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File: Rebbecca Mclaughlin (7) and Jayne Condren from Derry at the Fleadh Cheoil last year. Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland

No more make up for young Irish dancers (but the wigs can stay)

The new rule will only apply to dancers up to 10 years of age.

IRISH DANCERS AGED under 10 won’t be able to wear make-up during their competitions anymore – but there are no changes to their wearing of wigs.

A message on the Irish Dancing Commission’s site says that the ban will come into force in March.

The changes also include a ban on the use of false eyelashes on young dancers.

Make-up Rules (4.5 in CLRG Rule Book) 4.5.2 Make-up (including false eyelashes) is not permitted for dancers, in either solo or team competitions, up to and including the Under 10 age group. Effective March 1, 2014.

One former Irish dancer told TheJournal.ie that she welcomed the news.

She said that she believed “every parent knew it was wrong and disagreed with it” but that they “knew they had to play the game and didn’t want their daughter to be the only one on stage without the orange face”.

She described it as “a relief to a lot of parents and teachers now” but said that “nobody” expected the ban.

“It has become progressively worse in the last 10 years,” she said, adding that the globalisation of Irish dance that happened after Riverdance added to the use of “pageant style” make-up and tan.

“The other dancers felt they had to look that good and it spiralled out of control,” was how she described it.

Irish dancers generally tend to wear curly wigs – but there’ s no suggestion they will be banned in the near future.

Arm raising

Another change to the rules is aimed at preventing dancers from wearing ‘carriage aids’ on their arms, to help them keep their arms straight while dancing.

To make sure the dancers aren’t wearing the aids, they will “be required to perform the simple exercise of raising their arms to shoulder level unhindered”.

If they can’t do that due to costume stitching or ‘arm attachments’, they won’t be allowed to perform at the 2014 World Championships.

Read: Irish dance show “to tour China for the next 10 years”>

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50 Comments
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    Mute Joanna Lynch
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:27 PM

    Will that apply to false tan too ?
    It should.

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    Mute joe stodge
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:02 PM

    What’s the story with the wigs and “traditional dresses” any pictures of people irish dancing from back in the day they never have either on.

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    Mute fionn mac cumhaill
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:12 PM

    Recently I was with my wife when I saw a load of young girls completely dressed up to the nines with loads of makeup and very bright colourful outfits. I made the comment that a travellers wedding must be on as they dress colourfully too but I was quickly informed that it was a irish dancing competition. I thought they looked awful, not what they looked like when we were growing up

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    Mute Fred O'Connor
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:14 PM

    No dresses? Is that why Dev was all for it? The dirtbird.

    21
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    Mute Imnotbovvered Atall
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    Jan 30th 2014, 1:07 AM

    Fiona, absolutely agree. Their dresses are so tacky. And the kids look tacky with the wigs and all that muck on their faces. Nothing traditional about it at all.

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    Mute Imnotbovvered Atall
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    Jan 30th 2014, 1:07 AM

    Fionn, sorry!

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    Mute Dick Cheese
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    Jan 30th 2014, 7:43 AM

    Hopefully fake tan is outlawed all over Ireland.

    19
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    Mute Joe Traynor
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:47 PM

    Maybe the fuss about the American style honey boo boo pageant in Ireland during the Autumn opened their eyes to how having children made up like middle aged hookers wasn’t a good thing after all .

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    Mute Reg
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:34 PM

    The wigs look awful also. Get rid!

    311
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    Mute Mary Kavanagh
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:52 PM

    Should up to at least age 13. Time enough to make adults out of children.

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    Mute Rachel O' Meara
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:31 PM

    About time! Definitely a step in the right direction, now if only we could ban pageants, at least with Irish dancing there’s skill involved!

    223
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    Mute Ann Mahon
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:48 PM

    At last ! Back in my day when I was in irish dancing there was none of that make up on young girls . Ok it was a good few years ago , but nowadays it had gone too far with the make up and fake tan .

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    Mute Dick Cheese
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    Jan 30th 2014, 7:44 AM

    Thank God you’re able to wear make up now.

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    Mute Ann Mahon
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    Jan 30th 2014, 10:24 AM

    Grow up ! And whilst your at it learn some manners . They cost nothing

    19
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    Mute Brian Parle
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:49 PM

    So perfectly normal for an 11 year old to wear make-up, false eyelashes and a wig?

