Well Crap…

Posted by:What The FeisonJanuary 5, 2015   0 Comments

Just now realized I have lost all the data for all polls tied to all previous posts. Well, not lost, but recently I moved the website from my personal server to the Feis Dad server and everything copied over, or so I thought. Unfortunately, none of the polls did. Info is still available but I doubt we will ever really need it again.

Long story short, any posts where you have typically found a poll at the bottom, if it is dated before today (1.5.15), you won’t find it, but the header is still there. All other post content is there otherwise. Sorry for any inconvenience. read more

Categories: Poll     

Some Notes for Website and Facebook Admins

Posted by:What The FeisonDecember 30, 2014   0 Comments

computer-geek-tattooI am a web guy in the real world, have been for nearly 18 years. I am also a Certified Usability Analyst, and as I was researching schools I was adding to my schools pages, I took some usability notes for you website and Facebook admins. Take it for what its worth, just thought I would mention a few things.

NOTE: I needed a geek image for this post. If you get it, you probably don’t need any help ;) 

Am I doing this to my dancer?

Posted by:What The FeisonDecember 24, 2014   1 Comment

abcoyLast night, TGC showed me a Tumblr post by a popular dancer. Although the language is a bit salty, what the dancer says also made me think.

WARNING: Some language in the attachment to this post is (not may be, is) inappropriate for some readers.

Although I don’t think I have ever ‘consciously’ told TGC she needs to be more like [insert famous dancer name here], I do push her. Am I pushing to hard? Am I focusing to much on the competition aspect? I ‘think’ TGC wants to win, but is my trying to help her win sucking all the joy out of it for her? read more

Attending Your First Oireachtas

Posted by:Mellie WilkesonDecember 1, 2014   0 Comments

orockwhatWell, aren’t you big stuff? Attending your first Oireachtas is very special indeed. Whether you are attending to watch the solos, teams, traditional set, or some combination thereof, let me be the first to congratulate you. Take a moment and enjoy the accomplishment of being invited to attend your first Oireachtas.

Let me assure you, it is even more important for the dancer you are going to watch.

Oireachtas, in short, is a regional competition. It has been called, by wittier writers than myself, a big ole honkin’ feis. But, I would disagree. At a feis, there are baking, art, music, vocal, dance, and special competitions. The Oireachtas would be better classified as a big ole honkin’ feile. See also What The Feis Dance Terms. At the Oireachtas, there are only dance competitions. The majority of the competitions are solos. This is followed by 4 hand and 8 hand teams, figure choreography, and dance drama. There are also traditional set competitions at some regional Oireachtas. read more

The 2000, 500, 300 Contest

Posted by:What The FeisonNovember 17, 2014   20 Comments

winner_graphicAlso known as, ‘the completely self-absorbed’ contest, but you can win a Feis Prints T-Shirt!

So here is the deal, if my What The Feis Facebook page gets to 2000 likes, or What The Feis Unplugged gets to 500, or Feis Prints gets to 300, by 9pm E.S.T on Sunday, November 23rd, I will give away one t-shirt with free shipping to one lucky person. If I meet all three goals, I will give away two shirts!

To enter, simply tell your friends to like any (or all) of the pages on Facebook, leave a comment below, and cross your fingers.  That’s it. One comment only please. Your email will ONLY BE USED for purposes of this contest as a means to contact you should you win. read more

Feis ATL 2014 Review

Posted by:Mellie WilkesonNovember 17, 2014   2 Comments

feisATLFeis ATL was held November 14th and 15th of 2014, at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. This was a Drake feis, which means fun, fabulous, chaotic, and crowded. The feis offered competitions in musical instruments, vocals, Celtic art work, baking, traditional and non traditional sets, treble reels, and a Dancer of the Day award, in addition to the regular feis competition schedule.

In the tradition of fun and fabulous, this feis offered some unexpected surprises. Friday night, there was a casual Irish music session in the registration hall. On Saturday, the FROZEN princesses made appearances and lead a pre awards show sing-a-long. On Saturday night, they held a post feis luau at the hotel pool for feis attendees. read more

Pack Up Your Feisin’ In Your Old Who Hut… wait, what!?

Posted by:Patty O'BenchonNovember 10, 2014   0 Comments

The other day, my husband said, “You know, when we move, we won’t need any boxes…we can just pack everything in your tote bags.” I looked around the room and had to agree. I could easily start my own bag kiosk at the mall. People are constantly telling me that I have a bag problem. My response is always that I can quit bags anytime.

Dr-Seuss-cat-in-the-hatAfter giving this some additional thought, I realized that I don’t have a BAG problem, I have a FEIS problem.  There is just too much stuff I need to bring to be the ‘Perfectly Prepared Feis Mom’ (PPFM) and I can’t get a system down that doesn’t involve looking like the Beverly Hillbillies. At a recent Feis, you could buy a tee shirt with an image of a Feis Mom lugging five suitcases and four tote bags. I honestly thought that someone had snapped a photo of me and shaded it in (with a smaller butt). read more

Chicago Autumn Feis 2014 Review

Posted by:ID MammaonNovember 10, 2014   0 Comments

chicago_autumn_feis_2014The 12th Annual Chicago Autumn Feis was held on Sunday, November 9, 2014 at North Central College in Naperville IL .

I can’t speak to PC/OC level, nor did our school have any at that level here due to Oirachtas practice.

Venue

Aside from streets being blocked due to a marathon, it was easy enough to get to the field house at North Central College. The parking was limited, but there was a shuttle that was much appreciated to take us from the lot to the field house. Unfortunately, the shuttle stopped transporting before my Prizewinner dancer finished dancing. The facility was clean initially, and restrooms seemed to be kept up. I didn’t see any cleaning of the floors throughout the day, possibly because there was no floor space open because of the crowding. Camping was supposed to be done on the balcony level, but few people did this and it was not enforced. The competition area was very crowded and it was difficult to move from one stage to another to watch other dancers on their respective stages. There was ample seating set up, however, dancers had strewn their belongings in seats and across bleachers, taking away from the available seating. Maybe not the best venue for 1,200 dancers and their families. read more