Féis

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A Féis (Irish Gaelic: fɛʃ, "fesh") or Fèis (Scots Gaelic: faɪʃ, "fysh") is a traditional Gaelic arts and culture festival. The correct plural forms are féiseanna (Irish Gaelic: fɛʃənæ, "feshinnah") or fèisean (Scots Gaelic: faɪʃən, "fysh'n").

History

In Ancient Ireland communities placed great importance on local festivals, where Gaels could come together in song, dance, music, theatre and sport. The largest of these was the Aonach, the great festival at Tara, which was then the city of Ireland's Ard Rhi, or "High King".

These féiseanna were a rich opportunity for storytellers to reach a large audience, and often warriors would recount their exploits in combat, clansmen would trace family genealogies, and bards and balladeers would lead the groups in legends, stories, and song.

These gatherings eventually gave rise to athletic and sporting competitions, including horse- and chariot-racing, as well as feats of strength and endurance.

Modern Féiseanna

Today the Féis has experienced something of a rebirth, both for ethnic Gaels and for enthusiasts of the Gaelic culture in Ireland and Scotland, as well as throughout the world. Typically they are community-based festivals seeking to promote and maintain Gaelic languages, traditions, and pride.

The largest North American Féis is held annually in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Dance Competition

In traditional Irish and Highland dance there are different levels of competition: beginner, advanced beginner, novice, open, preliminary championship (PC), and championship (C). The more common names of these Catergories are Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Novice, Prizewinner, Preliminary Championships and Open Championships

Dancers advance levels by gaining medals in different dances. The dances include jig, Hopjig (single jig), treble jig, slip jig, hornpipe, traditional set, reel, nontraditional set, treble reel (tipping reel), and other sets.

In a feis the order of dances for

1)Beginner to Prizewinner is:

Softshoe Dances: Reel, Light Jig, Single Jig, and Slip Jig (Slip jig is very rarely danced by males and is normally classified as an all female catergory)

Hardshoe Dances: Treble Jig, Hornpipe, Traditional Set (Traditional Sets are St. Patrick's Day, Blackbird and Garden of Daisies)

Trophy Dances: Beginner and Advanced Beginner perform a soft shoe reel Novice and Prizewinner perform a hard shoe Treble Jig

2) Prelim and Open is:

Shoftshoe Dances: Reel or Slip Jig

Hardshoe: Treble Jig or Hornpipe

Trophy Dances: Set Dance (Hardshoe, either done to Treble Jig or Hornpipe timing)

• *Beginners to Open Dancers may compete in a Special Trophy Dance which is either a Treble Reel (hard shoe) or Slip Jig(soft shoe, females only)**

See also

External links

• [The Pan-Celtic Festival in Ireland]
• [The National Mòd (Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail) in Scotland]
• [Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival in Brittany, France]
• [Halifax Celtic Fèis in Canada]
• [Goderich Celtic Roots Festival in Canada]
• [A list of féiseanna in the USA]

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