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[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

• No you’re not the only one. It’s become a competition to out do each other now in the dress designs. It’s become big business now so I don’t think it’s going to end anytime soon. I’ve even seen a dress with short sleeves, which I thought was a no go area as well. Just makes this a elitist hobby for those with money. (NT) -- I feel sorry for those that struggle with money, but their girls love to dance, Thu, Jul 11 2019, 10:55:41"

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• It may not end any time soon but the numbers in Irish Dancing have dropped considerably over the las couple of years and I would guess the cost has a lot to do with it. $3500 or more for a girls dress is obscene and that's just the start. (NT) -- An elitist sport for the rich only, Thu, Jul 11 2019, 16:41:02"

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• We had a multiple times state champion, very successful at National, had to give up because she's one of five kids and is going to uni. Family can't afford both. (NT) -- .., Thu, Jul 11 2019, 17:55:54"

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• Short sleeves were approved by the commission (NT) -- —, Thu, Jul 11 2019, 21:59:56"

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• Agreed! Have you seen the old style dresses on the once_upon_a_feis Instagram account? Makes me so nostalgic for the way things used to be... (NT) -- Nostalgic, Sun, Jul 14 2019, 4:47:02"

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• If the Commission has approved short sleeves it won't be long before it's okaying sleeveless or even less. Ridiculous. What is the costume committee even there for? (NT) -- .., Mon, Jul 15 2019, 14:33:16"

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• Agreed. This is our last year of 'Irish' dancing. The whole thing has become an embarrassment to the tradition. Ugly over the top dresses and the cost! Is there not another way? (NT) -- We are leaving end of this year. Its become a joke., Tue, Jul 16 2019, 2:08:00"

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• Agree the dress situation is getting ridiculous. I used to be the biggest supporter of dress styles, but even I can only take so much! I have also noticed this last week that many American schools are making a mockery of the "no identifying design" rule by having their dancers in solo dresses with an identifying design, such as a big cross on every dress or the exact same woven "belt" design. Just noticed this on Nans photos. Do any Aus schools do this? I hope not. (NT) -- uu, Tue, Jul 16 2019, 9:38:58"
  • The whole dress, hair, make up, tan situation is making a mockery of Irish Dance altogether! There is a massive downturn in Irish dancing, just look at the numbers. (NT) -- I'm embarrassed to tell peopley child do Irish Dance because they always ask about the disgusting look! It totally goes against what I ethically want for my girls. This is our last year., Tue, Jul 16 2019, 12:20:24"
  • Unfortunately, some Aussie schools have had identifying designs (NT) -- FGMA tried it a couple of years ago, Sat, Jul 27 2019, 22:23:58"

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• Don't get me started about the Marge Simpson wigs. Totally stupid!! But when will the Commission take the parents seriously. When the numbers have dropped away to "only the rich?" Example: I was fascinated to see more Australians in The NANS than Irish. And it's only a one stop trip for them. (NT) -- .., Tue, Jul 16 2019, 14:06:19"
  • There were possibly less Irish there as their Irish Nationals were one or two weeks prior to Nans. (NT) -- -, Tue, Jul 16 2019, 16:27:27"
  • Oh yes the Marge wigs haha however I am sad the costumes and what come with it are a laughing stock. Sad that the Irish Dancing scene is no longer considered to be a reasonable pastime for children and has made a mockery of the tradition. When will they wake up that children should not be dressed like this and the dresses should at least look half Irish! Who in their right mind think it is ok for children to dress like this...someone once made a comment to me that's it's a bit creepy. (NT) -- How can the commission seriously think it's all ok?, Tue, Jul 16 2019, 23:10:38"

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• Oh. Thanks for that. (NT) -- .., Tue, Jul 16 2019, 18:13:49"

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• This will also be our last year of Irish Dancing, the cost is over the top and we have already sacrificed to much to pay for it all. (NT) -- Enough is enough., Wed, Jul 17 2019, 0:12:51"

