| MCDONALD-ASHFORD ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCE |
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| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
What should my child wear to lessons? Attire for students includes shorts/track pants/yoga pants and t-shirts/tank tops/sweatshirts. However, jeans, cut-offs and denim skirts are not allowed. If your child has ballet shoes – those can also be worn. Black is the preferred color. Do not worry about buying new shoes until you are sure that your child is interested in continuing. New shoes can be purchased online, locally, or used shoes are available from the school. Please do not buy shoes too large that children can “grow” into. Dance shoes should fit the feet precisely for best movement, execution, and protection from injury. Tip: There is no food allowed at class. However, dancers are encouraged to bring a water bottle with them. How often should my child practice? The famous statement “Practice makes perfect” is so true. A little bit of practice each day makes a huge difference. Practice helps a child to remember what they have been taught. The average child attends one dance class a week so they are bound to forget something. We have posted practice guides to help. Beginner : 15 minutes 2-3 times per week. Advanced Beginner: 20 minutes 3-4 times per week. Novice & Prizewinner: 30 minutes 3-4 times per week. Champions: 1 hour 5-7 days per week. **While feising, "you get what you put it in". If you hope to win at every feis, then practicing at home will help you reach your goal. Tuition Tuition is paid quarterly in 3 month segments. The quarters are: FALL (Sept, Oct & Nov) WINTER (Dec, Jan & Feb) SPRING (Mar, Apr & May) SUMMER (June, July & Aug) 1 child: $33/month for one "45 min" class/wk ($100/quarter) $50/month for an "hour & a half" class/wk ($150/quarter) 2 or more children discounts What is a Feis? The word feis (pronounced fesh) comes from a Gaelic word meaning "festival". In the context of Irish dance today, it means "competition". Feis Reminders: A list of local feis can be found on the "FEIS" page of our website. Along with a link to the full list of feisanna in North America. A dancer changes age and category on January first of every year. Your Feis Age is your age as of January 1 of that year. It does not change on your birthday. If your birthday is 2/2/98 your dance age for the whole calendar year of 2007 is age 8 or under 9. With the exception of the Beginner level, you only move in the dance that you have won the necessary award. Each category is a little harder than the previous level. Please e-mail Jill if you are unsure which competition/level to register for. When do I need a Traditional Dancing Costume? Some children take dance for the pure enjoyment of class & do not wish to feis. For these dancers, a school costume doesn't have to be purchased. Beginner and Advanced Beginner level dancers who enter a feis are allowed to wear a school costume only (no solos are allowed per NAFC). Our skirt & leotard is recommended for beginner & advanced beginner dancers. Beginners must wear their hair down with a simple black headband to secure hair away from face. For Novice and above, the embroidered school dress is recommended. A full wig is recommended for advanced dancers *** Speak to Jill or Sam before purchasing a wig. It is important that our dancers have the same wig. *** Used dresses/shoes/wigs are for sale. Make sure to check what is available before ordering new items. *** Jill and/or Sam must approve any dress & hair/wig accessory prior to purchasing. This will ensure every dancer matches.*** Also, Jill has color swatches & more info to assist you with your purchases. When is a dancer allowed to get a solo costume? A solo costume/dress is not allowed before the Novice level of dance. We do not recommend it until the dancer is in the Preliminary Champion level. *** All solo costumes must be approved by Jill or Sam before they are purchased. This will ensure that you are purchasing an up to date costume. *** What is a T.C.R.G.? TCRG is an abbreviation for Gaelic words that essentially mean: certified by the Commission of Irish Step Dance in Dublin, Ireland. This assures that your teacher is regarded as “qualified” by the Irish Dance Commission to properly teach Irish Step Dance and pass along this tradition to other generations. A TCRG title is gained after passing a three-day long exam in all aspects of Irish Step Dance. What is an A.D.C.R.G.? ADCRG is an abbreviation for Gaelic words that means certified to adjudicate a Feis. NEW STUDENTS: Please contact us for more information about registering your child. If your child is transferring from another school a $25 transfer fee is to be made to the Mid-Atlantic Irish Dancing Teachers Assoc. Also, there is a 6 month restyling period where your child cannot participate at a feis. |