Rossfan]

Get them to go Sean Nós

[FL/MAYO]

My daughter started a couple of months ago as well. She loves it so far, like yourself I'm a bit concerned with some of the shenanigans that goes with it.Anything to keep the two women in my life happy 😊

[brokencrossbar1]

My daughter goes to festival dancing. Different from feis. No wigs and much plainer dresses. No makeup till they reach 12 and even then it is frowned upon. Dresses are much cheaper and there are a lot of 'hand me downs ' within the Schools. It is competitive but the youngest age group is 8s. I always thought there'd be a great parody kinda like the Blades of Glory type movie!!

[Itchy]

Start an alternative tan-free, not money driven organisation for people who are in it for the dancing/culture rather than the competition/fashion/money?

Great idea except i would have to know something about dancing and I dont.

[Owen Brannigan]

My daughter goes to festival dancing. Different from feis. No wigs and much plainer dresses. No makeup till they reach 12 and even then it is frowned upon. Dresses are much cheaper and there are a lot of 'hand me downs ' within the Schools. It is competitive but the youngest age group is 8s. I always thought there'd be a great parody kinda like the Blades of Glory type movie!!

Always thought that festivals were for one community and feis for the other, e.g. Tyrone Feis v Portadown festival, is this not the case?

[Itchy]

My daughter goes to festival dancing. Different from feis. No wigs and much plainer dresses. No makeup till they reach 12 and even then it is frowned upon. Dresses are much cheaper and there are a lot of 'hand me downs ' within the Schools. It is competitive but the youngest age group is 8s. I always thought there'd be a great parody kinda like the Blades of Glory type movie!!

Do you have a link the website of the organisation that arranges that festival dancing? I've no problem with the dancing itself, it's the other shite I'm worried about.

[Itchy]

My daughter started a couple of months ago as well. She loves it so far, like yourself I'm a bit concerned with some of the shenanigans that goes with it.Anything to keep the two women in my life happy 😊

For how long will she be happy. She can't keep winning and winning. What then?

[Owen Brannigan]

Hello all. Recently my daughter starter Irish dancing. It was innocent enough to start with but I am becoming very uncomfortable with it. My Mrs doesn't agree! These are my concerns, interested to hear from others in a similar situation on what they did. My daughter is 10 yrs old.

1- Kids from 4 yrs old competing as in there are winners and losers. Seems to me it should be about enjoyment at that age. Other sports are non competitive under 10.
2 - Fake tan and wigs. Sexualising small children in my opinion. Apparently you get marked down if you do not conform.
3- Feiseanna are some of the most disorganised shambles of events I've ever encountered. Last one my daughter arrived home at 1am, she was gone since 2pm to an event 1 hr from our house.
4- It's all about money. 1000 euro dresses (marked down if you don't wear at certain grades), expensive to enter, allow people to walk of  the street and register to fill the coffers, that's why it's so disorganised, place full of people selling crap.
5- Medals for all. Huge trophies and medals. It's like chocolate for kids keeps them coming back.
6- Psycho Mammies. They'd whinge about their kids being out in the rain for an hour's football, or having to support a  local football club but all the above is ok.
7- What's any of this doing to support the culture of traditional Irish dancing

I'm hoping someone will come on here and tell me I'm totally wrong and why.

Are you sure the money problem isn't a normal Cavan issue?   

[Itchy]

Hello all. Recently my daughter starter Irish dancing. It was innocent enough to start with but I am becoming very uncomfortable with it. My Mrs doesn't agree! These are my concerns, interested to hear from others in a similar situation on what they did. My daughter is 10 yrs old.

1- Kids from 4 yrs old competing as in there are winners and losers. Seems to me it should be about enjoyment at that age. Other sports are non competitive under 10.
2 - Fake tan and wigs. Sexualising small children in my opinion. Apparently you get marked down if you do not conform.
3- Feiseanna are some of the most disorganised shambles of events I've ever encountered. Last one my daughter arrived home at 1am, she was gone since 2pm to an event 1 hr from our house.
4- It's all about money. 1000 euro dresses (marked down if you don't wear at certain grades), expensive to enter, allow people to walk of  the street and register to fill the coffers, that's why it's so disorganised, place full of people selling crap.
5- Medals for all. Huge trophies and medals. It's like chocolate for kids keeps them coming back.
6- Psycho Mammies. They'd whinge about their kids being out in the rain for an hour's football, or having to support a  local football club but all the above is ok.
7- What's any of this doing to support the culture of traditional Irish dancing

I'm hoping someone will come on here and tell me I'm totally wrong and why.

Are you sure the money problem isn't a normal Cavan issue?   

When I wrote my opening post I did so with a realisation a comic genius would surely be along soon to mock it.

[brokencrossbar1]

My daughter goes to festival dancing. Different from feis. No wigs and much plainer dresses. No makeup till they reach 12 and even then it is frowned upon. Dresses are much cheaper and there are a lot of 'hand me downs ' within the Schools. It is competitive but the youngest age group is 8s. I always thought there'd be a great parody kinda like the Blades of Glory type movie!!

Do you have a link the website of the organisation that arranges that festival dancing? I've no problem with the dancing itself, it's the other shite I'm worried about.

http://www.fdta.net

[Rois]

Only number 2 is different from when I did it 25 years ago. Wigs probably better for the hair than the bendy rollers used previously.

So you could say it hasn't succumbed to the PC requirement to give everyone a prize.

Oh - feiseanna were conducted below a fog of smoke and without iPads to entertain children, so arguably it is in a better state than 25 years ago