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    Mute Pauline Harney Keogh
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:06 PM

    Get rid of the wigs, false tan and the make up, shouldn’t it be totally about their ability as a dancer and not their physical appearance?

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    Mute Inanimate Carbon Rod
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:55 PM

    So the age of 10 is the age where they think young pre-pubescent girls should be sexualised with make-up.

    Well that’s fine then, so long as you don’t do it at the age of 9 coz that would be totally wrong !

    I really despair.

    171
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    Mute Róisín Daly
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:56 PM

    Get rid of the wigs ugly nests and look ridiculous. Its one of the reasons why my mother never brought me to do Irish dancing and she a teacher!

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    Mute Grainne Owens
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:42 PM

    They have destroyed irish dancing. Outlandish dresses, wigs, false eye lashes, make up, fake tan… All a money racket !!

    145
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    Mute Barney r
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:28 PM

    Reclaim irish dancing as a art with skill, not a beauty pagent with foreign perception style nonsense. I know of a few irish dance schools who broke away from competition as a result of these stupid rules and rightly so. How does added costs of makeup, wigs add to the fun of dancing.

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    Mute Katie Does
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:05 PM

    These are dancing competitions, right?

    If so, what’s the need for make-up, wigs etc on any of them? Does it change the way they dance?

    The stupid looking and madly expensive extra-bouncy wigs should go too. And no make-up until at least 13/14.

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    Mute Foxys Bicycle
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:57 PM

    Two of mine are in dancing and We wouldn’t even think about putting make up on them it’s so tacky looking.

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    Mute Teresa Leahy O Brien
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:56 PM

    Not before time , it is totally ridiculous .

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    Mute Live Ireland
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:46 PM

    At last. Ban the wigs for all ages too.

    73
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    Mute Jane Byrne
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:59 PM

    Its beyond me how irish dancers have ended up looking so ridiculous. It takes away from the dancing itself seeing all these fake curls, tan and makeup. Bring back the natural look and let the beauty of the dance be the focus.

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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Jan 30th 2014, 10:44 AM

    The Americanisation of Irish dance spoiled the costumes. There’s nothing “celtic” or Irish about flurorescent coloured dresses, plastic crowns and fugly wigs.

    11
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    Mute Caroline Cox
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:15 PM

    My 2girls are dancers, eldest is u13 n I still wouldnt let her cover herself in make up or fake tan. Her dance teacher will not tolerate makeup or tan until she is at least 16 when the choice will then be hers to wear it or not, these comps are about dance abitity not how the dancer looks. Its so wrong that it has got to this over the yrs. Im delighted now that someone has seen sense n put a stop to it!!!

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    Mute Dee4
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    Jan 29th 2014, 8:43 PM

    my big fat Irish dancing compettion

    63
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    Mute Shane
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    Jan 29th 2014, 8:27 PM

    Nothing about their hair or dress is traditional. I could never understand the reason for the wig thing.

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    Mute Fred O'Connor
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:19 PM

    It’s a remnant from the days when Irish dancing and the legal profession were more closely aligned.

    37
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    Mute Scrap Croke Park1
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:56 PM

    Very comforting to know the Irish Dancing Commission no longer consider girls under 10 to be appropriate for make up or fake eyelashes.

    It must not be sexy at 10

    At 11 however…

    Sick sick.

    Should be banned till theyre

    (that’s also sick)

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    Mute Scrap Croke Park1
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    Jan 29th 2014, 7:56 PM

    12*

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    Mute Irish girl
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    Jan 29th 2014, 8:20 PM

    I thought there used to be a rule a few years ago where no under 13s were allowed make up…. I must be wrong.
    I don’t see the need for anything other than a dress and shoes.

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    Mute Fred O'Connor
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:22 PM

    You’re thinking of Jujitsu I think

    7
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    Mute Ashley Keenan
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:42 PM

    It has been banned for children by some irish dancing orgsnisations already, there are several irish dancing organisations. I’ve danced and my daughter is learning now but she looks fabulous natural :)
    I think make up should be banned until age 15 (lights etc require light makeup) & only should be only allowed in o15 open’s no beginners regardless of age!

