Two-hand own choreography

Getting ready is a demanding process...

 And the last of the Premiership dancers have been called to marshalling.

13 & 14 Years are now on stage doing their soft shoe round of the Premiership

Presentations will follow and - joy oh joy - we are still running early :)

The hall is about half full and being warmed by glorious winter sunshine, the earlier clouds having made good their escape.  Canteen food abounds and its aroma mixes interestingly with the wafting hairspray and deodorant - must be approaching lunchtime.

15 & 16 Years are in the hall and getting ready

A message to a beloved best friend

Feis update

The adjudicators are taking a short break for tea, scones with jam and cream, and perhaps a break from the music and the feet :)

As we are running a little early, a sanity break for all of us seems a good idea.

Premiership dancers called to marshalling

13 & 14 Years marshalling for their soft shoe dances

 Looking very relaxed….

Reel-y making progress now

Powering through the soft shoe dances on our way to the Premiership round :)

Gourmet food update

ChaosCentral was just delivered a fresh cappuccino by a PandA :)  Thanks!!!!

Dancers have been called to marshalling for their set dances

The marshalling queue is growing...

13 & 14 Years in marshalling for their hard shoe dances

Welcome to a beautiful Sunday at the AIDA Graded & Reserve Feis

Overcast and cool weather greets travellers to Hornsby this morning, but the warm reception given by the feis organisers is sure to warm people up.  The first section of the day is the 13 & 14 Years and they are a little tardy getting into marshalling - could be the metabolism is a little slow due to the weather :)

The canteen is fired up and ready and they will probably do a roaring trade today as the hall is only about a quarter full, leading to a slight chill in the air than can only be addressed by hot food and drink!

They have just taken the stage for their hard shoe round, dancing two at a time.

Results - 20 Years & Over

=1st Lauren Ward Carroll
=1st Siobhan White Wollongong
=3rd Tegan Horwood McMahon
=3rd Signe Peitersen McMahon
5th Sarah Healey McMahon

Results - 18 & 19 Years

1st Adrian Sutton Ni Piobaire
2nd Katie Giles Carroll
3rd Sally Thompson Ku-Ring-Gai
4th Bernadette Neasy Claddagh
5th Rhiannon Jones Maher

Results - 17 Years

=1st Jordan Molloy Walton
=1st Emily Stinten Maher
3rd Jess Carruthers Maher
4th Lauren Holmes Carroll
5th Carly Chittendon Carey
6th Alexandra Lemon Higgins

Presentations!!!!

Premiership hard shoe dances almost finished

The senior dancers are now looking for where they last put their soft shoes, then sauntering back to marshalling for their final dances.  We should be ready for presentations around 1945.

Feis update

Traditional sets have finished and the 17 Years and over are in marshalling for their soft shoe rounds - very soon we will be into the Premiership dances....

ChaosCentral's intern of the day

 Actually, the only intern all day :)

17 Years & Over in marshalling

17 Years & Over in marshalling

Results - 10 Years

=1st Alexandra Hennings Carey

=1st Elliot Sutton Aisling

3rd Sophie Liang Halloran

4th Emma Farrell Reilly

5th Charlotte Smith Wollongong

6th Holly Cividin Reilly

7th Molly Kingham-Convey Derwent

8th Mackenzie Lawler Reilly

Results - 9 Years

1st Caitlin Hickey Fenagh
2nd Kaitlin Weeks Ni Piobaire
=3rd Alexandra Vujevic Maher
=3rd Georgia Herbert Wollongong
5th Roisin Hayes Halloran
6th Mikayla White Halloran
7th Niamh Marsden Ku-Ring-Gai
8th Natahni Lonergan Walton
9th Bethany Evans Maher
10th Veronica Lynch Maher
11th Ryan Barlow Maher

Last Premiership dancers on stage....

Presentations next, then the 17 Years and Over....only running about 15 minutes late....

Feis update

We are having a brief pause between Premierships - normal service will resume very soon..And we are now running about 15 minutes late :)

Soft shoe round of the Premiership is now on stage

And once these dancers have finished, presentations will start.  We still seem to be running on time, or close to it, and the 17 Years and over probably don't mind :)

Feis Update

After a small delay due to technical difficulties, the 10 years Premiership hard shoe round is underway.

9 & 10 Years Premiership in marshalling

And the dancing is rolling along...

