Irish stepdance
Encyclopedia
Irish stepdance is a type of performance dance originated in Ireland
from traditional Irish dance
, characterised by solo dancers who dance with hands by their sides and upper body stiff, making quick, intricate movements of the feet, often with a troupe. Irish stepdancing was popularized by the show "Riverdance
". Irish stepdance is performed in most places with large Irish populations. Aside from public dance performances, there are also stepdance competitions all over the world. Most competitive stepdances are solo dances, though many stepdancers also perform and compete using traditional set and céilí dances.
The dancing traditions of Ireland probably grew in tandem with traditions of Irish traditional music
. The very first roots might have been in Pre-Christian Ireland, but Irish dance was also partially influenced by dance forms on the Continent, especially the quadrille
dances. Traveling dancing masters taught all over Ireland as late as the early 1900s.
Stepdancing as a modern form is descended directly from sean-nós
("old style") stepdancing. There are in fact many other forms of stepdancing in Ireland (such as the Connemara style stepdancing), but the style most familiar is the Munster, or southern, form, which has been formalized by An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha, which first met in 1930. An Coimisiún was formed from a directorate of the Gaelic League during the so-called Modern Revival.
Irish stepdance has very precise rules about what one may and may not do and when, but within these rules leeway is provided for innovation and variety. Thus, stepdance can evolve while still remaining confined within the original rules.
The tradition never truly disappeared. In the nineteenth century, the Irish diaspora
spread Irish dance all over the world, especially to North America
and Australia
.
One explanation for the unique habit of keeping the hands and upper body stiff relates to the stage. In order to get a hard surface to dance on, people would often unhinge doors and lay them on the ground. Since this was clearly a very small "stage", there was no room for the movement of the arms. But perhaps the most likely explanation is a practical one. The solo dances are characterized by quick, intricate movements of the feet. Reportedly, as in "sean nós"
(old style) dancing, the arms were kept relaxed or with fists on the hips before the late 1890s.
Dance teachers often place a bent clothes hanger around the back of the dancer and have them hold it in place with their arms during practice so that they will be trained to keep their arms in this rigid position.
Sometime in that decade or the one following, a dance master had his students compete with arms held firmly down to their sides, hands in fists, in order to call more attention to the intricacy of the steps. The adjudicator approved by placing the students well. Other teachers and dancers quickly followed the new trend. Movement of the arms is sometimes incorporated into modern Irish stepdance, although this is generally seen as a hybrid and non-traditional addition.
"Reel
", "slip jig
", "hornpipe
", and "jig
" (soft shoe and hard shoe) are all types of Irish stepdances and are also types of Irish traditional music
. Reels are in 2/4 or 4/4 time. Slip jigs are in 9/8 time, and are considered to be the lightest and most graceful of the dances. Hornpipes can be in 2/4 or 4/4 time, and are danced in hard shoes. There are three jigs danced in competition, the light jig, the single jig and the treble jig (also called double jig). Light and single jigs are in 6/8 time, and are soft shoes dances, while the treble jig is hard shoe, danced in a slow 6/8.
The actual steps in Irish stepdance are usually unique to each school or dance teacher. Steps are developed by Irish dance teachers for students of their school. Each dance is built out of the same basic elements, or steps, but the dance itself is unique, and new dances are being choreographed all the time. For this reason, videotaping of competitions is forbidden under the rules of An Coimisiun.
Each step is a sequence of foot movements, leg movements and leaps, which lasts for 8 bars of music for the "right foot" and is repeated for the "left foot" of the step. Hard shoe dancing includes clicking (striking the heels of the feet against each other), trebles (the toe of the shoe striking the floor), stamps (the entire foot striking the floor), and an increasing number of complicated combinations of taps from the toes and heels.
There are two types of hard shoe dance, the solo dances, which are the hornpipe and treble jig, and the traditional set dances, also called set dances, which are solo dances, despite having the same name as the social dances. There are approximately thirty solo set dance tunes, mostly jigs and hornpipes. These tunes vary in tempo to allow for more difficult steps for higher level dancers. Teachers choreograph the contemporary non-traditional sets their dancers dance to these special tunes. An unusual feature of the set dance tune is that many are "crooked", with some of the parts, or sections, of the tunes departing from the common 8 bar formula. The crooked tune may have a part consisting of 7½ bars, fourteen bars, etc. For example, the "St. Patrick's Day" traditional set music consists of an eight-bar "step," followed by a fourteen-bar "set."
The music and steps for each traditional set was set down by past dance masters and passed down under An Coimisiún auspices as part of the rich history of stepdancing, hence the "traditional." There are about 30 traditional sets used in modern stepdance, but the traditional sets performed in most levels of competition are St. Patrick's Day, the Blackbird, Job of Journeywork, Garden of Daisies, King of the Fairies, and Jockey to the Fair. The remaining traditional set dances are primarily danced at championship levels.
