Irish Dancing or what??

Just been looking at pictures of Irish dancing championships in Ennis over the last few days - now is it just me, or does anyone else think the costumes, the hair, the make up are completely ridiculous. Where in the history of all that is Irish did someone decide this is what Irish dancers should look like?? It looks to me like a version of an American beauty pageant. Would someone not just put a stop to the whole thing its getting out of hand, how about deducting marks for costumes and hair that are OTT and don’t get me started on eight year olds wearing make up, where does that come from……. Sorry could go on forever, those pictures really annoyed the hell out of me, what does anyone else think

Have to agree, completely OTT and the parents seem to spend a fortune on the costumes.

There used to be a shop in Capel St. for the costumes and they were gaudy lookin'.

gaudy i could deal with (to an extent) but these dresses are obscene - really they are, they are extremely short and pink and frilly and sparkly

To each their own

To each their own, if Parents are dumb enough to lay out huge sums of money to make their kids look like that then let them have their fun.

Like all these things (Dog Shows, Child Beauty Pagents, First Communion Costumes) it's hard for sane people on the outside to understand the logic of the hardened followers.

I think you just have to learn to live with the fact that there are crazy people in the world, and we should all be happy that their insanity is being directed into something essentially harmless.

All that said, I wouldn't like to meet an Irish Dancer in a dark alley, those girls & guys can kick. Perhaps the Costumes are a safety measure so the rest of us can recognise them and keep out of thier way.

-Rd

Re: To each their own

It's not harmless as it has an impact on parents/children who wish to get involved in the competition but don't agree with the bling-bling.

Re: To each their own

i agree with you gee gee, i would run a mile from that scene, irish dancing is part of what we are - but not in this form

Re: To each their own

It's not harmless as it has an impact on parents/children who wish to get involved in the competition but don't agree with the bling-bling.

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You don't have to dress like this to learn to Dance, or to Enjoy Irish Dancing. If they want to be part of these competitions then that includes the Bling Bling, if they don't like the Bling Bling then why would they want to be a part of these competitions?

I happened to have to go into the local Hall when one of these events was happening, it was Hell. I was delighted to get out of the place. You couldn't pay me to attend one or in any way get involved, but I'll gladly watch good Irish Dancing outside of that environment.

If people want to get involved in those competitions then clearly they don't have a problem with the clothes and make-up.

It would be interesting to see if anyone ever sends their kids to these things in Normal Clothes without the Make-up etc. Are you docked marks?

I didn't notice any sanely dressed girls when I was there, although I did see one with a red curly wig. At least It looked like a wig. The boy's seemed to be dressed OK.

-Rd

Re: To each their own

You couldn't pay me to attend one or in any way get involved, but I'll gladly watch good Irish Dancing outside of that environment.

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is there any other irish dancing for kids and adults alike outside of this 'environment' or is that the only option if you want to learn and perhaps be competitive?

Re: To each their own

Yes, thankfully there is. The GAA's Scór (for adults) and Scór na nOg (for under 17s) competitions include figure and ceili dancing among other disciplines. They specifically ban the wearing of "School of Dancing" costumes by competitors and generally frown on other forms of over-elaboration, on the principle that participants should be able to take part without incurring significant costs.

Re: To each their own

A few years back I think, hey had the youg irish dancers wearing Jean Butler type wigs/hair extensions......(and that was just the boys!!! :rollin

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Just noticed on one website that from 01st April 2005, make up or fake tan is not permitted on any dancer under 10 years of age for any competition.

Just wondered where the original poster saw photos? Is there a website that has some pics from Ennis on it?

Re: Photos of Irish Dancing

the photos were in the irish independent newspapers - i think it was on monday

Re: Photos of Irish Dancing

Front page - yesterdays Irish Times. More on page 5 of today's. Scary stuff!!

I doubt if the kids in yesterdays pic were much older than 10

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make up or fake tan is not permitted on any dancer under 10 years of age for any competition.

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It is pathetic that this rule had to be introduced. What sort of parents are out there? The mind boggles.

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what about the ridiculous wigs why aren't they banning them as well?

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Competitive Irish Dancing was always a bit mental. When I was a kid there wasn't much in the line of make up used, mostly because the whole notion of a 7 year old wearing make up just wasn't on back then. The focus was on the detail of the crochet rather than the number of flourescent shades on a given dress but I suspect this was more because of the non-availability of this kinda stuff in the sticks in the early/mid eighties than better taste. Your dress and general turnout definitely got you marks in competition back then. I remember coming second because one of my sparkly white socks fell down in the middle of my routine. They use tape now, so no worries there. Ringlets weren't compulsory but everyone had them and as a survivor of many a Saturday night slept on a head of rollers, I'm all for the wigs they wear now. Fake tans were only in their infancy but some wore it. And we had the whole built-in/colour co-ordinated knickers thing (to protect our modesty). As I remember it, the competitiveness was mostly Mammy-driven though. We lapped it up of course, but at least we had the excuse of being kids. So there's nothing new in the madness of the feiseanna, it was always there; it's just the Ireland has prospered and more people can go more mental than ever before.

Rebecca

There used to be a shop in Capel St. for the costumes and they were gaudy lookin'.

It hasn't gone away you know.

irish dancing is part of what we are

Is it? It means nothing to me personally.

Re: .

Ringlets weren't compulsory but everyone had them and as a survivor of many a Saturday night slept on a head of rollers, I'm all for the wigs they wear now.

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As a preference to a head full of rollers, sure they might be better. But are you really all for the wigs instead of the alternative, i.e. kids just wear their natural hair?

"It hasn't gone away you know"

Why do you shop there often? :rolleyes

Its moved from the corner which is now a coffee shop. Where has it moved to?

Clubman, you pontificate about right and wrong on other sites within this forum , well as a relative of Fr Neil Horan I find the
photo you have used on this post despicable , you have shown your true colours. You are quite prepared to have a laugh at one of our own but yet support the culling of the Michael Jackson jokes. Where actually do your morals lie?