Are you stuck in Prelim and wondering why you aren’t moving up while others seem to fly past you?
You’re not alone — and it’s not because you aren’t talented enough.
Most dancers who get “stuck” are making a few simple, fixable mistakes. And once you know what they are (and how to fix them), everything can start to shift.
If you’re ready to stop spinning your wheels and finally move up from Prelim in Irish dance, this is your game plan.
Here are five mistakes that might be holding you back — and exactly how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Skipping the Basics (And Why It’s Costing You Big)
The Problem:
One dancer I worked with spent two years stuck in Prelim, worked relentlessly on getting higher kicks but skipped practicing fundamentals. When she finally shifted focus to basics — drilling for turnout, toe height, and rhythm every week — she earned 3 first places in prelim within three months and moved up to Open Champs.
It’s tempting to rush past the basics when you’ve been dancing for years. You want the big jumps, the fancy clicks, the new choreography — not drills that feel “too easy.”
But here’s the truth: skipping the basics is the number one thing keeping dancers stuck in Prelim.
Moving from Preliminary Championships (PC) to Open Championships (OC) isn’t just about harder steps — it’s about stronger execution.
At higher levels, judges aren’t just watching what you do. They’re watching how you do it:
- Pointed toes
- Turned out and crossed feet
- Strong toe height
- Controlled posture
- Solid extension
- Controlled rhythm and timing
Why It Matters:
In Open Championships, tiny flaws that might have been overlooked before become major deductions. Strong basics are what make a performance look effortless, clean, and championship-ready. Without them, even fancy steps fall flat.
How to Fix It:
Make mastering the basics your priority. Spend most of your practice sessions improving your technique:
- Foot placement drills
- Core engagement and posture checks
- Arching on all movements
- Getting hardshoe beats consistent and clear
Mistake #2: Obsessing Over Fancy Steps
One Prelim dancer we worked with started doing a more complicated treble jig step but couldn’t hold proper turnout with her new more complicated steps. She decided to go back to her older more simple steps and focused on clean footwork…she finally placed 1st — because the judges could finally see her quality.
The Problem:
Many dancers believe that fancier choreography is the magic ticket to moving up.
If you’re always chasing harder steps — bigger clicks, trendy tricks — without first mastering control, you’re setting yourself up to stall.
Judges value quality over flash.
Fancy steps without precision = deductions.
Why It Matters:
Judges would rather see a clean, simple step executed with perfect rhythm and posture than a flashy move that’s unstable. In fact, messy complexity is often marked down harder than clean simplicity.
How to Fix It:
Shift your focus from chasing “impressive steps” to executing steps impressively well.
- Break down and drill every piece of choreography you already have.
- Ask yourself: Can I land this cleanly 10 times out of 10?
Master the basics first, then layer on difficulty once you’re consistent.
Simple + Sharp > Complicated + Sloppy.
Mistake #3: Skipping Strength Work
A dancer we coached was struggling with posture, constantly marked down with the comment “body steady”. No matter how much she “thought about keeping her body steady,” nothing changed. After just eight weeks of strategic strength training (deep core work, glute strength, and stability), she went from not placing to top 3 at her next feis and finally earned her move to OC a couple of months later.
The Problem:
Irish dance demands power, stamina, and control — but many Prelim dancers think just dancing more will get them stronger.
It won’t.
Without strength training, it’s harder to:
- Get height in jumps
- Execute big sharp movements
- Land softly and safely
- Hold beautiful posture from beginning to end
Why It Matters:
Strength training builds the physical base dancers need to actually perform what teachers are asking for — higher jumps, regal-looking posture, bigger movements. Without it, you physically can’t hit the technical standards of Open Champs.
How to Fix It:
Incorporate dancer-specific strength training into your weekly routine.
You don’t need a full gym setup. Progressive calisthenics like advancing your squats, lunges, calf raises, and planks are game-changers.
Aim for 2-3 strength sessions per week, focusing on legs, glutes, core, and upper body work.
Get strong outside the studio to shine inside it.
Mistake #4: Inconsistent Practice Habits
The Problem:
Practicing like crazy one week and slacking the next won’t get you to OC.
Dance is a high-skill, high-demand sport that rewards consistency.
You can’t cram for a feis the way you cram for a math test. Skills like rhythm, turnout, stamina, and power take steady, repeated work over time to build.
Why It Matters:
Muscle memory, stamina, and mental sharpness are built through consistent, steady work — not frantic last-minute cramming. Champions are made in the daily reps nobody sees.
How to Fix It:
Create a practice schedule and stick to it.
- Even 20-30 minutes of smart practice 4–5 days a week will outperform sporadic 2-hour sessions.
- Focus on quality: drills, stamina rounds, corrections your teacher gives you, and a little strength work
Consistency compounds, then lasting positive outcomes.
Mistake #5: Focusing Only on Outcome Goals (Instead of Performance and Process Goals)
A dancer we worked with shifted from obsessing over placements to focusing on goals like holding her posture steady and turning out consistently. She was amazed how much her dancing and confidence improved, and she even qualified for her first World Championships that year.
The Problem:
When you’re trying to move up from Prelim in Irish dance, it’s easy to fixate on winning.
You tell yourself:
“I just need to win a feis.”
“I just need to place higher than last time.”
These are outcome goals, and while they can be motivating, they’re dangerous if they’re your only focus. Outcome goals are mostly out of your control.
You can’t control the judge’s opinion, the competitors, or the conditions on the day.
Why It Matters:
When dancers focus only on results, they tie their confidence to future situations they can’t guarantee. That mindset creates stress and inconsistency. Focusing on performance and process goals builds confidence and better dancing.
How to Fix It:
Shift your focus to performance goals and process goals — the things that are 100% in your control and that actually help you dance better.
- Performance goals focus on how you perform. (Ex: “Hold turnout for two full rounds,” “Finish both rounds without timing breaks.”)
Process goals focus on what you do in training. (Ex: “Strength train twice a week,” “Drill rhythm basics for 10 minutes a day.”)
Master the process. The results will follow.
Ready to Level Up?
You don’t have to stay stuck in Prelim forever.
Fixing these mistakes — focusing on basics, cleaning your steps, getting stronger, practicing consistently, and setting the right goals — will move you forward faster than chasing tricks or stressing about medals.
You are closer than you think.
Stay consistent, stay strong, and stay excited about getting better — not just earning trophies and sashes.
Get Stronger, Sharper, and Closer to Your Goals — Join the Waitlist!
If you’re fired up to finally break through Prelim, we’ve got something designed just for you.
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Your Open Championship dreams are waiting. Let’s build the strength to reach them. 💪🕺🏻
