Irish dancing tries to move past its judging scandal – The Irish Times

The Irish dancing world became embroiled in controversy last year amid allegations of cheating and rigging competitions. But at Sunday’s All-Ireland Championships in Killarney, there was optimism among parents that the community has emerged from the darkest part of its history.

All manner of products were on sale at the INEC arena in the city of Kerry, from sock glue to self-tanning gloves. At the “Bling” booth, the excitement was palpable among the children waiting to shine. However, the parents were reluctant to comment on the new judging rules in place at the championships.

To provide more transparency, the CLRG, the largest and oldest Irish dance organization in the world, is introducing updated judging rules to ensure fairer competition for the 2,000+ dancers who will compete in next week’s championships.

Irish parents who were approached and asked about the new sentencing rules essentially said no. Some were busy looking after their children, others were noticeably uncomfortable with the subject, or were unaware of what the new rules entailed.

One Irish woman said she fully supports the new measures now in place. “I think it’s important that there is an impact on what happened. This is an important day for children as they qualify for the World Cup. When they get there, you want them to get there because they deserve it. And not because of who they knew. It doesn’t work anyway because it gives kids a false sense of their abilities. It’s not good for her.”

An Irish grandparent who was there to support her granddaughter said it was vital for attendees to succeed “by merit – and by merit alone”.

Meanwhile, parents who had traveled to the championships with their children from the US and Canada seemed much more open about the scandal that has engulfed Irish dancing of late. An American woman, who is a mother of one child attending the event, said the body behind Irish dance should focus on the positive things going forward.

“Every sport has cheating (allegations) at some point. It would happen to Irish dance. So many people are nervous about what you’re asking about,” she said. “I think Irish dance could do a better job of communicating about this whole thing. Make people available to talk (about the new rules for scoring). I think there’s a way to deal with that.”

A New York parent emphasized that most parents and children are not fixated on results. For her, Irish dancing isn’t about medals, it’s about spending quality time with her daughter before she goes to college. “We don’t care how she (her daughter) performs in competition. Their result is not their self worth. What is important to us are the friends we have made.”

Another parent, Kelly Gawronski from New York, who is competing at the championships for the second time, said that Irish dancing gave her and her daughter Linden the opportunity to connect with their Irish roots and relatives in that country visit. She welcomes the new arbitration rules.

“The idea is that it’s more transparent and direct and there’s nothing happening behind the scenes. It’s been a dark cloud for a while and hopefully we’ll get over it and focus on the skills and talent it takes to do these things. And the energy and the effort.”

She said they often take vacations from their Irish dancing trips and that traveling to Ireland is always a positive experience.

Meanwhile, under the new protocols and procedures, subscriber number cards will not be distributed in advance; Also, the participant numbers are not published in the program book.

Judges are not permitted to bring phones, laptops, bags, smartwatches, notes or paperwork to the judging tables and all official judging documents will be mailed to them in a sealed envelope once they are seated.

Other measures being passed include asking judges to socialize and have meals as a group separate from other members, teachers and dancers.

Joanne Kushner, who lives near Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada, said that children and teens who engage in Irish dance appreciate the connections they make through dance. “They (the kids) do it because they love it. And for the friendships. We know people all over the world. And it’s something they’re dedicated to and we’re trying to support what they want to do.”