What the Judges Say – Sharon O’Brien

Our next adjudicator in this series is very well respected in the Irish dancing world. She is never the loudest person in the room and seems happy to stay out of the limelight. She does however take a keen interest in the developments and changes happening within Irish dancing. Well respected around the world as a teacher, she is one of the most in-demand and experienced adjudicators currently judging. FEIS App is honored to have caught up with Sharon, and we’re very excited to share her thoughts and feelings on adjudicating and all things Irish dance.

Sharon was born and raised in Limerick. She began dancing her dancing career with Scoil Ui Ruairc, before moving to Scoil Ui Nuaillain at age 14. After becoming a TCRG at the age of 26, Sharon wasted no time in continuing to advance her dance career, and achieved her ADCRG qualification at the age of 30. Sharon was very keen on becoming an adjudicator as quickly as possible: “I have always loved everything about Irish dancing and couldn’t wait to get the best seat in the house.”

No stranger to the big events, and not one to shy away from pressure, Sharon has adjudicated two World championships and numerous qualifying events around the world. Soon she’ll again be in the hot seat — adjudicating for the first time at the prestigious All Ireland championships next week.

We asked Sharon the following questions:

Q - What was the best piece of advice that you received as an adjudicator and who gave you it?

A – The best advice given to me was to always be able to walk away from the judging table happy with my result, and to know that I had given my honest opinion on the day. There are many pressures on adjudicators in present times with social media and the constant promotion of dancers (this is something that I do not agree with and am strongly opposed to).

Q - If you could choose only one thing that you feel is vital to get correct, which do you think trumps the others — timing, carriage, turnout, rhythm, stage presence, flexibility, athleticism. Why?

A - Timing is most important for a dancer, you can have amazing carriage turnout and execution but if you are not dancing in time you will not get rewarded for your other strengths.

Q - What advice would you have for a dancer who experiences a slip, trip or fall on stage? Would you mark dancers down for any of these?

A - My advice to dancers is, once the bell has been rung and you get a chance to re-dance, you are being given a clean slate so get out on stage and dance even better the second time. In my opinion as an adjudicator, I would not mark the dancer down for a genuine slip or a fall.

Q - Would you ever mark a dancer down for a costume malfunction?

A - Regarding a shoe/lace becoming undone, the bell will be rung and the dancer allowed to re-dance. I would impose no penalty for this; it gives the dancer a chance to come out again and dance even better!

Q - What’s the best thing in your opinion about being an adjudicator?

A - For me, being an adjudicator helps and inspires me as a teacher. I see things from a different perspective as a judge and this really helps in coaching my own students.

Q - What’s the most difficult thing that you find about judging?

A - I really enjoy judging, but it’s a difficult job in that there is only going to be one first place and picking the winner can be very difficult at times. It can come back down to the basics: keeping on time, carriage and execution. It’s all about how a dancer performs ‘on the day’.

Q - What top tips would you give a dancer when they’re on stage — tips on how to impress you?

A - Remember dancers, the judges are watching you from the moment you step on stage, so walk out with confidence. Smiling and looking pleasant is always nice to see and not a difficult thing to do when you are on stage. There’s nothing worse than a dancer looking like they would rather be somewhere else!

I love when a dancer completes the dance with the same spark as they started! I also love when a dancer completes the left leg of a step with the same perfection as the right; it shows how much practice and work has gone into the preparation of the performance.

Last but not least, it doesn’t matter how many crystals you have on your dress or who made your dress, it’s your dancing that is most important!

Q - Are there any qualities that put you off a dancer completely?

A - I am a stickler for good carriage — keeping the upper body relaxed and calm during the dance. If the body is moving a lot it takes away from the leg and footwork.

I like to hear clear beats and rhythms, especially in set dances.

I don’t like it when dancers are doing steps and moves that they are not able to perform correctly. They would be better off doing simpler steps, and executing them correctly. 

Q - What common mistakes do you notice in dancers?

A - Not focusing on the basic things being done right! Good carriage, foot placement, timing and execution are essential.

Q - Would you prefer a technically gifted dancer or a dancer who really performs?

A - While its always great to see a technically gifted dancer, they must execute the steps well and it’s no good being able to do something amazing on the right foot and not being able to follow it through on the left!

Q - Does a dancer’s appearance on stage have an impact on their score?

A - Yes without a doubt. You have to look the part on stage before you start to dance; this doesn’t mean you have to have the most expensive dress/tiara/wig, but you do need to be presented well.

Q - What’s the biggest ‘no no’ a dancer could do in front of you?

A - Hands not closed, arms out, body not relaxed. Carriage is very important to me. The top half of the body has to be right — there’s no point in being fantastic from the waist down. I am a judge who looks at the full package.

Let’s summarise what Sharon will be looking for next week. She will want a dancer to execute both legs at the same standard; she will want a dancer who can perform at the appropriate standard all the way through their performance; she will be looking at your appearance, but will be focusing more on your ability and performance; she is a stickler for carriage and will notice if your upper body is moving and she will want you to perform (smile) from the minute you step on stage until the minute that you leave. In return, each dancer will be adjudicated by a fair and impartial judge who will be greatly enjoying the privilege of being  in the best seat in the house.

FEIS App would like to thank Sharon O’Brien for her valuable insights and wish her the best of luck in her role as an adjudicator at the 2020 All Ireland Championships.