Competitive Irish Dancing
An organized step dance competition is referred to as a feis (pronounced "fesh"). The word feis means "festival" in Gaelic, and strictly speaking would also have competitions in music and crafts. Dance competitions are divided by age and level of expertise.
An annual regional Championship competition is known as an oireachtas (pronounced "o-rock-tus"). Dancers from each age group may qualify for the World Championships. Qualifying for the World Championships, Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne, (roughly translated to Irish Dance Championship of the World) varies slightly due to the competition or region. In the United States, dancers may qualify at either a Regional Oireacthas, or the North American Championships, which includes the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The World Championships have in years past only been held in Ireland, Northern Ireland, or Scotland, however in 2009, for the first time they will be held in the United States in Philadelphia.
The céilí (pronounced "kay-lee") dances used in competitions are more precise versions of those danced in less formal settings. There is a list of 30 céilí dances which have been standardised and published in An Coimisiún's Ar Rinncidhe Foirne as examples of typical Irish folk dances; these are called the "book" dances by competitive stepdancers. Most stepdance competitions only ask for a short piece of any given figure dance, in the interests of time.