The last few soft shoe dancers are on stage and we are about to start the Premiership rounds for the 9 & 10 Years.  It is becoming dark outside and also much cooler, the hall is quite full so the combined body heat will work for a while...

The 17 Years and over are yet to make an appearance en masse, but when they arrive and this section leaves, the hall will probably empty considerably...which is a pity as there are so many good dancers to see in these age groups.

Gourmet food update
The canteen is doing a roaring trade in cakes, drinks and toasted sandwiches - chocolate crackles have also been spotted.

9 & 10 Years in marshalling

Feis update

Hornpipes are nearing completion whilst the hall cools down.  Outside, the cloud cover is increasing but the wind has abated - this weather report brought to you courtesy of boredom :)

We are still running on time, so if you are in the last section of the day and reading this, come on down to enjoy the fun!

Jig and hornpipe sections have just been called to marshalling

9 & 10 Years now on stage

Lunch was wonderful, you should have been here!

Feis update

As it is lunchtime, the LiveCam audio is muted

Results - 6 Years & Under

1st Trinity Woelms Walton
2nd Madison O’Brien Halloran
3rd Isabella Masters Higgins
4th Jaeda Ross Wollongong
5th Ryan Yeates Halloran

Premiership dancers now on stage

Lunch and presentations will follow - and - we are running on time!!

Feis update

The dancers are on stage doing their assorted soft shoe rounds and the hall is not quite as full as before.  A very appreciative audience, but with lots of background noise which makes it difficult for the very young dancers to hear the music.

Still cool and windy outside and inside the hall the temperature is dropping.  If you are attending the later sections of the day, prepare to rug up!

And now the 4, 5 & 6 Years are on stage

The feis is running on time, the hall is warm and all is well :)

Results - 8 Years

1st Rose Hanratty Halloran
2nd Alana Loveridge Halloran
=3rd Mitchell Carroll Halloran
=3rd Georgie Purcell Maher
5th Connie Sutton Aisling
6th Eleftheria Stoubidis Halloran
7th Grace Stevens Halloran
8th Sophie Rollason Creer-Harvey
9th Olivia Byrne Creer-Harvey
10th Alana Curran-Jones Halloran
11th Phoebe Liang Halloran
12th Erin Browne Halloran

Results - 7 Years

=1st Danah Pham Halloran
=1st Imogen Ryan Fenagh
=3rd Caitlin Finnegan Reilly
=3rd Eloise Hawse Creer-Harvey
=5th Leah Kingham-Convey Derwent
=5th Jack Wardini Halloran

7 & 8 Years presentations now on!

It's true!!!!

 Gourmet chocolate crackles from the Ku-Ring-Gai school!!!

And the 7 & 8 Years are now in marshalling for their soft shoe Premiership dances.

Seating is at a premium in the hall, we have noticed that unoccupied chairs are being "relocated" by people without a seat - so make sure you remain seated at all times!

7 & 8 Years Premierships are underway

First round dances are on stage now, dancing three at a time.  Some have returned to marshalling in their soft shoes, ready to go!

7 & 8 years in marshalling for their Premiership dances

Premiership dancers called to marshalling

Feis update

Visitors to the feis are advised to rug-up warmly and to bring a kite!  The wind has picked-up and although there is heating in the hall and seating for over 200, it becomes chilly and one is likely to be blown off-course when entering and leaving the hall.

Gourmet Food update
The Ku-Ring-Gai school is running a canteen that contains a fantastic range of hot and cold food and, of course, the obligatory sweets to keep us all going and top provide a sugar boost to the dancers.  And we have been informed that there may be chocolate crackles available as well - oh joy :)

Soft shoe rounds now on stage

Last few dancers in the 7 & 8 years traditional set

Traditional sets on stage now

The dancers have almost finished their traditional set dances and are regrouping for their Premiership dances.

New photography rule

Dancers in Beginners and Primary may be videoed and/or photographed - without using a flash - whilst they are dancing on stage.  If you are unsure how to make your camera work without using a flash, please come to see ChaosCentral and we will be pleased to help you.

AND - MediaImages will be photographing Beginner and Primary dancers, so if you aren't able to get a shot, go to www.swoose.net and take one of ours free :)

Vendors….they are all here!

Happy and relaxed...