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• Maybe parents need to write directly to the commission and tell them why they have to take their children out of the activity they love. Not that I think they'll care. (NT) -- .., Wed, Jul 17 2019, 13:52:12"

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• Feeling a little ripped off. -- Solo ID dad., Wed, Jul 17 2019, 20:48:20"

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• I think the big name costume designers have a lot to answer for. It’s such a big money making business now, and they are all trying to out do each other. Classiness and any link to tradition is out the window! CLRG rules are disregarded despite many of the big designer names being CLRG ADCRG members! (NT) -- Embarrassing look for ID, Wed, Jul 17 2019, 21:31:27"

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• Yes, and the designs are used over and over so that it's easy to pick a "????" dress. Easy for Adjudicators to recognise. Parents really need to look for local designers and dressmakers so that they're not paying exorbitant prices for copies. (NT) -- .., Wed, Jul 17 2019, 22:58:42"
  • Local? Who? Australian dressmakers charge just as much as overseas, sometimes more and their designs are no more individual. We had a distinctive dress from a well known dressmaker from Ireland and it wasn't long after dd first wore it that I saw copies made here. All dresses these days look the same. (NT) -- -, Thu, Jul 18 2019, 8:52:36"

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• Our TC encourages the first buy to be a second hand dress, usually from within the school or otherwise there's a great selection on line. If the dress has been advertisied for a while, you can probably get a reduction in price. Seeing littlies in over blinged dresses is ridiculous. Littlies in big wigs is also stupid. They look so lovely with a small bun. Parents need to heed their own commonsense and pocket. (NT) -- .., Thu, Jul 18 2019, 14:08:50"

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• Saw photos today of two short sleeved dresses. They look like ice skating costumes. I can't imagine why or how anyone convinced the commission that this was a good idea!!! Next thing will be strapless. (NT) -- .., Sat, Jul 20 2019, 21:37:35"

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• Wholeheartedly agree, as a parent of the younger generation in our school, I can assure you we talk about it every time we mingle with other parents. None of us like the short dresses, expensive dresses (we all purchase used), despise makeup and absolutely hate the dark leg tans with most of us not liking leg tan at all. We all feel that we will be pressured to change as our kids get older, but wish it was different. (NT) -- Frustrated DM, Sun, Jul 21 2019, 8:00:52"

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• I would be hard pressed to find one person who likes the present freak show 'look', the only people benefiting are the ridiculous designers $$$$ (NT) (NT) -- This is our last year. 'Irish dancing' isn't Irish anymore. We'll keep our traditions alive another way., Thu, Jul 25 2019, 11:07:49"

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• Such a pity that such a beautiful dance form has been destroyed by a small select group of greedy people who believe they can produce anything, no matter how ugly, and the commission will agree with it. Makes you wonder. Is TRADITIONAL Irish dancing a thing of the past or is the commission going to wake up and make some costume rules that pull back the ridiculous bling. Love the "Black Out Feis" and so do all the parents (NT) -- .., Thu, Jul 25 2019, 20:38:15"
  • Just read a post on the US board from someone saying that they paid £2360 for a dress, that's $AU4228 ! (NT) -- -, Fri, Jul 26 2019, 9:03:39"
    • I was reading a post on the main board and a parent said they had just received a new dress from Elevation that was GBP 2160 for an older dancer given that they charge by age overseas that was including the top package for bling which equates to AUD 3872 which is a similar price to Aussie dress makers. (NT) -- Which by the way is still crazy for a dance costume., Fri, Jul 26 2019, 13:44:53"
      • Only crazy because people are prepared to pay that much. Our Aussie dressmaker doesn't charge anywhere near that and she makes beautiful classy costumes that sell second hand even before the dancers are finished with them. So there are dressmakers in Australia. Maybe contact your local TAFE Fashion and Textile Department. They have students who think outside the box and have great imaginations. (NT) -- .., Fri, Jul 26 2019, 18:46:40"

