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When my daughter started Irish dance lessons in 1999 in Milwaukee, there were approximately five feiseanna within easy driving range: The Chicago Feis, the Maryville Feis (the day after the Chicago Feis-now extinct), the Milwaukee Feis in August, the Winter Feis in Milwaukee in January and the Iowa Feis in Dubuque which I think started up in 2001. We went to other feiseanna as well (Minnesota, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Indianapolis) but the driving and hotel costs made these events few and far between.
Now there are so many feiseanna held in the Milwaukee area (I think approximately 10) that a dancer could eventually make it all the way to Open Championship without ever having to leave Southern Wisconsin.
If Wisconsinites include the 'within driving range' feiseanna in the Chicago area, they would spend a LOT of time at feiseanna all year long. A lot of time.
Brenna Briggs is the author of the Liffey Rivers Irish Dancer Mysteries.