And Ku-Ring-Gai school are selling hand-crafted dress bags, fantastic designs and well priced!

And we are off and running!!

The 7 & 8 years are now on stage doing their first round

Welcome to the 2012 AIDA Graded & Reserve Premiership

A cool and windy day at Hornsby greets competitors and families for this competition.  We are in the historic Hornsby War Memorial Hall, plenty of seating and the hall is heated, but a cool breeze wafts through as people leave the doors open.

Our adjudicators are:

• Kate Hartley ADCRG (QLD)
• Vicki Paulin ADCRG (VIC)

And our music is via iTunes :)

This weekend's dancing schedule is as follows:
Saturday 26th May
0900 7 & 8 yrs Graded
1100 7yrs & 8yrs Premiership
1200 Results
1230 6 yrs & under Graded & Premiership
1345 Results & lunch
1430 9 & 10 yrs Graded
1600 9yrs & 10yrs Premiership
1715 Results
1745 17yrs & over Graded
1815 17yrs & over Premiership
1915 Results

Sunday 27th May
0900 13 & 14 yrs Graded
1015 13 & 14yrs Premiership
1115 Results
1145 15 & 16 yrs Graded
1300 15yrs & 16 yrs Premiership
1345 Results & Lunch
1430 11 & 12yrs Graded
1615 11yrs & 12yrs Premiership
1800 Results


Premiership Numbers

• 6 years & under - 5
• 7 years - 7
• 8 years - 23
• 9 years - 20
• 10 years - 15
• 11 years - 28
• 12 years - 17
• 13 years - 13
• 14 years - 10
• 15 years - 14
• 16 years - 10
• 17 years - 7
• 18 & 19 Years - 5
• 20 Years & Over - 5

And so the feis comes to an end

A great day at a wonderful feis with such a long history - next week is the Debutante Ball and then...we will be back at the next feis.

Results - 17 Years & Over

17 Years
1 Ceili Moore
2 Brooke Haling

18 Years
1 Zoe Thomson
2 Cordelia Franklin

19 Years & Over Boys
1 Adrian Sutton

19 Years & Over
1 Julia Baar
2 Bridget Spokes
3 Caitlin Ironside
4= Siobhan White
4= Tegan Horwood
6 Signe Peitersen
7 Sarah Healey

Results - 14 Years

1 Madeline Byrne
2 Siobhan Hamilton
3 Mollie Brennan
4 Kyra Webb
5 Meghan Shortland
6 Madeline Yeaman
7= Michelle Acheson
7= Ashley Cottell
9 Jessica Morcom

Results - 13 Years

Boys
1 Jonty Moore

Girls
1 Alexandra Makin
2 Jordan Walters
3 Caitlin Pellizon
4 Charlotte Fletcher
5 Niamh Kennedy
6 Rebecca Miller
7 Erin Kavanagh

Last section of the day in marshalling

The 17 & Over soft show round for the Premiership are all lined up, once they finish we will have presentations....and the end of the feis for another year.

Hard shoe round well underway

Many of the dancers are by themselves on the stage, providing a great opportunity to shine in front of the adjudicator.  They have just been called back to marshalling for their soft show round.

17, 18 & 19 Years called to marshalling for their Premiership hard shoe round

The room is now half empty, the club outside is filling with the Sunday night crowd and their is a meat raffle on - outside in the club.

That means that for the remainder of the competition, the presentations will appear on LiveCam!

Results - 10 Years

1 Aisling Munro
2 Daniel Brennan
3 Sophie Liang
4 Danae Moore
5 Kyra Atherton
6 Alexandra Hennings
7 Elliot Sutton
8 Laura Jelovic
9 Connor Sutton
10 Mackenzie Lawler
11 Elizabeth Tax

Results - 9 Years

1 Grace Reid

2 Liam Costello

3 Kahil Gilchrist

4 Mikayla White

5 Georgia Herbet

6 Kaitlin Weeks

7 Roisin Hayes

8 Andy Carter

9 Natasha Ross

10= Alexandra Vujevic

10= Caitlin Hickey

12 Genevieve Price

13 Shannlyn Merchant

14 Tahlie Grieff

15 Georgine Jelovic

Feis update

The 13/14 Years and the 17 Yeas & Over are dancing interleaved, and the 17 & Over have just completed their warm-up hard shoe dances and the 13/14 Years are in marshalling for their Premiership round.