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    Mute Lorraine Goodwin
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    Jan 29th 2014, 10:51 PM

    These kids have to GLUE their socks in place, or risk losing points if the socks slip down their ankles.
    The whole thing has become such a joke!

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Jan 29th 2014, 6:51 PM

    Why ban it though? No one cares what little kids look like. Isn’t it about their dancing ability. I don’t get it.

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    Mute Fred O'Connor
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:23 PM

    Call me crazy but I think every other comment on this thread pretty much proves the opposite dude.

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    Mute Jack Bowden
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    Jan 29th 2014, 10:05 PM

    Yeah actually you’re right. People do seem to care what kids look like. I don’t care. Wear makeup, don’t wear makeup, it makes no difference to me.

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    Mute Fred O'Connor
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    Jan 29th 2014, 10:46 PM

    There’s a lot of people who say makeup sexualizes girls at far too young an age and I have to say I’m inclined to agree. But what I got from the article is that amounts of makeup and fake tan have really gotten out of control. So much so that the sheer burden of dressing and dolling up the dancers, just so they fit in with the other girls, is taking its toll on the girls and their parents and beginning to hinder the dance aspect of Irish dancing.

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    Mute Patrick Gormley
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    Jan 30th 2014, 3:20 AM

    My mum made me wear a wig and makeup until i was 18 …..and I’m a boy. What would father Ted think

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    Mute Olivia McCartney
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    Jan 30th 2014, 12:04 AM

    I don’t agree with banning the wigs. For me, it was pure handiness. Sleeping in rollers was a nightmare, a wig got rid of all that pain and it was quick and easy to put on.

    15
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    Mute Amy Wallis
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    Jan 30th 2014, 9:27 AM

    Why should you have to have curls at all though? Seems ridiculous to me! We all have different hair, why hangs that?

    13
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    Mute Fred O'Connor
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:13 PM

    OMG. Yet another s**t storm is about to rock the world of Irish dancing. I hope they brought their umbrellas!

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    Mute Janet De Hora
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:25 PM

    I’m a member of a different organisation, and we brought in the make up rule for 12 and under, and the carriage aid rule for The a Worlds last year. I’m not going to get into a debate about wigs and costumes again- a lot of people on here know my opinion (as someone who was dancing throughout the changes in style, hair, costume etc). I loved my wig!

    7
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    Mute Ashley Keenan
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:45 PM

    I agree wigs saved getting the head pulled off you for “rags” and a creeky neck and crap sleep from trying to sleep on the bumps.. so much easier to throw on a wig over your ponytail!
    And they are actually comfortable to those who dont know!

    13
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    Mute Janet De Hora
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    Jan 29th 2014, 9:48 PM

    And it’s much better to wear a wig than have people come up to you as a kid in the supermarket and ask if your “sick” because you have a hat or scarf on (covering your rollers) and they can’t see your hair. Honestly, happened so many times!

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    Mute Alison Te Hira Mee
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    Jan 29th 2014, 11:49 PM

    I danced for years and I plan on putting my daughters in. No way will they be wearing make up and tan, I won’t put them in a school that allows it. Wigs would have been great back in my day, I got a perm at 12 so as to avoid the pain of the rollers every weekend..

    5
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    Mute Siobhan Cunningham
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    Jan 30th 2014, 12:45 PM

    I really can’t understand where all this trashy look came from? I did Irish dancing as a child and it was never a feature then. It’s some import from the USA who actually imported Irish dancing from us so it’s another case of the Irish aping other countries instead of having the confidence of sticking to their own traditions. My daughter has never done Irish dancing because I just won’t go along with that horrible makeup and those appalling wigs. It’s a shame as she really wanted to do it and instead is doing ballet now. Why do young children with beautiful natural faces and hair need that? It totally distracts from the actual dancing as you are too busy staring agape at the horror of the outfits, makeup and hair. In fact, passing outside venues where competitions take place and watching them troop in is a ‘can’t bear to look, can’t bear to look away’ spectator sport to see whose kid looks the most freakish. The excuse always seems to be ‘well, everyone else is doing it and they are penalised if they don’t'….if the majority of parents don’t like it and said ‘no’ then surely the rules would have to be changed?

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    Mute logs byrne
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    Jan 30th 2014, 12:32 AM

    Typical Alan shatter and his cronies

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