Terminology
Courtesy of Theresa's Irish step dancing-reprinted with
permission
Feis - (pronounced FESH) Technically, a festival of competition.
Usually features Irish step dancing, music, and art. Sometimes includes
livestock and sports competitions. More widely used to refer to what
is properly called a feile.
Feiseanna - Plural of feis. Say it: fesh-AH-nuh Feile - (FAY-luh)
A pure Irish step dancing competition--no other varieties of competition.
Generally much smaller than a full-fledged feis.
Oireachtas - (or-ROK-tuhs) Regional or national Irish step dancing
championships. Basically just a really big feile, with ten times the
tension.
Oireachtas Rinnce na Cruinne - (Or-ROK-tuhs rin-kuh na krin)
The world championships of Irish dancing. Held yearly in Ireland in
July. This is the ultimate Irish dancing experience. It's a tremendous
honor even to get to the Worlds, let alone to place. In 2000, the Oireachtas
Rinnce na Cruinne will be held in Belfast.
Ghillies (GIL-ees) - More commonly reffered to as "soft shoes"
Black, soft leather shoes with criss-crossed laces. Used to perform
reels, light jigs, slip jigs, single jigs, and most figure dances.
Hard Shoes - Black leather shoes with fiberglass heels and taps
on the toes. Used to perform hard or double jigs, hornpipes, traditional
set dances, and, in exhibitions and special competitions only, treble
reels. Also called jig shoes, heavy shoes.
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