Irish Dance Dictionary

Irish dance still embraces much of the Gaelic language. The list below includes commonly used terms and their definitions.
  • Ceili - pronounced KAY-lee. An irish dance party with group and pairs dancing.
  • Feis - pronounced fesh. An Irish dance competition.
  • Feiseanna - pronounced FESH-ah-na. Plural of feis.
  • Ghillies - soft dance shoes with laces for girls and women.
  • Hornpipe - a traditional hard shoe dance done in 2/4 or 4/4. It's slower than a reel.
  • Light Jig - a soft shoe dance done in 6/8 time.
  • Oireachtas - pronounced Or-ROK-tuhs. These are regional or national Irish step dancing championships. Our regionals are held in Philadelphia.
  • Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne - pronounced Or-ROK-tuhs RIN-kuh na KREEN-yuh. The yearly world championships of Irish dancing.
  • Reel - a fast dance done in 2/4 or 4/4 time. Traditional reel is done in soft shoes or ghillies. Treble reel is performed in hard shoes.
  • Slip Jig - a ladies' only dance done in 9/8 time. Slip Jig requires a lot of endurance and is characterized by high leaps.
  • T.C.R.G. or Teasgicoir Choimisiuin Le Rinci Gaelacha - means a certified Irish dance teacher by the Irish Dance Commission in Dublin.

North American Feis Commission Rankings
  • A beginner has not taken dance lessons prior to September of the previous year.
  • The following year, a beginner becomes an advanced beginner.
  • When a dancer places 1st, 2nd or 3rd in a dance, s/he moves up to novice in that particular dance, the following calendar year.
  • A novice dancer who places 1st, moves up to prizewinner in that particular dance, the following year.
  • A prizewinner who has placed 1st in a solo light dance (reel or slip jig) and a heavy dance (jig or hornpipe) moves up to preliminary championships.
  • Any dancer who wins three 1st places in preliminary championships in one calendar year, must move on to open championship the following year or as soon as the 3rd win is achieved in any age category in the following years.