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• Blo--y ridiculous. It's people like that who push up the prices. I can see the demise of Irish Dancing on the horizon. Just a sport for the rich. (NT) -- .., Fri, Jul 26 2019, 13:16:36"
  • A sport for fools happy to part with money to make someone else rich.It's about what priorities you have as a family. Overseas holiday? Holiday house? Music lessons? Paying off the Mortgage? Putting extra into super? Or a nearly $4000 dress (2000 secondhand) every year plus all the other costs. (NT) -- Madness., Sat, Jul 27 2019, 0:00:47"
  • Considering that a dress without crystals required less than $200 worth of materials, that works out to be a pretty good hourly rate for the finished product. Yes the big companies have staff to pay and overheads but considering they can knock out several dresses every day, they are laughing all the way to the bank. (NT) -- -, Sat, Jul 27 2019, 9:03:46"

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• I know many who have left Irish Dancing due to costs, more so with families who have multiple girls dancing. (NT) -- Very sad as some had potential, Sat, Jul 27 2019, 10:20:14"
  • And others that don’t pay their class fees but have enough to buy new dresses and accessories. (NT) -- -, Sat, Jul 27 2019, 12:48:39"
    • That's just totally unfair to the ones that do pay their fees. The TC should not let this happen sorry if you don't pay you cannot stay. (NT) -- NT, Sat, Jul 27 2019, 16:27:36"
      • Yeah, well you’d only do it once. Then it’d be game over. But still not right. (NT) -- -, Sun, Jul 28 2019, 0:29:04"
    • Do you mean the dance teachers encourage them to stay with their school by not having to pay fees? (NT) -- Hmm..., Sat, Jul 27 2019, 19:55:09"
      • I’ve heard of a teacher who doesn’t believe in stopping kids from doing what they love just because parents don’t pay fees (NT) -- I wouldnt be that generous let me tell you, Sun, Jul 28 2019, 12:46:02"

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• Why don’t you all stop your winging. If you dont like it then leave but stop bad mouthing the sport for the ones who are happy. (NT) -- Older DM, Sun, Jul 28 2019, 16:47:51"
  • That's one way to increase your ranking at states. (NT) -- Pillage and Burn, who cares who leaves, I want that trophy., Mon, Jul 29 2019, 7:14:23"
  • If we don’t start complaining then one day you’ll be whinging why there were only 3 girls in your daughter’s age group at States. (NT) -- Instead of 30+ like in previous years., Mon, Jul 29 2019, 9:01:39"
    • It will only be a matter of time. (NT) -- How many have to leave for the powers that be rule that the dancers must not look like a freakshow, Fri, Aug 02 2019, 0:23:15"
  • For those of us who are Irish, it's our culture, not a bloody sport! (NT) -- Irish Mum (angry), Fri, Aug 02 2019, 18:38:39"
    • 👍👍👍 💚☘🇨🇮🍀 (NT) -- ..., Fri, Aug 02 2019, 20:30:52"
    • The dancing part yes is part of our heritage, but not the 'Freakshow'. Look at Scottish dancing, they have kept to TRADITION and CULTURE. Damn right I'm angry ID become a freak show. (NT) (NT) -- Irish dancing 'look' is getting uglier and more laughable every year., Sun, Aug 04 2019, 14:10:22"

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• Angry Irish Mum. I agree but it's getting to the stage where it's unaffordable. In Australia Feis's aren't just a car drive away. We have to fly everywhere and it's very expensive and the dresses are over priced to being ridiculous. Hopefully someone will be brave enough one day to go back to cheaper dresses. Not so much bling and maybe some celtic design. We love your culture but the cost of being part of it is prohibitive. (NT) -- .., Sat, Aug 03 2019, 19:44:50"

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• If ur doing it for the cultural aspect, why compete? (NT) -- Not Irish at all but ❤️ It, Mon, Aug 05 2019, 2:22:18"
  • There are many that love competing (NT) -- but can’t afford it anymore, Mon, Aug 05 2019, 8:58:05"