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Glossary of Organization Terms

An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha

The Irish Dancing Commission
Official Website: clrg.ie

A.D.C.R.G.

The adjudicator’s certificate

Adult Beginner

A competitor who never took Irish dancing lessons as a juvenile and is over 18 years of age (North America)

Advanced Beginner

Second level (North America), after Beginner. An Advanced Beginner has either placed first, second or third in a Beginner competition with five or more competitors, or is in their second year of competing.

All-Ireland Championships

National competition hosted by Ireland which is open to all qualified C.L.R.G. competitors around the world

All-Scotland Championships

National competition hosted by Scotland which is open to all qualified C.L.R.G. competitors around the world

Ard

Irish Gaelic for Advanced grade, fourth and highest level (Ireland/Europe)

Australian Championships

Closed national competition hosted by Australia, for only Australian dancers

Beginner

First level (Ireland/Europe, North America, Australia)

Bun

Irish Gaelic for Beginner grade, first level (Ireland/Europe)

C.L.R.G.

Acronym for An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha

Elementary

Third level (Australia)

Feis

A regular competition for all levels of dancing

IDTANA

The Irish Dancing Teachers' Association of North America, associated with An Coimisiún

Intermediate

Third level (Ireland/Europe), fourth level (Australia)

Mean

Irish Gaelic for Intermediate grade, third level (Ireland/Europe)

NAFC

The North American Feis Commission, associated with An Coimisiún and the IDTANA

Nationals

Competitions held under the name of a country (All-Irelands, All-Scotlands, Great Britains, North Americans, etc). These are open to competitors from around the globe, with the exception of Australia, who has chosen to keep their Nationals open to Australians only. Often used as a secondary qualifier for Worlds.

New Zealand Championships

Closed national competition hosted by New Zealand, for only New Zealand dancers

North American Championships

Open national competition hosted by North America in early July. Also called "North Americans," or "Nationals"

Novice

Third level (North America). Alternately used for the name of the first level in Ireland

Oireachtas

Regional competitions, usually the main qualifiers for Worlds. These are for the highest levels of dancing. The spelling is easily remembered by the acronym "Oh I REACH To A Star," where the capital letters make up the spelling of "Oireachtas". Also referred to as "The O".

Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne

See "World Championships"

Oireachtas Rince na h'Eireann

See "All-Ireland Championships"

Open

Fourth level (North America, where it is also called "Prizewinner"), fourth and highest level (Ireland/Europe), fifth and highest level (Australia)

Open Championship

Sixth and highest level (North America)

Preliminary Championship

Fifth level (North America)

Primary

Second level (Ireland/Europe, Australia)

Regionals

See "Oireachtas"

T.C.R.G.

The teacher’s certificate for solo and ceili dancing

T.M.R.F.

The teacher’s certificate for ceili dancing only

Tús

Primary grade, second level (Ireland/Europe)

World Championships

The Olympics of Irish dancing, where the best of the best from around the world compete in solo and team dancing

Worlds

Short for "World Championships"

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An Comhdháil Muinteoiri le Rinci Gaelacha

The Congress of Irish Dance Teachers
Official Website: irishdancingorg.com

A.D.C.R.G.

The adjudicator’s certificate

Beginners A

First level

Beginners B

Second level

Championship

A competition for the highest levels of dancing

Feis

A regular competition for all levels of dancing

Open

Fourth and highest level

Pre-Open

Third level

T.C.R.G.

The teacher’s certificate for solo and ceili dancing

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Cumann Rince Náisiúnta

"Koo-mun, Rin-ka, Now-shun-tuh"
National Dance Association of Ireland
Official Website: crn.ie

A.D.C.R.N.

Adjudicator’s diploma

Associate Member

The first level of membership with CRN. They receive advance notification and priority registration, may help run and sponsor FEILE and are given the support of mentors within the CRN organization. Associate Members may retain their status for five years. After that time, they will be asked to attempt the teacher qualification exams. It is not necessary to apply for membership to participate in CRN-sponsored events.

Féile

"Fay-lah". A competition where there are less than three adjudicators. There may be as few as one judge depending on the number of entrants. Féile is the term generally used for local competitions.

Feis

A larger competition involving three or more judges. These are usually regional or national competitions. Three judges are necessary for a dancer to win and move from Ard Grad (Level 4 Principal) to Craobh Grad (Level 5 Championship).

Grád, Ard

"Ord Grahd". Principal Grade or Level Four

Grád, Bun

"Boon Grahd". Beginner Grade or Level One

Grád, Craobh

"Crave Grahd". Championship Grade or Level Five

Grád, Mean

"Man Grahd". Middle Grade or Level Three

Grád, Ullmhúchán

"Oowl-Voo-Kahn Grahd". Preparatory Grade or Level Two

Irish Open Championships, or "Irish Open"

This is CRN’s version of a World Championships. Dancers qualify on the first days of competition (which lasts 7 days in Dublin) and then compete at their age and group level. Even Bun Grad dancers have the chance to be Irish Open Champions at their level.

O.D.C.R.N.

Teacher’s diploma; Oide Damhsa Cumainn Rince Naisiunta

Oide Damhsa

"I-duh Dow-suh". Teacher’s diploma. Literally, "dance teacher"

Regional Championships

Region-based championships that act as qualifiers for the Irish Open

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Other Organizations

Association of American Irish Dance Teachers (AAIDT)

A North American governing organization. Official website: aaidt.com

Cead Mile Failte

Irish dancing organization based in the United Kingdom

Celtic Association of Irish Dance (CAID)

Irish dancing organization based in the United Kingdom; often simply called the “Celtic Association”

Cumann Rince Dea Mheasa (CRDM)

Governing body based in Ireland. Official website: crdm.ie

Cumann Rince Gaelach

Based in Ireland. Though they don’t have a website of their own, more information can be found in the Irish Post article CRG International Dance Championships.

Federation of Irish Dance Professionals (FIDP)

A short-lived organization that primarily relied on the honor system regarding its members’ backgrounds and abilities to teach Irish dance

Festival

English organization, not affiliated with the Irish Festival organization below.

Festival Dance Teachers Association

Organization based primarily in Northern Ireland with its own graceful, ballet-like style. Official website: fdta.co.uk

Friendship Feis

A short-lived North American open-platform feis system

IDTA (Irish Dance Teachers Association? International Dance Teachers Association?)

I’ve never seen this one spelled out, but there seems to be one member group online here: Emerald Isle Dance Team.

Independent

A dance teacher or school that does not affiliate with an organization. Teachers of independent schools are not necessarily uncertified, but do not currently affiliate themselves with an organization.

Non-Certified

A dance teacher that has never been certified to teach Irish dancing by an organization. Experience ranges from Championship-level dancers who simply do not wish to join an organization, to people who have learned how to "Riverdance" off of videos. Also "uncertified," "unregistered," "unaccredited," "unaffiliated," etc.

North American Irish Dance Federation (NAIDF)

One of the newest organizations to pop up on the radar. Official website: naidf.com

Performance Irish Dance Teachers Association (PIDTA)

Performance-based, non-competitive association based in North America. Official website: pidta.org

World Irish Dance Association (WIDA)

Competitive association primarily based in Europe, with Germany as its most populated country. Official website: worldirishdance.com

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