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Competition Levels

Note that the levels & explanations listed below are the minimum requirements.

 Lexa has slightly different requirements for advancement.  These are outlined in the An Clar Handbook. 

Beginner: A beginner is a competitor who has not taken Irish dancing lessons from a registered teacher prior to September 1st of previous year.  Dancer must move into Advanced Beginner the following year.

NO SOLO COSTUMES ALLOWED, Skirt and blouse or school costumes ONLY.



Advanced Beginner: An Advanced Beginner is a dancer who has taken lessons from a registered teacher for more than 1 year.  An Advanced Beginner who wins a 1st ,2nd or 3rd place will advance to the Novice category in that particular dance the next year.

NO SOLO COSTUMES ALLOWED, Skirt and blouse or school costumes ONLY.



​Novice: A Novice is a dancer who has previously won a 1st , 2nd or 3rd in Advanced Beginner.  A novice who wins a 1st place will advance to the Prizewinner category in that particular dance the next year.



Prizewinner: A prizewinner is a dancer who has previously won a 1st in Novice in a particular dance.  A dancer must place 1st in one light shoe dance; Reel or Slip jig(girls only) one heavy shoe dance; Treble jig or Hornpipe and consistently place 1st, 2nd or 3rd in other dances in Prizewinner to qualify for Preliminary Championship. 



Preliminary Championship:  Have won 1st place in both an open/prizewinner light and heavy shoe competition, and consistently placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in all other dances.  A dancer that has never won 1st, 2nd or 3rd in Open Championship.  Preliminary dancers who win 3 first places in a calendar year, must move to Open Championship the following calendar year. When a third 1ST place win is achieved over several calendar years, the dancer must move to Open Championship the following weekend. (Mid-Atlantic Region Rule, all other regions require 2 first places)



Open Championship: The highest level that can be achieved! A dancer moves to Open Championship when a dancer has achieved required first places in Preliminary Championship.

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