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Permalink Reply by Magda on March 10, 2008 at 4:09pm

I did three grades last May in Warsaw.
It was before I started competing, so it was realy, really sterssful ;). All the cds with music in proper speed should be ok. The speeds for each dance and level are the same as in feisanna.

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Permalink Reply by StefanS on March 10, 2008 at 10:04pm

Hey stannie!! :-)
What do you mean with the pieces of music that are used? You go there.....in a room with an examiner and any particular piece of music for the dances required for that particular grade will be played (usually by the organiser of the grade exams).
I've only taken the first four grades with 3 A+'s and 1 A :)
I am hesitating to go any further, because I absolutely HATE doing ceili, let alone teaching it :-p
Are ya considering to do grade exams? Wanna become a TC? :-)
hugzz

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Permalink Reply by Christine Affenzeller on March 10, 2008 at 10:11pm

do u get marks?? really?? I didnt know. I thought u can only pass it or not pass it. uuugghhh Im doing grades at sbg feis *scary*

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Permalink Reply by StefanS on March 10, 2008 at 10:19pm

Hi C!

Yes you get marked. If I'm not mistaken, the 4 things the examiner will be marking you for, are:

-timing/rhythm
-execution
-carriage
-general/overall effect

And you can get marks from A+ (highest mark) till like E, which is when you have failed to pass that grade.

I'm not a 100% sure as it was AGES ago that I took the first 4 grades. You shouldn't be scared, it's quite funny. Right after you've danced one dance.....the examiner will write down comments on a piece of paper (which you will get from her/him afterwards) and he/she will speak to you personally about your positive/negative things. Sometimes he/she will even say like: try doing it like this or that and then you'd have to do it again with her/his comment (of course the judging on paper has already been written and won't be altered).
It's really pleasant actually, because she will give you personal advice.
Which grades will you be doing?

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Permalink Reply by Christine Affenzeller on March 10, 2008 at 10:34pm

thats really cool that u get personal feedback afterwards as I often wonder what the adjudicators thought about certain judgments at feises.
but the thought of dancing alone in front of the examiner is still really scary to me. I ve only danced in twos till now. n generally Im always just getting too nervous - think Im getting too old for this :P

well, I ll certainly do grade 1+2. we havent decided yet actually. still need to talk to AM about it. but Im not sure if my primary reel will be good enough till then.

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Permalink Reply by StefanS on March 10, 2008 at 11:11pm

well yeah......after you have danced, the examiner will write the comments and during her/his writing, there is a super scary moment of silence and you just have to stand at your spot waiting for her/him to finish the writing.
Last time I did the grades, there were 5 people in the room at the same time dancing one after the other. But I don't know how other organisers will do them.
We were lucky to have a REALLY nice examiner (molly farelly) and we knew her before from a feis so it wasn't too scary! Who will be the examiner at the SB feis?

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Permalink Reply by Christine Affenzeller on March 10, 2008 at 11:15pm

if I remember well AM said its the only american adjudicator at the feis who is a grade examiner as well:
Kathleen Keady ADCRG New York

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Permalink Reply by Hannah on March 15, 2008 at 8:33pm

that will be soooo interesting in salzburg^^ hehe....
looking forward..

my beginners reel rocks :P hehe...

xxxxx

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Permalink Reply by Christine Affenzeller on March 15, 2008 at 8:44pm

haha, it definitely rocks :D luv to c ya dancing with us^^
dont forget it has to be 40bars lol

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Permalink Reply by Patricia on March 11, 2008 at 9:28am

Don`t be worried,

I´ve done 5 Grades and I`m supposed to do 6 in a month or so.
Adjudicators are more relaxed. It´s really great. I`ve done Grades at several occassions. The first 3 with approx. 10 dancers in the room. Everyone was doing the first dance after each other and then the next dance. If you do a mistake, just stop and ask wether you can try again. It was never a problem (even if I was lucky enough, that I had never to repeat, just class mates). The other 2 grades were smaller (means, not that many dancers) and we were alone in the room with our adj. Okay somehow spooky - it`s like a nightmare - being alone with an adjudicator. BUT she was so fantastic with creating a relaxed atmosphere, that dancing was like a practise lessons in a workshop - just another teacher who wants to see you dancing and telling you, were to improve.

The marking sheets are great - the only thing is, that usually nothing "new" appears on it. Just all the things, my teacher always told me. But sometimes it needs someone else telling those things.

Have fun, enjoy and do your best
Trish

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Permalink Reply by Patricia on March 11, 2008 at 9:40am

Stefan,

come one! You`ll need your Ceili at the TCRG exam anyway (I suppose, you`ll want to do it). No better chance to practise it than in Grades!

I`ve done grade 5 with Walls of Limerick - no teaching, just oral exam. I recommend to get the Ceili book, as it is easier/better and - I think - it`s expected to use the correct terms, so you can learn it by heart. Oh and never argue with the adj. (what I did, as I just have a different way of thinking; half right and left - which shoulders pass right or left ;) ).

And teaching is even easier, as you can "move" people across the floor, you don`t have just to explain it!

Quite curious about Siege of Ennis, as I will/shall/should do 6 in a month time.

Oh and regarding music:
You can bring your own music, but you don`t need to usually.

Trish

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Permalink Reply by Tereza Bernardova on March 11, 2008 at 9:20am

Hey guyes!!! How are you?
Have to agree, that grades are fun. It's so different from feis... You might feel nervous at the beginning, but it's great that if you forget something or do big mistake, you can always try it again. Remember every judge telling us to relax, encouraging us... simply cool!!! You just need to be well prepared!!! Confident enough with what you going to show there.
Myself I succesfully passed 10 grades and definitely wanna do the last two as well in future...
Wishing you the best of luck in next grades!!!

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