Levels of Various Organizations
An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha
Ireland, Great Britain & Continental Europe
"Beginner/Bun - The very first level, for dancers who have only just started dancing. Dancers must achieve a first, second or third to move up to the Primary level. Beginner may also be listed as Novice on the syllabus for some feiseanna, or be omitted in some cases.
"Primary/Tús - The first level where dancers may compete in all the dances. Competitors must achieve a first place against five other dancers to be able to move up to the next level in that dance.
"Intermediate/Mean - Dancers must place first against five other dancers to move from Intermediate into Open. Intermediate dancers may compete in the Premier Competition/Championship if they wish.
"Open/Ard - The highest level. Dancers compete in solos, plus a championship or premier competition. If a dancer wins a Championship judged by three or more adjudicators they may not move back down to Intermediate. Dancers who have not won such a competition may move back to Intermediate at the start of each year."
Source: Jess Knight, Ireland’s Dance (site no longer active), "The Levels"
North America (North American Feis Commission)
"Beginner Grade - A beginner is a competitor who has not taken a full year of Irish Dance lessons, thereby giving beginners a full year with such status. A Beginner must move into the Advanced Beginner category the next year."
"Adult Beginner - An adult beginner is a competitor who never took Irish dancing lessons as a juvenile and is over 18 years of age."
"Advanced Beginner Grade - An advanced beginner who wins 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place will advance to the Novice category in that particular dance. Competition dancers are reel, light jig, slip jig, traditional treble jig and traditional hornpipe., as a minimum requirement.
"Novice Grade - A novice who wins a 1st place will advance to the Open (Prizewinner) category in that particular dance.
"Open Grade (Prizewinner) - A competitor who does not qualify as a Beginner, Advanced Beginner or as a Novice."
"Preliminary Championships are open to those who, at any NAFC recognized Feis:
a) Have placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in each of the Open (Prizewinner) solo categories, and
b) Have never won 1st, 2nd or 3rd in Open Championship.
"A dancer who wins two First Place awards in one calendar year will move on to Open Championship the following year, or as soon as the second win is achieved, in any age category, in the following years."
Source: North American Feis Commission, "Dancing Competition Rules"
Australia
"Beginner - The level for dancers performing beginner standard steps. If a dancer wins against eight or more dancers they must move up to Primary, although a teacher may choose to move a dancer up if they feel their standard is good enough, or they are learning more advanced steps.
"Primary - Dancers may now perform more advanced steps in this level. A dancer must win against eight or more dancers to move up to the next level.
"Elementary - A new level that was introduced in 2000 to fill the gap in the standard between Primary and Intermediate. A dancer who wins against eight or more dancers must move up a level.
"Intermediate - The second highest/hardest level. A dancer who wins against eight or more other dancers moves up to Open.
"Open - The highest level of competition. Dancers may now compete in Premierships and Championships."
Source: Jess Knight, Ireland’s Dance (site no longer active), "The Levels"
An Comhdhail Muinteori le Rincí Gaelacha
"Beginners A - Confined to dancers who have never won first places in that particular dance in any age. Solo costumes must not be worn and basic beginner steps must be danced.
"Beginners B - Confined to dancers who may have won first place in Beginners A section. Beginner steps (don’t have to be completely basic but not of pre-open standard) to be danced and Solo Costumes must not be worn.
"*In Beginners competitions, children may dance up an age group i.e. U/7A Reel & U/8A Reel. *
"Pre-Open - Confined to dancers who have never won first place in either pre-open or open sections in that particular dance in that specified age. Open champions (3 adjudicators, 2 dance championship winners) cannot compete in pre-open competitions. Solo Costumes may be worn and dancers may compete in both pre-open and open competitions if desired.
"Open - Open to all competitors under specified age unless dance is not catered for in own age group."
Source: Comhdháil Website, "Rules of the Omagh Championships 2005"
Cumann Rince Náisiúnta
"Bun Grád - "Boon Grahd". Confined to those who have never won a first prize in that particular basic dance in any age group.
"Ullmhúchán Grád - "ULL-voo-cahn Grahd". Confised to those who have never won a first prize in that particular dance in that grade in any any group which is specified. Any competitor who wins a first prize in Ullmhúchán must compete in the Mean Grad section for that particular dance.
"Mean Grád - "Man Grahd". Confined to those who have never won a first prize in that particular dance in the age group which is specified, but any competitor who wins a first prize in Mean Grád must compete in the Ard Grád section for that particular dance.
"Ard Grád - "Ard Grahd". Not confined to Bun Grád, Ullmhúchán or Mean Grád. Those competitors who win a Mean Grád Award in the Irish Open Championships are deemed Ard Grád for every dance. Those competitors who win an Ard Grád Award in the Irish Open Championships are deemed Craobh Grád thereafter.
"Craobh Grád - "Crave Grahd". Not confined to Bun Grád, Ullmhúchán, Mean Grád or Ard Grád. Any competitor who wins an Ard Grád Award in the Irish Open Championships or a three adjudicator Championship is automatically debarred from Bun Grád, Ullmhúchán, Mean Grád and Ard Grád competitions."
Source: Cumann Rince Náisiúnta, "Rules of Competition & Feis Organizers' Checklist"