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. 

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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.