And now, the 13 & 14 Years are on stage...

Presentations for 9 & 10 Years will take place in the main club room soon...

9 Years Premiership has finished!

13 & 14 Years called to marshalling and they will dance after the 10 Years Premiership dancers have finished.  Presentations for 9 & 10 Years will be as soon as the marks are calculated....soon.

10 Years Premiership hard shoe now on stage, 9 Years back in marshalling with their soft shoes...

A little pause in the proceedings...

The 9 & 10 Years are getting themselves organised so there is a little pause, but we are now back to the dancing with all the hard shoe dancers for the Premiership in a line in marshalling.

Feis update

9 & 10 Years are now dancing their soft shoe rounds, three at a time on stage.  Still a packed hall but now the cafe is closed, so cappuccinos are not available for those in need....

Results - 5 & 6 Years

1 Trinity Woelms
2 Bella Masters
3 Jessica Kelly
4 Ella Walters
5= Ryn Yeates
5= Ciara-Leigh Carey
7 Jada Ross
8 Bridget Kearney

9 & 10 Years now dancing their hard shoe rounds

4, 5 & 6 Years presentations have just been held, results posted very soon....

Another feis update :)

4, 5 & 6 Years are doing their soft shoe round and the room is packed to capacity!  Lunch has come and gone outside in the restaurant and the 9 & 10 Years dancers are starting their warm-ups and generally getting ready.

Prizes for 3 & 4 Years will take place very soon!

Feis update

4, 5 & 6 Years now dancing jigs and reels, three at a time on stage.  And also we are running on time :)

Results - 8 Years

1 Rose Hanratty
2 Ashleigh Kelly
3 Ailie Russell
4 Olivia Kennedy
5 Erin Browne
6 Olivia Byrne
7 Eleftheria Stoubis
8 Connie Sutton
9 Mitchell Carroll
10= Sophie Rollason
10= Nina Ball
12 Phoebe Liang
13 Olivia Bourke
14 Niamh D'arcy
15 Grace Stevens
16= Michelle Hamilton
16= Megan Wilson
18 Alana Merchant

Results - 7 Years

1 Danah Pham
2 Imogen Ryan
3 Alyshia Smith-Sertes
4 Aloise Hawes
5= Jack Carey
5= Brooke McKenzie
7 Chloe Dyde

4, 5 & 6 Years now on stage

Dancing three at a time, and very quiet dancers, so the room has become pin quiet!

Feis update

Lots of dancers, lots of music and lots of activity - and we are running on time, so the next sections are the  6 & Under which are due to start around 1315.

At the moment, the 7 & 8 Years Premiership have finished their hard shoe round and are in marshalling, ready for their soft shoe round and presentations.

7 & 8 Years Premiership dancers called to marshalling

And now the room is buzzing with excitement! They are dancing three at a time on the stage.

Video and photography rule update

Miss Jan announced that An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha have announced that video and non-flash photography is permitted for Beginner and Primary age groups ONLY.

ChaosCentral is more than ecstatic that this change has been introduced, but is also keenly aware of the impact of a flash of any performer on stage, especially dancers just starting out in their pursuit.  So, if you are at a competition and ChaosCentral is there as well, come to see us and we will show you how to set up your camera for the best results for non-flash photography.  Excellent results can be obtained but it may require the operator to learn a couple of new, simple techniques, and also become familiar with the manual operation of their camera :)  When it comes to video, we are certain you can all do it without additional lighting!

Another feis update

The room is again packed with the 7 & 8 Years competitors, families and supporters.  In the interim, chaosCentral has been attempting (unsuccessfully) to be at two places at the same time - LiveCommentary and photographing the presentations.  The net result is that the laws of physics have won yet again and LiveCam has to substitute for LiveCommentary updates when the presentations are on.

The younger dancers are performing very happily, changing between hard shoe and soft shoe for their assorted dances.  We are now up to soft shoe for Primary and Elementary.

