The Great Britain Championships

We have just posted some very important information on our new Latest News page.

This information concerns everyone - teachers, dancers, friends and famililes, so please read it carefully so that you will be aware of the latest situation with regard to day gate entry, wristbands, entry for teachers, etc.

We generally post links to this website on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. If you want to keep right up to date, Like us at www.facebook.com/gbchamps and/or Follow @gbchamps on Twitter. For RSS fans, there is also an RSS feed link at the bottom of this web page, so if you want to know the facts about the GBs, you know where to look!

For the second year running, the Southern England Regional Council is delighted to present a Traditional Set Dance workshop on Saturday & Sunday of the Great Britain Championships. This workshop is completely free of charge and we welcome you to come along and learn those Traditional Set Dances that you always wanted to learn!! All we ask is that you to register your attendance at the administration office on site as early as you can so that you don’t miss out!!

The workshops will be instructed by Mary McElroy ADCRG and Margaret McBride ADCRG.

IMPORTANT: This workshop has been given “Open Status” by An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha. This means that neither you NOR your teacher will be associated to either the instructors or the people that attend. We do ask however, that you seek permission from your teacher before attending any of the workshops over the weekend.

Thank you -- SERC

Mary McElroy - Teacher, Adjudicator, Examiner: I learnt my Irish Dancing from Maire Walsh. Since the 1970s and 80s I have trained many Leinster, All Ireland and World champions. Also since the early 70s I have being training candidates for their T.C.R.G. and A. D.C. R. G. examinations. I conduct workshops for candidates all over the World, and run classes on a weekly basis in Dublin, Roscommon and in Charlestown Mayo.

Margaret McBride, Native of Galway I started dancing in 1960 with Rita White (O'Shea-Chaplin S.D. Boston). After Rita emigrated, I continued my dancing career with the late Mairead O'Flaherty and Billy Griffin. I enjoyed competitive dancing and competed at major feiseanna in Ireland, England, America and Canada. I also toured America and France in the Late 70s with an Irish group called Ceoiltoiri Moylough. On a personal note to all of the dancers this weekend I say "Good luck - enjoy and have fun in just being here - you are all winners!"

Prior to last year, there were real concerns at the potential fire and trip hazards caused by used costumes for sale being hung around the resort. There were also occasions when costumes were hung over emergency exit signs, on electrical switches, equipment and conduits.

This year we have again arranged for a ‘used costumes’ area to be set up and manned at the GBs. Costumes will be held in a supervised area, where they will be displayed in size/age order.

The cost for this service will again be £5.00 per day or £12.00 for the whole of the Championships, from Friday through Monday (note that costumes must be collected by 3pm on Monday at the latest).

As in all previous years, costumes that are hung around the venue risk removal by Butlins staff.

The final timetable is now available for download from our Timetable page.

Wow - wait till you read this then!

As an extra-special treat, we have managed to book the extra-special BEOGA for an extra-special gig at this year's extra-special GBs!

The band will be performing a special one-off gig in Reds on Saturday 20th October. This will be a specially-ticketed event - details to follow!

If you're new to the Irish dancing and music scene, or have been off-planet for the past few years and want to know who Beoga are, see www.beogamusic.com

As a result of numerous requests from colleagues around the globe we have decided to defer the closing dates for this year's event to the following:

• The initial closing date (for normal fees to apply) will be revised to Monday 2nd September.
• Entries will then be accepted between Tuesday 3rd September and Monday 9th September at double fees to those listed in the syllabus.
• No further entries will be accepted after this date.

Whilst writing we would like to remind everyone that the only way to secure accommodation for this year's event is to use the official booking form, which is available to download at www.gbchamps.com/accommodation

The syllabus (also available at www.gbchamps.com/syllabus) contains important information as regards changes to the daily entrance fees for this years event.

In summary - those booking using the official form will be provided full and free access to the dancing venues throughout their stay. Persons staying on site, but who do not book using the official form, will only gain access to the dancing venues by purchasing a wristband from the Feis Office. Those persons staying off site may gain entry to the site by purchasing a Butlins day pass available from the day gate entrance of the site. This payment only gains access to the site itself. [Edited 22 September - please see below.] These persons will then need to purchase a wristband from the Feis Office to gain access to the dancing halls themselves. For persons who have not used the official booking form, only teachers, adjudicators (upon production of their CLRG registration card) and dancers (on the day they are dancing only) will be granted access to site without the need to purchase day gate entry or venue wristbands.

We would appreciate it if all teachers could advise their students and parents of these changes to avoid any confusion on the weekend itself. All of this information is available within the official syllabus.

We would like to thank you in advance for supporting this years event and look forward to welcoming you to Bognor in October.

STOP PRESS: Yesterday we managed to get Butlins to waive their day gate entry fee for Irish dancers and families staying off site. (They will still need to buy their wristbands for entry to the dancing venues, however.)

We have just been advised that the new Wave Hotel includes a number of 'Reef Apartments' that are not included on our booking form.

Anybody wishing to stay in one of these larger units should complete the booking form but add a note saying they would like a Reef Apartment.

The rates are as follows:

• A Reef apartment in the Wave Hotel at £139.00 per person Self Catering
• The 2 bedroom apartment is based on 4 sharing = £556
• The 3 bedroom apartment is based on 6 sharing = £834

Note that if a Reef Apartment is not fully occupied there will be an under-occupancy charge.

A number of people have asked which dances will be performed at this year's GBs.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the dances needed for the GBs 2012 will be those required for the World Championships in 2013 for any particular age group. For example, the "12 and Under 13" age group at this year's GBs will perform the dances they will need in the "13 and Under 14" age group at Oireachtas Rince Na Cruinne 2013.

The dances required for the Worlds do not (normally) change from year to year - the dancers go up an age group - so the dances required for any particular age group can be found from this year's World Championships syllabus.

It is often the case that Teachers have to travel on their own to the GBs to watch their dancers, and a couple of people have asked the same question about under-occupancy rules this year.

These are basically the same as in previous years: Teachers who book during the 'reserved' period (starting 16 April) and who quote their CLRG number on the booking form, will NOT be charged an under-occupancy fee. This waiver is restricted to one booking per teacher, and only applies to smaller accommodation such as double rooms, rather than family-sized rooms.