BunGrad

Bungrád Feis Uniform & Appearance

Clear, simple presentation helps dancers feel confident on stage and supports the traditional CRN look. Please ensure your dancer arrives dressed and prepared as follows:

Boys

Shoes — Black Irish soft shoes (pumps).
Uniform — Black trousers and a plain black top or the official school option if available.
Appearance — Hair neat and off the face.

Girls

Shoes — Black Irish light shoes (soft shoes/pumps). Heavy shoes are not introduced at this level.
Uniform — Either the class dress or the black in‑between dress (same as Pre‑Beginners).
Appearance — Hair tied off the face in curls or a bun wig, keeping with the traditional CRN presentation.

Bungrád is the first official competitive grade in the CRN system. At this level, dancers move from shortened steps to performing full‑length routines, developing confidence, musicality, and strong foundational technique.

Competition Dances

Dancers in Bungrád compete in the core light dances:

Reel
Slip Jig
Single Jig
Light Jig

These dances build rhythm, control, and the essential skills needed for progression through the CRN grades.

Special Award Rounds

At major CRN events such as the Regionals and the Irish Open, dancers may enter a Bungrád Award.

The Award usually includes the Reel and the Slip Jig (unless the event specifies otherwise).
A dancer who wins 1st place in the Award may progress to the next level in both dances.

Award rounds are often a dancer’s first experience of “big stage” competition and progression.

Progression to Ullmhúchán

Progression in CRN is based on placement and the size of the competition.

A dancer may move from Bungrád → Ullmhúchán in a specific dance when:

There are more than 7 dancers in that competition for that dance, and
The dancer wins 1st place in either the solo dance or the Award round.

Progression is dance‑by‑dance, so a dancer may move up in Reel while remaining in Bungrád for Light Jig until they meet the criteria for each dance.

What Adjudicators Look For

Adjudicators focus on timing, technique, and tidy carriage:

Rhythm — Staying perfectly in sync with the music.
Footwork — Strong turn‑out (toes out) and clean crossing (legs tight together).
Upper Body — Arms held firmly at the sides with no swinging.

These fundamentals help dancers build strong habits that carry through every grade.

Competition Entry

All competitions follow the rules of CRN (Cumann Rince Náisiúnta).

Your dance teacher will let you know when your child is ready to begin competing in Bungrád dances, ensuring they feel confident, prepared, and set up for success.

If you’d like, I can place it exactly where it flows best in the full Bungrád page so the whole section reads seamlessly.

Entries are managed through crn.feishost.com, where families can register for feiseanna.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse