GRADING RULES

For competitions held in Queensland

Please note - a dancer’s age on January 1st of the current year is their age group for that year.

What grades are/may be included in competitions in Queensland?

NOVICE

This grade is a precursor to Bun (Beginner) Grade.
It is only available to a dancer competing at a Feis for the first time (other than a class Feis) in each particular dance.
Reel - speed 122 - 32 or 48 bars of music in total
Light Jig - speed 116 - 48 bars of music in total
Single Jig - speed 124 - 48 bars of music in total
Slip Jig - speed 124 - 40 bars of music in total

BEGINNER (Bun)

Reel - speed 122 - 32 or 48 bars of music in total
Light Jig - speed 116 - 48 bars of music in total
Single Jig - speed 124 - 48 bars of music in total
Slip Jig - speed 124 - 40 bars of music in total
Treble Jig - speed 92 - 32 bars of music in total

PRIMARY (Tús)

Reel - speed 116 - 48 bars of music in total
Light Jig - speed 116 - 48 bars of music in total
Single Jig - speed 124 - 48 bars of music in total
Slip Jig - speed 120 - 40 bars of music in total
Treble Jig - speed 92 or 82 - 32 bars of music in total
Hornpipe - speed 144 - 32 bars of music in total
Traditional Set Dance - Right & left of step and right of set

INTERMEDIATE (Mean) & OPEN (Ard)

Reel - speed 113 - 48 bars of music in total
Slip Jig - speed 113 - 40 bars of music in total
Treble Jig - speed 73 - 8 & Under 32 bars of music in total, 9 & Over 48 bars of music in total
Hornpipe - speed 113 - 8 & Under 32 bars of music in total, 9 & Over 40 bars of music in total
Traditional Set Dance - Right & left of step and right of Set
Own Choice Set - as per World Championships syllabus. Right & left of step and right of set

What is the method of upgrade in Queensland?

A section must have a minimum of 2 schools entered for an upgrade to apply.
A section must have a minimum of 5 competitors dance for an upgrade to apply.
First placed dancers will be upgraded as per the ‘Grading Rules‘ below. A dancer that receives 2 partial upgrades will be graded up to the next level.
If there are 20 or more competitors in any one section, that section will be split at the discretion of the Feis Committee.
In a section where there are 16 or more competitors, the first 2 winning dancers will be graded to the next level.
Dancers can compete in sections they are not graded out of. This means a dancer can compete in Beginners (Bun) or Primary (Tús) even if they are dancing open grade.
7 Years & Under and 8 years Open Championship winners are graded out of the 3 dances of the championship, but are eligible to dance in other grades for other dances. Any other open level championship winner aged 9 Years and above are graded to Open (Ard) for all dances.
An Open (Ard) dancer who has not won a particular dance for 2 years can apply to go back to Intermediate (Mean) for that dance.
A dancer who competes interstate is subject to the grading rule of the region they are competing in, and the grade registrar of that region is to notify the registrar of the region the dancer is registered in of any graded result.
In the grading of dancers, if a dancer wins an event they have already been graded in, the 2nd place dancer is awarded a partial upgrade, and will only grade if they already hold a partial grading in that dance, so long as Rule 2 applies without the original winning dancer.
An open level championship is defined as a competition with three adjudicators. These events should use place points system for use with multiple adjudicators.

Grading rules for first place winners of regular feiseanna events:

5 years dancers: no upgrading.
6 years dancers: 0-4 dancers: no upgrade. 5-7 dancers: partial upgrade. 8+ dancers: upgrade to the next level.
7-12 years dancers: 0-4 dancers: no upgrade. 5-7 dancers: partial upgrade. 8+ dancers: upgrade to the next level.
13-16 years dancers (Beginner & Primary): 0-4 dancers: no upgrade. 5+ dancers: upgrade to the next level.
13-16 years dancers (Intermediate): 0-4 dancers: no upgrade. 5-7 dancers: partial upgrade. 8+ dancers: upgrade to the next level.
17 years & up dancers: 0-4 dancers: no upgrade. 5+ dancers: upgrade to the next level.

Grading rules for first place winners of Premiership Events (1 or 2 adjudicators):

Gradings above will only occur if places are awarded on individual dances.

Grading rules for first place winners of Championship Events (minimum of 3 adjudicators):

5 years dancers competing in 6 years & under championship will not upgrade.
5 years dancers competing in 7 years & under championship will upgrade to Primary (Tús) for the dances performed.
6 years dancers competing in 6 years & under championship will upgrade to Primary (Tús) for the dances performed.
6 years dancers competing in 7 years & under championship will upgrade to Primary (Tús) for the dances performed.
7 years dancers competing in 7 years & under championship will upgrade to Open (Ard) for the dances performed.
8 years dancers competing in 8 years & under championship will upgrade to Open (Ard) for the dances performed.
All other age dancers competing in championships will upgrade to Open (Ard) for all dances, not just those performed.