Grades exams are held twice a year and give dancers a chance to pass off dances at each level. These exams go toward an eventual Irish dance teacher certification. Dancers who are teacher assistants and/or want to become a teacher assistant or teacher are encouraged to participate. One or two grades per session is encouraged. Please note that dancers learn an additional half step for each dance. Below is a link to videos of the half steps, and written dances for each grade.
​
Grades 1-3
Beginner Reel
Lead:
Knee, knee, leap 23, knee knee, leap 23
Hop 234567, point hop back, switch switch
Repeat on left foot.
2nd step:
Hop 234567, leap over, leap over,
Hop 234567 knee, knee, leap 23
Repeat on left foot
3rdstep
Hop 234567 knee step step, knee step step,
Ho 234567 point switch point switch point bum back
Beginner Light Jig
Lead:
(in a circle)
Knee, bum, straight 123, skip 123, skip 123,
Knee, heel down, knee hop back, knee, hop back, hop back 234
Repeat on left foot
2ndstep:
Jump, knee, hop back 234, skip 123, skip 123,
Hop 234567, hop, hop back, hop back 234
Repeat on left foot
3rd
(swing) Step kick your heel, point 1(r), bum(L) 23,
Step kick your heel, point 1(l), bum(r) 23,
Hop 234567, step(r) toe(l back), hop heel(l front), hop(l) back 234
Beginner Single Jig
Lead:
(in a circle)
Whip 123, bum 123, step hop, leap 23, step hop, leap 23(on same foot),
Leap 23, step out, step in.
Repeat on left foot
2ndstep
Point hop back, point hop back, leap 23, step out, step in,
Leap 234567, leap 23, step out step in.
Repeat on left foot
Half step
Leap 23, leap 23, step kick your heel and back 234
Hop 234567, step behind, step bum step step, step step (moving forward).
​
Beginner Slip Jig
Lead around
Point hop back 2,3, knee leap 2,3
Leap 2345, point, point hop back
Hop 2345, leap knee 2,3
Point, point hop back, jump, switch 2,3.
2ndstep
Hop 2345, leap knee step step, point switch point bum back, spring cut 2,3
Leap, leap 2,3, spring cut 2,3, leap 2345, point, point bum back.
3rdstep
Spring cut 23, knee leap 23, leap 2345, spring cut 23, leap, leap 23
Spring cut 23, hop 2345, knee leap step step.
Beginner Treble Jig
Lead around
(In a circle)
Treble bum, Treble bum, treble whip treble hop back,
Treble bum, Treble bum, treble whip treble hop back,
Hop back, hop back, step toe (in back) and heel (in front) step
Bang, bang, step treble hop, step treble hop, step treble in front.
Repeat on left foot
Second Step
Treble bum, toe bum down, treble bum, toe bum down,
Treble whip treble hop back, treble whip treble hop back
Bang bang, step treble hop, step treble whip treble hop back
Whip hop step, kick out step, toe hop, step treble in front.
Repeat on left foot
3rdstep
Bang step treble hop back, bang step treble hop back,
Hope 1234, hop back, hop back,
Bang step treble bum toe and toe, step treble bum back,
Treble bum treble bum, treble whip treble hop back.
Primary Reel
Lead:
Bum 1,2, leap 2,3, leap 23, big hop back, jump 23
Leap 234567, (switch) Point whip bum, point bum back
Second Step
Leap 23, leap 23 hop 7
Point and point and point hop back jump 23, jump 23
3rd step
Hop 234567 leap over, leap over, hop 234567, point whip point, switch(point) bum back.
Grades 4-6
Novice Slip Jig
Lead around
Point hop back 2,3, knee leap 2,3
Leap 2345, point, point hop back
Hop 2345, leap knee 2,3
Point, point hop back, jump, switch 2,3.
2nd Step
Jump whip 23 switch 2345 leap 2345 spring cut 23 point hop back switch switch whip 123 (step L front, step R together, step L behind) jump (turn all the way around) 2345 point whip point hop back
Half step
Knee leap 23, leap 2345, (turn to the side)knee leap 23, (turn front) leap 2345
Point hop back, jump, back, back 23
Hop 2345 point hop back, swizzle(right, left).
St Patrick’s Day
Advanced Reel (PW)
1st
Push 12, step bum turn 2, 123 step leap (left) bum swivel (left) swivel (right) pause.
Slide and slide step knee knee (on pointe or off), (l) step bum, (r)steprun, run, prep switch hold (entrechate).
2nd
Jump bum push(forward) switch step bum slide and axle and slide and 1234
Switch 23 step, leap bum, down double up step(l) bleap step behind.
Beginner Hornpipe
Lead around clockwise
Tip down, tip down, treble hop back, tip down, tip down treble hop back, step, step
Leap over, leap over, step treble hop back.
Bang, step, treble hop back, bang, step, treble hop back, treble hop back, bang step,
Down, treble, whip, treble hop back.
Repeat Left
2ndstep
Big step, treble hop back, big step, treble hop
Hop 2,3, hop 2,3 hop 234567
Treble in front, treble in front, treble in front, treble hop back,
Down treble whip, down treble whip, down treble whip, treble hop back.
half step
Leap over, leap over, Tip down, tip down, treble hop back,
Leap over, leap over, tip down tip down, treble hop back
Hop heel down toe down heel down, hop 23 treble hop back
Hop heel down toe down heel down, hop 23 treble hop back
Advanced slip jig (PW)
1st Step
Push step (L to bum) Step(L) big switch and bum(L) 12 switch 12 step(R) leap down bum(L) step(L in front) twist twist twist bum rock rock, reach (L) slide and turn (foot to bum) 12 switch step(R) leap and down (R) step(L) big switch down point(L) whip point switch point(R) bum back (turn to back on point bum back, toward standing leg)
2nd Step
Reach slide whip (step)bum (step)around 12 switch step kick step(R) hop step(L) kick(R) 12 switch step bum point(R) bum(L) turn 180 degrees point(L), and (little hop on standing leg, still pointing front foot) step hop(bum) face front step behind step front step behind turn 23 step axle 12 step kick(L) down entrechat down
Half step
Push 12, switch (kick) 12, hop, turn and turn 23, hop 12,
(L)Hop back, push (L)whip close(front)
Switch (r)5th, 2nd, (r)5th2nd(r)5th(prep)
Paw, (l)step, (r)step hop(face back, tuck left leg to bum) (l)step
(r)Pass, (l)around, (r)around, (l)step, leap(front knee bent) (l)step
(r)bum 12, flutter step step(left in front)
Blackbird