Posts Categorized: Feis Reviews

Lavin Cassidy Feis

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis Reviews, Lavin Cassidy Feis, Wisconsin Feis.

A SPECIAL THANKS to a Feis Mom (who asked to remain anonymous) who volunteered to do a write-up for this feis.  THANKS!

The Lavin Cassidy Feis was held on March 2, 2013 at the Grand Geneva,  Lake Geneva, WI.

Venue – A very spacious and well laid out location for a feis.  In all the stage areas there were plenty of seats and room for limited camping, and even room for some practice space in the stage area.  Water was provided and the dispensers were frequently refilled and kept cold.  Most of the stages were on the main floor with a few on the second floor, but were all very easily accessible  A very handicap accessible feis as there was room to move around with a wheel chair if need be.  Some congestion in the one stage area, but it was to be expected and nothing to complain about.  Microphones were down in our stage area so if you weren’t watching the competition progress on your paper you were kind of in a pickle, but they were calling out for competitors very frequently.  The stage helpers (hey still somewhat new to this and still in beg2) were good about getting the kids lined up and if you missed your competition they would get you in between other dances with no issue.  The used dresses were in one of the coat check areas so they weren’t crammed in the back of a stage causing no room to stand.  Also there was a shuttle service in the lot if you needed to park a distance or if you were staying up at Timber Ridge Lodge.  Did not notice very many handicap spaces, but at least if walking was a issue for you there was the shuttle. read more

North Coast Feis Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis Reviews, North Coast Feis, Ohio Feis.

The North Coast Feis was held on February 2nd, 2013 at the IX Center in Cleveland, OH.

Venue – The IX Center was pretty good as a feis venue. The feis wasn’t in the main area of the IX Center, but instead, downstairs. Not fancy, and they seemed to have a little temperature issue in the champ area early afternoon (got very warm), but they got it worked out a bit later in the day.

Camping was not sufficient and viewer ‘bleed over’ into traffic areas was, as usual, an ‘annoyance’. read more

Gem City Feis Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis Reviews, Gem City Feis, Ohio Feis.

The Gem City Feis was held on October 13th, 2012 at the Dayton Airport Expo Center in Vandalia, OH. What is it with these airport feises lately?

Venue – The Expo Center was great as a feis venue. Lots of room, plenty of space, plenty of area for camping. It was not ‘posh’, but the temperature was good and there was lots of room. They probably could have taped off a bigger area for camping then they actually did, since the camping filled up and became difficult to navigate in and out of, but the annoyance was minor. read more

Pittsburgh Halloween Feis Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis Reviews, Pennsylvania Feis, Pittsburgh Halloween Feis.

NOTE: When you are done reading, please see the comments for a follow up by the Feis Chair.

The Pittsburgh Halloween Feis was held on October 6, 2012 at Hyatt Regency Hotel at the Pittsburgh Airport in Pittsburgh, PA.

Venue – The Hyatt wasn’t terrible as a feis venue, but I did have some ‘issues’ with it.

From the syllabus I see there were five stages but I really only saw three of them. They were good size and although they were all in the same room, there was adequate room to move between them. They also had sufficient chairs for viewers. read more

Michigan (Muskegon) Feis Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis Reviews, Michigan (Muskegon) Feis, Michigan Feis.

Michigan Feis was held on September 15, 2012 at Muskegon Catholic Central High School, Muskegon, MI.

Venue – Although spread out a little, the Muskegon Catholic Central High School was a pretty good feis venue.

Four stages spread throughout the school provided plenty of room for dancers and viewers. I spent most of my time in the gym where stages 3 and 4 were, and they were good size with lots of room between. There seemed to be plenty of seating in the bleachers for parents and friends. Another of the stages was in the auditorium and was well lit and had plenty of seating. Afraid I did not look at the 4th stage. read more

Rock River Valley Feis Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis Reviews, Illinois Feis, Rock River Valley Feis.

The Rock River Valley Feis was held on September 8th, 2012 at the Wellness and Sports Center, Harper College in Palatine, IL.

Venue – I thought the Wellness and Sports Center was a nice venue. Everything was in close proximity to the stages and there was room to move around, more so than some recent feiseses.

There were 6 stages all within what most of us would call a basketball arena. The OC and PC stages were in the center, taking up most of the basketball court, and were a really good size. There were three stages on one end of the court, smaller and a little close together, and then one on the other end of the court, similarly small, and off by itself. If there  was a negative comment, I would say that the three that were together were too close and that music bleed from one stage to the next apparently made it hard for some judges to focus on the dancers on their stage (valid concern not smartbutt remark like you may have come to expect from me). read more

The St Louis Gateway Feis Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis Reviews, Missouri Feis, St Louis Gateway Feis.

St Louis Gateway Feis LogoThe St Louis Gateway Feis was held on August 26th, 2012 at The Renaissance Hotel, St Louis,  MO.

Venue – The Renaissance was really nice. A cool bar/coffee/restaurant with fun little niches for private conversations, eclectic setting and furniture, fun chairs with foot stools, nice lobby with ceramic title and cool mirrored surfaces, but, as a feis venue, it sucked.

There were 4 stages that were nice size in separate rooms, but the areas around all except the Champion area were small and very crowded. Seating was inadequate in each space as far as I could tell, on Stage 2 it definitely was. Squatters took up chairs making the issue worse, so people were standing in what space was left making it nearly impossible to move through the area. Hallways served as a camping areas, but chairs, coolers and blankets were not allowed by the hotel, so people stood around filling the hallways making getting around difficult. read more

Great Lakes Feis Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis Reviews, Great Lakes Feis, Michigan Feis.

The Great Lakes Feis was held on August 19th, 2012 at The Lansing Center, Lansing, MI.

Venue – The venue was great and and all the stages were in the same huge room. The champs at one end of the venue and everyone else at the other. I made it sound bigger than it is, and it isn’t THAT big, but there was good separation. The stages were a good size, had good seating and room between. The camping was very plentiful so the ‘camping squatters’ were annoying. You know them, the ones who set up in the viewing seats and spread out their stuff. read more

Feis At The Falls Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Feis at the Falls, Feis Reviews, New York Feis.

The Feis At The Falls was held on August 11th, 2012 at The Conference Center Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls, NY.  Ever thought about going and didn’t know what to expect? Well here ya go…

Venue – The venue was nice and had two areas with six stages set up for ‘pre-champs’ in one, and two stages in the other area for Champs. Admittedly, since my daughter is in the Open/Prizewinner level, I don’t venture into champ land much, so I am talking about the area I was in. The stages were a nice size, had ample seating and good room between. The camping seemed plentiful but there were, as always, your ‘camping squatters’ who set up in the viewing seats and spread out their stuff. Can you tell that is a pet peeve? Parking was plentiful but pricey. read more

Clan na nGael Summer Feis Review

Posted by What The Feis & filed under Clan na nGael Summer Feis, Feis Reviews, Ohio Feis.

The Clan na nGael Summer Feis was held on July 14th, 2012 at the Shamrock Club in Columbus, OH and this was the first one.  Here is what this casual observer had to say…

OK, lets just start with the weather. The feis organizers really had no control over that, but it impacted the feis nonetheless. Rain up till early afternoon and then the sun came out and it got hot and muggy. I can only imagine that the heat wore at the girls…oh, did I mention this was an OUTDOOR FEIS? Who plans an outdoor feis in July? Sorry guys, I can’t see how that was a good idea, but that being said… read more