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Western U.S. Region Irish Dance
Welcome to the U.S. Western Region Irish Dance Message Board!

Who all is going to portland feis in Jan? -- No name, 16:05:59 12/30/24 Mon [2]
Seems unusually low registration numbers. The feis last year wasn’t well-run, but they have a better venue this year, I would give it a shot

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More confirmed registrations than Kennelly Feis the same weekend. (NT) -- Why two on same dates?, 21:34:45 12/30/24 Mon

Orange County Feis -- SR mom, 15:57:38 12/29/24 Sun [2]
Are there any plans for an Orange County Feis this year? We live in the Southern region, but I grew up in OC and would love to bring my daughter to a feis there!

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DP feis at end of June, new CIDA feis in July, and Feis at Fair (NT) -- Not sure on locations in socal, 17:41:49 12/29/24 Sun

Are any schools in the WR out of Worlds due to judging conflicts? -- ?, 22:48:45 12/18/24 Wed [2]
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so far i dont think so, but. idk if there are any workshop associations that I dont know about (NT) -- will see, 15:28:25 12/23/24 Mon

Who was the photographer at oireachtas? -- 😀, 17:42:52 12/17/24 Tue [6]
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Anyone else disappointed by CRC location this year? Are there other Irish dance camp options? -- No name, 15:58:16 12/17/24 Tue [12]
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Will there be a feis in SF over Presidents weekend? -- Trying to plan travel, 10:07:19 12/15/24 Sun [4]
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Kennelly Feis day schedule. It is a 2 day Feis. Which day is grades and which is champs? -- No name, 07:00:34 12/14/24 Sat [2]
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usually grades on Saturday and Champs on Sunday (NT) -- ., 10:27:32 12/14/24 Sat

The awards ceremony approach should be redone. -- More inside, 20:22:43 12/13/24 Fri [8]
The awards ceremonies at O are, dare I say, torturous. The poor kids placing at the bottom of the recall having to stand up there for 5-10 minutes to watch the celebrations of the top 5. Announcers feeling the need to pause every 10 dancers and shout it out. Why can't we do it the way it's done at worlds and even in some other regions? Announce the results before, then everyone is prepared and knows what they are getting and won't be upset or obnoxious onstage. I get that the anticipation for the winners may be exciting, but consider the other 50 competitors.

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Or we could not award the top half. How about top 25%? Because really, do we need to hear 50th place out of 100 announced? (NT) -- No name, 05:56:13 12/14/24 Sat
- Honestly, just announce the winner. They’re the only ones that matter, right? (NT) -- Who cares about anyone else? Awards done in 20 min., 19:44:58 12/14/24 Sat
Awards to 50% with 26-50% off stage at awards table and onstage awards to top 25% would be a step in the right direction! (NT) -- HMATu, 11:11:59 12/17/24 Tue
- This is a cruel philosophy. -- No name, 12:37:20 12/17/24 Tue
  - Agreed. Posturing teachers waste more time onstage than the kids who actually danced and earned a recall getting their moment in the center. (NT) -- Get the teachers off the stage., 12:38:34 12/17/24 Tue
  - No recognition for their hard work? It's a competition! Awarding top 50% is more than enough. (NT) -- No name, 03:54:26 12/18/24 Wed
- Want to save time? Get rid of POC. No one cares and most have left ballroom already (NT) -- No name, 07:31:58 12/18/24 Wed

Whatever happened to Brimhall? -- No name, 21:57:33 12/10/24 Tue [4]
They had such a large presence at feisanna and I saw their dancers everywhere, many familiar faces, but now they are 'closed for business'?

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Teacher lost interest in Irish dance is what we heard (NT) -- Bummer for their dancers, 13:03:20 12/12/24 Thu
- Wonder if it's related to everything with CLRG & upping their fees? (NT) -- No name, 17:56:17 12/12/24 Thu
  - No, just wasn’t interested in Irish dance anymore. Got married and moved on. -- More inside, 18:19:51 12/12/24 Thu

Is there list somewhere of future locations of Worlds? 26, 27, 28. -- Thank you!, 17:45:37 12/04/24 Wed [2]
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No. Contracts were never signed. They're working it out now with the financial difficulties. Rumour is Chicago 2026. (NT) -- we shall see, 03:21:39 12/12/24 Thu

Prayer: Father forgive them -- It’s the Christmas Season, 20:28:00 12/03/24 Tue [1]
“Repay no one evil for evil. Respect what is honorable in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as it is up to you, be at peace with all men.”
Romans 12:17-18
The Gospel transforms our perspective on enemies, recalling that we were once enemies of God. The Bible teaches that breaking the cycle of hatred requires esteeming others, blessing persecutors, and praying for enemies. Peace and prayer emerge as powerful weapons, as articulated by Paul in Romans 12.

