r/irishdance • u/Irish_Tradition_412 • Jul 23 '25

Which is the best organization to get certified in?(Besides CLRG)

Currently teach at a non-competitive school and is not currently affiliated with any organizations. This school is based in U.S. Which ones would you recommend? What is the certification process?

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u/chiweeniema Jul 23 '25

I know WIDA has exams coming up in November in Virginia I think.

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u/stephvan93 Aug 03 '25

I would add that you may not need an official certification. Most organizations certifications are created to serve that orgs purpose and goals.

There is a group of independent and Open platforms teachers now called IIDA (Independent Irish Dance Association) that runs digital feis and provides teacher resources and community to those looking to get into competitions.

Happy to discuss if you have any questions. I was previously CLRG myself, then WIDA (did TCRG PT 1-3), and have now created IIDA after not finding an org that fit my schools goals.

https://www.iidairishdance.com/

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u/Irish_Tradition_412 Aug 05 '25

Cool 😎 That’s a good point, and that probably is the best option for my school.

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u/[deleted] Jul 23 '25

WIDA has the most open process for getting yourself certified from outside an organization. I'd be happy to get your contact info over to their global development team if you are interested.

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u/Irish_Tradition_412 Jul 23 '25

Thx! That’s very generous of you. However I’m not even part of the organization yet. From what I read on their website once you join the organization if you want to become a teacher you must start your certification within 2yrs. I think rn I’m going to ponder if I want to join an organization. I do really love how the school I teach at only does shows and is very creative. I don’t want that to be taken away from my students.

https://www.irish.dance/tcrg-examinations

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u/[deleted] Jul 24 '25

I'm studying for my part one with WIDA right now. Their certification process is really simplified and broken down into small chunks, so they are very very manageable. From my understanding, you can do it at your own pace to an extent, piece by piece,. You can also just chat with folks from WIDA, no commitment required, to just ask any questions you may have.

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u/shk2342 Jul 24 '25

If you wanted to join WIDA you could get certified through grades, not TCRG/TMRF exams, this way you aren’t as pressed for time, as I don’t think grades actually have expirations, unlike TCRG parts. You can also do some of the first grades without even being affiliated.