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Subject: My Sentiments Exactly

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Not new to the rodeo
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Date Posted: 18:06:14 10/29/09 Thu
In reply to: where should I start? 's message, "Old style question?" on 08:48:21 10/29/09 Thu

I have been involved in dance about 13 years. I competed for awhile, but have primarily participated in class and in workshops. I participate in performances and have been able to do my slow speed solo in that venue. But I also note adults are being pushed out of contemporary irish dance. Why because the feis system is a farm system for the Worlds. The feis system is all about grooming American dancers for worlds. I commend all the adults who are making the leap to and overs, but the reality is we shouldn't be trying to imitate this strange hybrid of Irish dance and gymnastics that predominates today. We should be going for the great rhythm and timing and the things that were traditional about Irish dance. And if we aren't wanted or cherished in the current system, we should look elsewhere. I personally think adults are too eager to try and emulate what is currently popular in youthful Irish dance. We should be developing our own dress styles, our own hairstyles, not trying to "pass" for a younger version of ourselves. I feel very uncomfortable at feiseanna today. That is why I don't compete. I enjoy the other adults, but I think a lot of feiseanna just give lip service to adults. They seem to tolerate us, but not welcome us. Yes I know there are exceptions. There are exceptions to everything. I'm sure there are 50 year old women who can pass for 20 year olds and dance as well, but I am speaking of the vast majority of us who would like a suitable venue for competition. I have heard my own teacher say that many judges don't like to see adults dance. She judges herself and I would assume these are conversations she has heard. We aren't going to change the current organization. I have been in this long enough to see dissenters come and dissenters go. I think eventually adults are just going to be pushed out. I think this is why adult participation is down. We just don't have much place to go and no support from the current system. Eventually we will all be pushed out and maybe we can come together in an organization that supports our efforts.

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Subject Author Date

I really like what you have to say... me, too 06:05:02 11/03/09 Tue

Thank You, Example Inside -- Not New, 20:16:39 11/06/09 Fri

But why should we have to choose? -- I want to do both!, 18:42:15 11/09/09 Mon

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>I have been involved in dance about 13 years. I >competed for awhile, but have primarily participated >in class and in workshops. I participate in >performances and have been able to do my slow speed >solo in that venue. But I also note adults are being >pushed out of contemporary irish dance. Why because >the feis system is a farm system for the Worlds. The >feis system is all about grooming American dancers for >worlds. I commend all the adults who are making the >leap to and overs, but the reality is we shouldn't be >trying to imitate this strange hybrid of Irish dance >and gymnastics that predominates today. We should be >going for the great rhythm and timing and the things >that were traditional about Irish dance. And if we >aren't wanted or cherished in the current system, we >should look elsewhere. I personally think adults are >too eager to try and emulate what is currently popular >in youthful Irish dance. We should be developing our >own dress styles, our own hairstyles, not trying to >"pass" for a younger version of ourselves. I feel very >uncomfortable at feiseanna today. That is why I don't >compete. I enjoy the other adults, but I think a lot >of feiseanna just give lip service to adults. They >seem to tolerate us, but not welcome us. Yes I know >there are exceptions. There are exceptions to >everything. I'm sure there are 50 year old women who >can pass for 20 year olds and dance as well, but I am >speaking of the vast majority of us who would like a >suitable venue for competition. I have heard my own >teacher say that many judges don't like to see adults >dance. She judges herself and I would assume these are >conversations she has heard. We aren't going to change >the current organization. I have been in this long >enough to see dissenters come and dissenters go. I >think eventually adults are just going to be pushed >out. I think this is why adult participation is down. >We just don't have much place to go and no support >from the current system. Eventually we will all be >pushed out and maybe we can come together in an >organization that supports our efforts.

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