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The Grade Exams are there for you, to help you improve your dancing! You dance in front of an examiner (for up to 40 bars) with no-one else in the room, except the person in charge of the music, and possibly a few other examinees awaiting their turn. The examiner is not there to scare you, but to motivate you to pass the Grade to the best of your ability. He or she will also give you suggestions on the things you need to work on, and how to improve your dancing. The following are some of the things that the examiner looks at: timing and rhythm, carriage, execution of steps, general impression.
An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha
Grade Exams
for the "Dancers' Certificate" & "Dancers' Diploma"
History
Grade Examinations were first introduced by A Coimisiún in 1943 and have since been conducted in Ireland, the U.S.A., Canada, Australia and New Zealand - but they have become especially popular on the European mainland during the last ten years. Schools that have organized or participated in grade exams, are very pleased with them and happy to recommend them to their colleagues. The very attractive and colourful certificates are very popular with dancers and the parents of the young dancers. But especially the comments in writing given to each candidate by the examiners are very constructive and helpful.
How does the Grades-system work?
There are 12 grades plus a preliminary grade. Each must be passed before a dancer can then attempt the next grade. For each grade passed, the dancer is awarded a certificate and receives a comment sheet. A dancer who passes all the 12 grades receives 'Diplóma An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha' (The Diploma of the Irish Dancing Commission). Grade examinations are not like competitions: each dancer is individually examined, and his or her level is judged on an absolute scale, not merely as compared to another dancer. He or she also receives the written assessment sheet already mentioned.
The examinations are intended and are equally suitable for both dancers who compete regularly and for the very many who are not competition orientated.
Rules and regulations
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Only basic steps may be danced in Grades 1, 2, 3 and in the preliminary Grade.Only basic steps may be danced in Grades 1, 2, 3 and in the preliminary Grade.
- The number of bars of music to be danced for all reels, jigs and hornpipes is 40.The number of bars of music to be danced for slip jig is 40.
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Set-dances in Grades 4, 6, 7,and 8 must be performed in the traditional style and manner.
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From Grade 9 upwards only non-traditional sets can be danced. Once performed a set-dance cannot be repeated in a higher grade.
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The same set-dance must not be performed in more than one of the Grades from 9 to 12 inclusive.
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A dancer must take all grades in order, beginning with Grade 1, the preliminary Grade being optional. However, any number of consecutive grades may be taken on the same occasion.
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Candidates must know (orally & practically) all céilí dances from the book “Ár Rincí Foirne” specified for Grades 5 – 12 inclusive.
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Dance costumes should not be worn at what are examinations, not competitions.
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Grade 9 may not be taken under 16 years of age, and Grade 10 under 17 years.
A special application form will apply for Grades 11 and 12.
Candidates must be in their 19th year to sit Grade 11 and in their 20th year to sit Grade 12.
Dressing for the exam
This is an exam, not a competition, so the typical competition dress is not allowed.
The dancer should be wearing comfortable dance clothing (that he or she would wear during classes); the clothing should not hinder the dancing, and should not hide posture, leg and foot placement, etc.
Specimen Certificate:
Specimen Comment Sheet: 
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