Ciara Greene School of Irish Step Dancing
Bayside, Queens, Kings Park & Smithtown, New York
Ciara Greene School of Irish Dance offers classes to dancers of all skill levels. Classes are designed to bring forth and nurture a love of dance in all students. Irish dance students range from age 4 through adult, with interests varying from recreational dance, to performance opportunities, to regional and international competition opportunities.
Classes are full-year classes, September through May. Dancers can join at any time during the regular year, and may be asked to advance to another class at any time of year. All our dancers are invited to march with us in the Kings Park Saint Patrick's Day Parade and Bayside Parade, compete in our yearly class competition, Cois Cuan Feis and attend our Holiday show in December and our End of the Year show in June. In addition, there are many opportunities to perform with the school throughout the year, in parades and private and public shows. Your dancer may be invited to performances throughout the year based on their skill set.
Summer classes, camps, private lessons and additional group lessons are also available for students on an ongoing basis. Communication about these extra opportunities are sent via email.
Class levels are defined by a dancer’s ability to perform the required skills appropriate to that level, not by a dancer’s number of years of experience or age. The goal is to place each student in a class that offers sufficient training for a solid foundation in Irish dance.
School Policies
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Please arrive for class on time, dressed appropriately, with hair pulled back
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Bring a water bottle
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No chewing gum
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Please respect the studio space
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Collect all belongings, remove trash before leaving
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Label your shoes with your name
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WEATHER: If the weather is questionable, please check your email to confirm whether class is canceled. We will not always follow the public school closings.
What should dancers wear to class?
Dancers should wear our school t-shirt and school shorts or school leggings and poodle schools. School gear can be purchased at class.
Is your dancer ready for a for a feis?
1. Dancers must know two steps in each dance; Reel, Light Jig, Slip Jig
2. Dancers must complete these steps from memory, without verbal or visual cues. At a Feis dancers compete against other schools, all dancers will be doing different steps, your dancer must be able to complete their steps with confidence by themselves.
3. At a feis a dancer must wear: School Leotard, Skirt & Cape, White Poodle Socks, Black Soft Shoes, Optional: Crown, Cuffs, Bow
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Irish Dance Terminology
Soft Shoes - are also known as ghilles or light shoes. These are black shoes with long laces for female dancers. Beginner dancers wear soft shoes only.
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Hard Shoes - are also known as heavies, or jig shoes. As your dancer advances into intermediate class they will begin to learn hard shoe dances.
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Poodle Socks - high, bumpy white socks that are worn with soft or hard shoes.
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Step - is a series of Irish dance moves choreographed to fit a specific musical rhythm. In Irish dance, a step has two sections: a right foot section and left foot section. Each foot of a step is danced to eight bars of music; making each step 16 bars long. There are many steps in each dance category, of varying levels of difficulty. Steps are unique to each school, and are choreographed by the teacher.
Set Dance - is a dance performed in hard shoes and choreographed for a specific piece of traditional music.
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Contemporary Set Piece - is original choreography developed by a TCRG and performed at an optional speed to a specific piece of traditional music
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T.C.R.G. - stands for Teasgicoir Choimisiun Le Rinci Gaelacha, which is a certified Irish dance instructor.
A.D.C.R.G. - stands for Ard Diploma Choimisiuin Le Rinci Gaelacha, which is a certified Adjudicator or judge.
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Feis - (pronounced “fesh”) is an Irish Dance Competition
Oireachtas - (pronounced “o-rock-tus”) is a regional championship competition where solo championship events are divided by age group only, and many figure team championship events are also offered.
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