Evil can only be overcome by good, and prayer is our tether to the light. Despite enduring pain and mistreatment, God is aware and desires to heal. While judgment and vengeance belong to God, rising above hatred and revenge is urged. Praying for enemies becomes a powerful way to release hate and mirror God's heart.

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Are any WR schools sitting out Worlds due to association, so far? I know the list of adjudicators isn't complete yet. -- wr mom, 13:35:10 12/03/24 Tue [1]
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I noticed that the two Fisher McLeod boy dancers were not at Oireachtas- did they quit? The younger one has a worlds globe, it would be a shame to lose them. -- No name, 08:46:07 12/03/24 Tue [7]
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I think they moved to Idaho (NT) -- No name, 13:16:57 12/03/24 Tue
- The dancers or the teacher? (NT) -- No name, 18:46:54 12/03/24 Tue
  - Both (NT) -- Moved, 05:36:44 12/04/24 Wed
- Anyone know where in Idaho? Do they have a school there? (NT) -- No name, 20:11:06 12/06/24 Fri
Are they in a different region now? Loved their dresses! (NT) -- Just Curious, 17:24:01 12/09/24 Mon
- Idaho is Western Region. I saw one of the teachers and some of their dancers in Phoenix. Maybe the boy dancers quit? That would be a shame. (NT) -- No name, 10:29:26 12/11/24 Wed

People are mad about other things, but can we take a moment to appreciate that we FINALLY had live musicians for POC? -- Hope they keep this up., 22:05:14 12/01/24 Sun [4]
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What is POC? (NT) -- No name, 07:55:41 12/02/24 Mon
Parade of Champs. It was voted on to have live musicians at all POC so thats amazing! (NT) -- excited, 08:12:12 12/02/24 Mon
I noticed this too and was so happy. Over the FeisTV sound reel. (NT) -- Good call WUSR, 09:40:09 12/02/24 Mon

Beginner U40 Comp -- No name, 19:06:34 12/01/24 Sun [12]
So that winner just came back from retirement to win a “easy” oireachtas as she is completely capable of dancing advance. This is just wrong of the dancer and the TC. You should know better

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When will the Kennelly feis be open for registration? Listed as Coming Soon -- Quite awhile, 08:47:53 12/01/24 Sun [2]
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Open now (NT) -- No name, 09:31:38 12/06/24 Fri

Frustrating when worked hard for O went to extra classes and then placed well but no public congrats from TC . Only congrats to one dancer in school -- Upsetting, 14:59:23 11/30/24 Sat [9]
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Every dancer should be acknowledged no matter the placement. Some sore losers are only posting -- More inside, 15:10:12 11/30/24 Sat
Does this school start with an M? Sounds very familiar (NT) -- Okaydokey38, 18:49:52 11/30/24 Sat
Did you send photos to TC? (NT) -- No name, 12:19:39 12/01/24 Sun
- She was there and took pics also insisted on extensive promotions on social media in the weeks leading up to O (NT) -- Upset too, 19:58:36 12/01/24 Sun
  - Lots of schools/TCs take the week after O off to recover and then post more photos later. (NT) -- Question is if this is normal for TC. If so, that is issue., 13:23:45 12/02/24 Mon
Have seen some schools not highlight placements/WQ (NT) -- When their star doesn’t do as well, 12:32:41 12/01/24 Sun
Just post it yourself and tag the school and the region. (NT) -- No name, 00:19:53 12/03/24 Tue
OK to be disappointed - but just post it yourself and tag the TC/school (NT) -- just a thought, 06:44:29 12/04/24 Wed

I'm confused. Trad set. So if I danced as a child and won the equivalent of open championship I should do the Over 14 trad set and not the Over 40 trad set? -- No name, 22:23:40 11/29/24 Fri [4]
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Will the photographer at the O's post action shots eventually? -- Hoping, 17:10:16 11/29/24 Fri [6]
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They usually do. Just takes a while and I don't see Sunday awards yet (NT) -- No name, 05:19:34 11/30/24 Sat
Sunday awards photos are up. Still no action shots. I would think it's better business to get these out asap. (NT) -- Before everyone forgets..., 11:59:00 12/02/24 Mon
They said the hotel had terrible internet access and it would be slower than their usually turnaround time (NT) -- No name, 00:16:46 12/03/24 Tue
Some ages action shots are posted, but no sets, nothing new for days. (NT) -- Hoping for more., 09:22:33 12/08/24 Sun
Who was the photographer?? (NT) -- 😀, 19:03:25 12/16/24 Mon

