| Dancers | ||
| Clann na Cara Beginners | ||
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As Clann na Cara Beginners, new students will learn the basics of Irish Dancing in a fun and
learning environment. In addition to the focus on footwork and placement, dancers
will learn their first steps or routines, one of which includes the ever popular Irish Jig.
Children will learn in groups in order to develop the important element of timing and rhythm.
Since there is no normal progression, in other words, since every child will learn at their
own pace, class sizes are kept as small as possible in order to offer as much attention as
possible to each student.
Students will begin to develop the physical skills associated with Irish dance: body control, coordination, good posture etc. As the dancer leaves the Beginner level and enters into Advanced Beginner and Novice levels, the dancer will begin to notice how aerobic an activity Irish Dance is! Stamina and body coordination will begin to play a key role when more intricate material is being performed, and exercises geared toward development will be implemented in class. |
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| Advanced Dancers | ||
| The 3 final skill levels, Open-Prizewinner, Preliminary Championships and Open Championships aim to place dancers with constant challenges and goals to be met. Dancers will begin to develop their own individual styles, strengths and weaknesses as dancers and it is with the support of the teachers and parents that the dancers are encouraged to reach their individual goals, whatever they may be. Dancers will learn how to analyze their own performances and decide for themselves whether or not they have achieved their desired level of success, and if not, how come? Not everyone will be a world champion, but dancers will be constantly encouraged to reach their individual potentials. | ||
| FEISING | ||
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Most people do not realize that Irish dancing, in addition to being an enjoyable art form,
is also a competitive sport. A feis (pronouned: <fesh>) is a Gaelic word meaning
festival/competition. Many of our dancers compete locally in areas that hold
competitions , including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and parts of Ontario, Canada.
Once dancers have reached an advanced level, they compete regionally at an event known
as the "Oireachtas" <O-rock-tis> as well as nationally. Most recently, several dancers
from Clann na Cara Irish Dance qualified for the World Championships and have ventured
overseas for what is known to be the "Olympics of Irish dancing." Oireachtas Rince Na
Cruinne (translating to 'Dance Championship of the World') boasts the world's finest
dancers. Many dancers who reach that level are often recruited for shows such as
"Riverdance" and other dance spectacles.
The majority of our dancers are invited to start feising towards the end of their Beginner year at our local "Buffalo Feis." As a beginner, dancers will compete against other beginners their age. The same applies for any level that follows. |
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| Team Dancing | ||
| In addition to solo dancing, the Clann na Cara School enjoys and encourages as many children as possible to participate in team dancing. All 4 instructors having been members of the same teams during their own dancing careers, have traveled and competed on the regional and international levels together and have developed an important attention to detail while instructing and choreographing team dances. Though solo dancing can be extremely rewarding, team dancing offers the chance for dancers to work together to achieve a common goal, and of course the forming of lasting friendships and lifelong memories. The vast majority of our dancers participate in both solo and team dancing, though any dancer may choose just one or the other. Clann na Cara has had qualified teams and soloists participate at the regional level and with continued support from our Parents Organization (see Parents) and fundraising, we will send dancers to North American National Championships and overseas for Majors in the near future. | ||
| Private Lessons | ||
| Private lessons are available for dancers who wish to go the extra 10 yards and have personal one-on-one coaching. Privates are scheduled individually by appointment. | ||
| Sportsmanship | ||
| Dancers are taught to be supportive of one another and to practice good sportsmanship at all times when representing the school. A healthy competitive environment is created by a low pressure approach, and students are reminded to keep perspective and concentrate on achieving personal best. Dancers must be able to handle winning as well as losing, while maintaining a positive attitude and love of the dance for the right reasons. | ||
| Classroom Environment | ||
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To avoid distraction, parents will not be allowed to remain in the same room where lessons
are being conducted. However, if you would like to request an observation, please contact
your dancer’s teacher(s).
Students are expected to practice between sessions so class time can be spent mastering what has already been presented and learning new material. This is the only way the instructors can do their job, which is to do much more than just teach the material. Dancers and parents are encouraged to communicate individual goals and needs to the instructors, while trusting the abilities of the teachers to guide them properly. |
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