Results - 16 Years

1 Sean Cameron
2 Brandon Sutton
3 Angelica Cross

Results - 15 Years

1 Lauren Hurst
2 Jack Kearney
3 Nina Kendall
4 Erin O'Callaghan

Feis update

7 & 8 Years are on stage doing hard shoe dances, results for 15/16 Years being prepared, results for 11/12 years being updated for some errors... :(

Results - 12 Years

1 Isabel Fitzpatrick
2 Isabel Geeves
3 Caragh Hayes
4 Jade McMartin
5 Alana Chapman
6 Isabel Shelley
7= Caitlin Kersivien
7= Oisin Braddock-Hanratty
9 Holly Smith
10 Sacha Kendall

Results - 11 Years

1 Roisin Bolwell
2 Niamh Gallagher
3 Ebony McMartin
4 Siobhan Lo
5 Jade Abbey
6 Niamh Mac
7= Georgia Robinson
7= Madelione Carroll
9 Erin Burt
10 Amy Montford
11 Sian Hamilton
12 Rachel White
13 Gabriel Irving
14 Alannah Frawley
15 Ysabel Hardge
16 Evangeline Norris
17 Chloe Schultz

11 Years Boys
1 Nathan Ball
2 Thomas Kearney
2 Nicholas Barkopolous-Cook

Feis update

7 & 8 Years are now on stage, results for earlier sections coming....

15 & 16 Years are in marshalling about to start!

And the room has emptied into the main club for the presentations, which is where ChaosCentral is now going to photograph the presentations.  More news as it comes to hand and as we get organised :)

15 & 16 Years have been called to marshalling

Their sections will follow immediately after the 11 & 12 Years have finished, results for the 11 & 12 Years should be in about 30 minutes and will be posted as soon as the presentations have finished!

Note about presentations

Presentations will be held in the main room of the Penrith Gaels Club, rather than in the room where the dancing is taking place.  Because of this change of venue, the presentations won't appear on LiveCam as ChaosCentral can't quickly and simply pick-up and move all the broadcast equipment....

Soft shoe rounds now on stage

Intermediate and Open sections on stage, three at a time.

The room is quite full but also very quiet, people are really paying attention and watching the dancers :)

Vendors are ready and waiting!

Feis update

Dancers doing the jig are only doing two steps and today, the presentations will be held outside in the main body of the club rather than on the stage.  This will assist in the competition running on time and also provide more room for the ceremony.

Gourmet food update
The menu at the club seems to have been updates and contains lots of interesting irish meals.  Also on show is an amazing range of cakes, slices and deserts which have attracted the eyes of most coffee purchasers.  No chocolate crackles sighted, must make a note to speak to Club Management :)

Feis update

Back to the hard shoe dances for the intermediate and open dancers and in an important and breaking development, the cafe is now open and has experienced its first rush for coffee - and cakes!

11 & 12 Years in marshalling

Soft shoe round about to get underway

Feis update

11 & 12 Years dancers have been dancing their hard shoe round and, on a stage without tarquet, the sound is very loud, allowing all the details and nuances of the steps to be heard by everyone.

Canteen doesn't appear to be open yet, but the clamouring for cappuccino will, at some point, come to their attention :)

Welcome to the 2012 Easter Feis

A crisp but foggy morning in the greater west of Sydney sees us once again at the Easter Feis, one of the longest running competitions in Sydney.  Held in the Penrith Gaels Club, a great supporter of Irish Dancing in Sydney, the competition is always popular and dancers have a stage that produces a fantastic sound.

Todays dancing schedule is as follows:

8.30a.m. 11 and 12
10.30a.m.15 and 16
11.30a.m. 7 and 8
1.15.p.m.3,4,5,6, yrs
2.45a.m. 9 and 10
4p.m. 13,14 and 17 and over

The adjudicator is Elizabeth Lewis ADCRG and music is by computer!!

Premiership numbers are as follows:

• 5 & 6 Years - 11 dancers
• 7 Years - 7 dancers
• 8 Years - 15 dancers
• 9 Years - 14 dancers
• 10 Years - 9 dancers
• 11 Years - 24 dancers
• 12 Years - 11 dancers
• 13 Years - 7 dancers
• 14 Years - 10 dancers
• 15 Years - 6 dancers
• 16 Years - 4 dancers
• 17 Years - 2 dancers
• 18 Years - 3 dancers
• 19 Years & Over - 10 dancers

Feis wrap-up

So another very successful Penrith Valley feis is over - a wonderful feis with great dancing, plenty of good food and lots of friendship.

ChaosCentral will return 6th May at the Easter Feis - maybe OPTUS will contact us before then to sort out their embarrassingly-poor service.