An Coimusiun Rules On Irish Dance Costumes
Dress rules for An Coimusiun competitions and Feis'.
The Coimusiun was set up to preserve and promote Irish Dancing.The Coimusiun was slightly alarmed at some of the costumes dancers were starting to wear and a sub-committee was set up to produce rules in relation to the dress code acceptable in competition
These rules have now been adopted in full by An Coimisiun and any infringement of these rules will result in the dancers being refused the right to compete.
It should be stressed however, that these rules refer solely to costumes worn in competitions and do not refer to, nor are they intended as a criticism in any way of less traditional forms of costume made popular by stage shows.
The rules in relation to costumes are as follows:
- Costumes must consist of a full front and back section i.e. cut away styles are not acceptable
- Materials must be of equivalent weight to that used in the more traditional costumes, e.g. dress velvet, trevira, gabardine, wool-mix, etc.
- Skirt lengths - the minimum skirt length is not more than four inches above the knee level. It is hoped that the introduction of this rule will prevent excessively short skirt lengths.
- Neck lines must be of collar bone level or above. This does not preclude the use of alternative fabrics, e.g. lace, as an insert.
- Where chiffon or lace material is used as sleeves,the sleeves must start at the shoulder line and end at the cuff.
- Appropriate underwear must be worn. Where tights are worn they must be of a denier of not less than 70.
- Dance-drama costumes must be in keeping with the theme of the story portrayed and conform to the rules above for solo and team competitions particularly in the area of fabric, hem and neck-lines.
The purpose of these rules is to ensure that public competitions are run in a manner designed to show Irish dancing to its best advantage and to ensure the rights of all those who compete are protected.
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And no...those sorts of dancers are not only in America but in England too as this is now the 'norm' The dress is more of a costume now and regrettably is judged as well as the dancing. If you think pantomime dame in a short skirt you will get the picture.The new rules were brought in as the dresses were becoming so short as to be indecent,nothing more than a strip of material with puff balls becoming increasingly common.
Dancers are often told to buy dance shoes a size too small as smaller feet are 'neater'
It was only last year that new regulations were brought in banning the use of fake tan,wigs and make up for dancers in the under 12 catagories.
There is now a trend towards more natural hair styles rather than the wigs but this is taking a long time to be accepted.Dancers are marked down as the hair has to balance the dress....Stupid I know.
The traditional competition Irish dancing dress had a high collar,long sleeves,full stiffened skirt to knee level and was traditionally heavily hand embroidered with Celtic symbols...the dancer wore no make up and had their hair tied back or wore a simple head band.They were/are exceptionally heavy to wear and notoriously difficult to clean.
Hopefully the trend will eventually return to the traditional look but it's going to take a determined effort by many parents and dancers who are willing to buck the trend and cope with the disappointment of rarely being placed in the competitions.There is no way to move up the rankings into the next sections if you don't get placed.
I wish you all the luck in the world Tara,I hope you and other parents in your daughter's dance class can begin the changes.
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You can fail at what you don't want.....so you might as well take a chance on what you love.........
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