Did you have to buy wristbands for not staying at the grand? We’re there door monitors? -- No name, 17:31:03 11/27/24 Wed [5]
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Anyone else have two pending charges for the same amount for their stay at the Grand? 1 minute apart 🤦‍♀️ -- No name, 16:05:16 11/27/24 Wed [1]
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What happened to the u16 girls results? They are not on Feisworx. -- No name, 15:41:32 11/27/24 Wed [7]
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Let’s take a look at why cheating, at least at our Oireachtas, is statistically nearly impossible… -- No name, 15:11:46 11/27/24 Wed [11]
1. Judge Selection and Scoring Process

• 20 Adjudicators: There were 20 judges total, with only 5 randomly selected for each round.
• Random Panel Selection: Panels were selected live, in full view of the audience and on FeisTV. This process ensures complete transparency and removes the possibility of pre-selecting judges for any particular dancer.
• Panel Rotation: Each round had a new, randomly drawn panel of judges. Dancers couldn’t know who would be judging them, and judges couldn’t know which dancers they would see.
• Dropped Scores: In each round, the highest and lowest scores from the 5 judges were dropped, leaving only the three middle scores to count. This reduces the impact of any outlier score, whether biased or accidental.
• Three Rounds: All championship dancers competed in two preliminary rounds (hard shoe and soft shoe). Half of the competitors were recalled to dance a third set round. Scores from all three rounds were tallied to determine placements, making it impossible for any one judge—or even one round—to have a decisive influence.

2. Strict Anonymity of Dancers

• Rotating Numbers: Dancers were assigned new numbers for each round, and the starting position rotated. Judges had no way of knowing which number corresponded to which dancer before or during the round.
• No Phones or Communication Devices: Judges were prohibited from having phones or smartwatches, eliminating the possibility of external communication or coordination during the competition.

3. The Impracticality of Identifying Dancers by Their Dresses

Some claim that judges could identify dancers based on their dresses or school “identifiers.” However, this is highly unlikely for several reasons:
• Similarity of Dresses: Many dresses are similar in style, design, and color, making it easy for judges to confuse one dancer with another. In a competition with hundreds of dancers, relying on memory to distinguish between dresses is highly error-prone.
• Resale and Borrowing of Dresses: Dresses with school-specific embroidery or identifiers are often sold or borrowed by dancers from other schools. A judge attempting to use these details for identification could easily make a mistake.

4. Statistical and Logistical Barriers to Cheating

For someone to manipulate the results successfully:
1. They would need to bribe a majority of the 20 judges (likely 12 or more) to ensure consistent bias across the competition.
2. These judges would need to coordinate their scores across randomly selected panels—a difficult task since no one knows who will judge each round.
3. Their high or low scores might still be dropped as part of the scoring system, negating their influence.
4. Even if a judge managed to identify a dancer by their dress or school identifier, they could easily make mistakes due to the similarity of dresses, borrowed dresses, and changes in dancer numbers.

This level of coordination, secrecy, and precision—under live public scrutiny—is statistically and practically impossible.

5. Built-in Safeguards Ensure Fairness

The entire competition process is designed to prevent manipulation:
• Randomized Panels and Numbers: These ensure no one knows ahead of time who will be judged by whom.
• Dropped Scores: This neutralizes the impact of outlier scores, whether biased or accidental.
• Live Transparency: The panel selection process was conducted live, leaving no room for premeditated panel manipulation.

Conclusion: Cheating is Nearly Impossible

For cheating to occur:
• Judges would need to identify dancers based on vague or unreliable cues like dresses or school identifiers, despite similar designs, resale of dresses, and the rotation of numbers and starting positions.
• Judges would have to guarantee their influence despite score-dropping and randomized panel assignments.
• Coordinating such an effort across multiple judges and rounds—under strict rules and live scrutiny—is simply not feasible.

