KSID 101

Welcome!  If you are new to Irish Dance, it can be a bit overwhelming, we hope this page will answer a few questions you might have.

Please ask any of the parents or teachers if you have any questions!

 Irish Dance Lingo

KSID

Short for The Kelly School of Irish Dance

TCRG

Irish Dance teachers.  Teagascóir Choimisiúin le Rinci Gaelacha, a Gaelic term that translates to "certified Irish dance teacher". 

CLRG

The Irish Dance governing board that the IDTANA and thereby KSID belong.

IDTANA

Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America

ADCRG

Judges/adjudicators at a feis.

Grade Exams

There are 12 exams students of Irish dance can take, testing them on their knowledge of Irish dancing.  Upon successful completion of all 12 exams and if you are over age 18 you may take the TCRG exam to become a certified Irish dance teacher.

Ceili

These are team dancers that can comprise wither 4, 6, or 8 dancers.  Teachers will inquire about ceili team interest in the summer before Oireachtas and make teams accordingly.  Teams will compete at Oireachtas and depending on placements and teacher discretion may have the opportunity to complete and Nationals and/or Worlds.  KSID has a separate ceili costume that must be worn for ceili competitions.

Dancers who do not compete will also learn ceili dances as part of their regular class.

Feis/Feisanna (pronounced Fesh, plural Fesh-anna)

These are Irish Dance competitions.  KSID doesn't require dancers to compete but your child might come home asking about it if classmates are talking about it.  There are several levels in competition and dancers compete with their age group as of January 1st (ie. if your child is 7 on January 1st they will compete at a U8 age group- even if they turn 8 later that year). Details can be found on The Kelly School of Irish Dance Feis FAQs.

Oireachtas (O-Rock-Tas)

Oireachtas is a regional competition.  

NERO

New England Region Oireachtas. We are in the New England Region so dancers from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut will be in attendance.  Oireachtas offers several different competitions. In 2025, Oireachtas will be held in Hartford for the last time. Beginning in 2026, Oireachtas will be held in Providence for 5 years.

Other US Regional Oireachtas are MARO- Mid Atlantic, SRO- Southern, WRO- Western, and Mid-America.

NAIDC

NAIDC is The North American Irish Dance Championships are also referred to as Nationals, NANs.  Nationals is held over the 4th of July week.  In 2025 it will be held in Washington DC.

Poodle Socks/Sparkle Socks

These are special Irish Dance socks worn for competition and performances (if not wearing tights). Sparkle socks are poodle socks with crystals on them. They can be purchased through the school, online, or at feisanna. 

Prime Dress/School Dress

These are dresses that identify the dancer as a a Kelly Irish Dancer.  They are often a dancers first performance dress.

Solo Dress

These are highly individualized and custom dresses that a dancer may choose to wear once they have reached the Prizewinner level.  All dresses must be approved by KSID.

Ghillies, reel shoes, and hard shoes

Ghillies are also called pomps, light shoes or soft shoes and are worn by girls/women. Boys light/soft shoes are called reel shoes.  These are worn for soft shoe dances- Reel, Light Jig, and Slip Jig (girls only).  

Hard shoes are also referred to as heavies and are worn for Treble Jig, Hornpipe, Traditional Set dances, Contemporary Set dances, and Treble Reels. Your child's teacher will let you know when they will need hard shoes.

KSID Mouse Club

Every two years KSID students are invited to perform as a school at Disney World.  This is completely optional.  Dancers who participate are known as a member of the KSID Mouse Club.

Merry & Bright

A school recital put on in December.

Blackout

A feis where dancers are encouraged to wear a plain black leotard and black skirt (girls) or black shirt and trousers (boys) without any embellishments.  Dancers may opt to wear black tights or poodle socks.

Bling Free/Wig Free

A feis where dancers are typically encouraged to wear blackout and no wigs or crystal accessories.

Common Questions

When will I see my dancer perform?

The Kelly School of Irish Dance offers to recitals every year- Merry & Bright in December and the Spring Recital in June.  The school will send out details and ticket information to families well in advance of the shows.

KSID will also invite dancers to a variety of events throughout the year depending on the needs of the event and availability.  These events include St. Patrick's Day performances, weddings, parades, community events, and more.

The Booster Club will reach out to parents for volunteers during the year for several of these events.

What fundraisers does the Booster Club do and where does the money go?

We typically have a fall fundraiser, Super Bowl Squares Fundraiser, and March Calendar Fundraiser to raise money for needed items.  In the past money has gone to help with studio improvements, assist families in studio/costuming fees, and provide funds for community activities and send-off celebrations.

We hope to increase our fundraising efforts to take some of the burden off families while offering additional supports and scholarships.  If you are interested in joining this effort please reach out!

What will my child wear for competitions and performances?

The Kelly School of Irish Dance outlines the approved competition outfit for each age group on their Feis FAQs page. All costumes must be approved by KSID teachers.

What should we expect at a feis?

Local feisanna tend to see several KSID dancers and sometimes KSID teachers depending on the schedule.  If you are attending a feis and curious if anyone else is attending, visit the Team KSID Facebook page and make an inquiry!

To find out more about attending feisanna and what to expect check out our First Feis FAQs!

How can my child break in their shoes?

Wearing the shoes around the house while watching tv or sitting is the first step.  Hard shoes often take longer to break in and continuing to move your feet in them will help. They will feel too small to most kids, even older dancers complain about breaking in shoes.

To provide more comfort during the break in process, preemptively put band aids, blister pads, or foam tape at pressure points- toes and heels are the most common areas for blisters to form.

How do I tie a ghillie?

Great question.  This will vary slightly based on the brand and type of soft shoe you have. Also always feel free to ask a teacher or another parent or older student to show you.  Instructional videos can be viewed here- COMING SOON!

How do I put a wig on my child?

KSID doesn't require wigs for performances or competitions, except for certain ceili age groups.  If you are interested in a wig for competitions please speak to your child's teacher as they will need to approve style and color for your child.  Wigs can be purchased at feisanna or online.  

If you need assistance in learning how to put a wig on there are several parents and students who can help you, as well as an abundance of You Tube videos. Additionally, you can pay to have your child's wig put on at a feisanna (Eire Beauty, Camilia Rose, etc), these appointments will need to be made in advance.

Where can I find out about upcoming feisanna?

KSID teachers will send out emails about upcoming feisanna.  Additionally they are typically posted on the Team KSID Facebook page when registration opens.  You can also find a list at IDTANA.

How can I volunteer?

Feel free to review opportunities on our Join Us page, join us at a quarterly meeting or reach out by submitting your interests!