The system is designed to protect the integrity of the competition. Raising unfounded accusations undermines the hard work of the dancers and the credibility of the adjudicators, who adhered to a rigorous, transparent, and fair process.l

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Can we talk about how stupid the grandfathering is? -- No name, 14:04:19 11/27/24 Wed [2]
I’m not sure who pushed this through but it has to go. Dancer A could have danced at worlds in 2017, competed once last year and qualify for the adult champs group (and score an 875). Dancer B could have gotten a 3/5 in prelims 20 years ago but because they start dancing this year they need to dance in Advanced Adults? Make it match the rules for NAIDC and have it be consistent. It’s absolutely ridiculous to throw out these ringers against people who started as adults. Most people just want to compete against their peers. Well most people minus the trophy hunters.

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I don't think it matters much. Some of these judges are ridiculous. Dancer had 3 with her in Top 5 and 2 with her in the bottom 5. in a comp with 40 dancers. (NT) -- No name, 22:32:03 11/29/24 Fri

Grade Exams 2025? --

OneMediocre, 11:05:39 11/27/24 Wed [5]
Does anyone know where grade exams are being offered in 2025? I am looking for western US dates.

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Power Academy in January in LA. -- No name, 02:54:02 12/01/24 Sun
- Thank you! (NT) -- OneMediocre, 10:01:15 12/02/24 Mon
- Do you have info for this feis? Can't find it online. (NT) -- OneMediocre, 10:57:39 12/02/24 Mon
  - Details inside -- No name, 10:16:13 12/03/24 Tue

Missing dress. Did the dress that went missing from the dress room at WRO ever turn up? -- No name, 19:25:56 11/26/24 Tue [7]
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Why do we have to pay for full results and every other regions posts for free?? -- No name, 17:30:24 11/26/24 Tue [2]
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Great question! We need to demand transparency. Someone on the Main board said it’s a CLRG rule that qualifier competitions must post full marks publicly. What’s the deal, WUSR? -- No name, 09:21:37 11/27/24 Wed

Cheater cheater pumpkin eaters -- No name, 11:21:37 11/26/24 Tue [20]
Great to see that politics and cheating were alive and well at the WRO!

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This was a well run Oireachtas! --

No name, 10:49:01 11/26/24 Tue [7]
Dancer numbers were cycled for every round to reduce the chances of cheating. Rounds went relatively smoothly with few delays. Awards were fun (Stephen Scariff is the best at MC'ing), and ran on time. Which is shocking. I cannot recall the last time awards were on time and finished in time for everyone to get dinner.

Well done, to whoever pulled this one off!

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I could listen to him narrate anything!! (NT) -- No name, 12:53:40 11/26/24 Tue
Agree that it was well run in general -- No name, 12:54:18 11/26/24 Tue
Having two stages for awards really keeps things moving. So many more food service options than in past years too. (NT) -- We had a good time, 18:59:33 11/26/24 Tue
after one day, i could not stand that guy's voice anymore let alone a whole weekend. (NT) -- ., 19:22:12 11/26/24 Tue
- He makes it so much more fun. We love it when Stephen announces!! (NT) -- No name, 07:54:02 11/27/24 Wed
It was great with the exception of the Mini Feis being in the same ballrooms as Champs on Sunday. (NT) -- Extended day too long!!!, 07:55:59 11/27/24 Wed

What was the entrance criteria or difference between Over 14 Trad Set and Under 40 Trad Set? Some dancers in O14 were older than some in U40. Trying to clarify. Thanks in advance. -- No name, 12:33:08 11/25/24 Mon [5]
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Is WRO in Spokane or Seattle next year? -- No name, 09:39:55 11/25/24 Mon [6]
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Spokane (NT) -- No name, 10:16:10 11/25/24 Mon
Whatever happened to SoCal? Is that out of consideration? (NT) -- No name, 10:31:38 11/25/24 Mon
- 2026 is SoCal last I heard. (NT) -- No name, 11:36:19 11/25/24 Mon
Do we know where in Spokane? Convention center? (NT) -- No name, 11:19:56 11/25/24 Mon
- Yes - Hotels TBD (NT) -- No name, 18:43:59 11/25/24 Mon

WRO AC U40 Champ or Cheater? -- No name, 22:23:07 11/24/24 Sun [36]
Where is the accountability! Did schools and adults not learn their lesson when Drake cheated and had their Advanced Adult dancer dancing in Adult Champs, then had their 1st place at Nationals overturned as a result and now there’s the WRO winner of AC U40 of Jackie Flynn who should have been in Advanced Adults doing the same? Does Western region not have the same definitions?

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