The céilí dances used in competition are bouncier and more precise versions of those danced in pubs and church basements. There is a list of 30 céilí dances which have been standardized and published in An Coimisiun's "Ar Rinncidhe Foirne" as examples of typical Irish folk dances; these are called the "book" dances by competitive stepdancers. Most céilí dances in competition are significantly shortened in the interests of time; many stepdancers never learn the entire dance, as they will never dance the later parts of the dance in competition.
Many CLRG dance schools place as much emphasis on ceili dancing as on solo dances, meticulously rehearsing the dances as written in the book, striving for perfect interpretation. In local competition, figure dances may be competed including 2 or 3 dancers. These are not traditional book dances and are choreographed similar to solo dancing. Dances for 4, 6 or 8 dancers are also often found in competition, but the book dances for 16 dancers are rarely offered. The Figure Choreography competition at Major Oireachtasi must be for more than 8 dancers and is a chance for teachers to show off interesting and intricate group choreography. A winning team at an Oireachtas gains a reputation for their school, and is thus an important part of competition.
, though the two styles are distinct. American tap dance
was also influenced by Irish Stepdancing.
Three types of shoes are worn in competitive step dancing: hard shoes and two kinds of soft shoe. The hard shoe, which is also called heavy shoe and jig shoe, is unlike the tap shoe, in that the tips and heels are made of fiberglass, instead of metal. The first hard shoes had wooden taps with metal nails. It was common practice in the 17th and 18th century to hammer nails into the soles of a shoe in order to increase the life of the shoe. Dancers used the sounds created by the nails to create the rhythms that characterize hard shoe dancing. Later the soles were changed into resin or fiberglass to reduce the weight and increase the sounds of the footwork.
Each shoe has eight striking surfaces: the toe, bottom, and sides of the front tap and the back, bottom, and sides of the back tap (the heel). Hard shoes are made of black leather with flexible soles. Sometimes the front taps are filed flat to enable the dancer to stand on his or her toes, somewhat like pointe shoes
. The same hard shoes are worn by all dancers, regardless of gender or age.
A legend about hard shoe dances is that the Irish used to dance at crossroads or on the earthen floors of their houses, and they removed and soaped their doors to create a resonant surface for hard shoe dancing. (The more common actuality was that dancers "battered" on a stone laid in the floor with a space underneath; in the case of set dancing, the head couple of the set would claim the stone.)
Soft shoes, often called "ghillies" (or "gillies"), fit more like ballet slippers, but they are of black leather, with a leather sole and a very flexible body. They lace from toe to ankle and do not make sounds against the dance surface. They are worn by female dancers for the light jig
, the reel
, the single jig
, the slip jig
, and group dances with two or more people. They also can be worn for céilí dancing, though social céilí dance doesn't have rules about the sorts of shoes worn.
The second kind of soft shoe is worn by male dancers; these are called "Reel Shoes" and are similar to oxford or jazz shoes in black leather, with fiberglass heels that the dancers can click together. Some male dancers do not have fiberglass heels. The men's steps may be choreographed in a different style to girls' in order to take advantage of the heels.
Judges at competitions critique the dancers primarily on their performance, but they also take into account presentation. In every level of competition the dancers must wear either hard shoes or soft shoes, and white poodle socks or tights. In commission schools, female dancers either curl their hair or wear a curly wig, although most dancers choose to wear wigs. In more festival schools the hair is often worn down and loose. Boy and girls wear very distinctive costumes. The girls wear dresses with stiff skirts which are intricately embroidered. Some dresses have flat backed crystals added for stage appeal. Swarovski
is being used more frequantly. The boys used to wear jackets and kilts, but now more commonly perform in black trousers with a colourful shirt and tie and, more frequently, a vest with embroidery and crystals. Costumes can be more simple for the beginning female dancer; they often wear a simple dance skirt and plain blouse.
Competition dresses have changed in many ways since Irish Dance first appeared. Several generations ago the appropriate dress was simply your "Sunday Best". In the 1980s ornately embroidered velvet became popular. Other materials include gaberdine and wool. Today many different fabrics are used, including lace, sequins, silk, embroidered organzas and more and can be decorated with chrystals for more "bling". Velvet is also becoming popular again, but in multiple colors with very different and modern embrodery. The commission dresses have a stiffened skirt pleated into panels which are stiffened with Vilene. A beginner dancer can be any age, including adults. In the Advanced Beginner and Novice levels the dancers begin to wear their dancing school’s costume. The certain colors and emblem that are used on the dresses represents the dance school to differentiate it from other dance schools. These are are similar to a solo dress, but are simple with only a few colors, while are still more pounds, depending on the fabric, and may require some getting used to. Again the festival style differs, styling more towards simple designs and flowing, un-stiffened materials.
Preliminary and Open Championship are levels where dancers can qualify for Major competitions. At these levels, solo costumes help each dancer show their sense of style, and they enable them to stand out among a crowd. The dancers can either have a new solo dress made specially for them with their choice of colours, fabrics, and designs (some dancers will even design the dress themselves), they can choose new dresses and have them tailored to fit them or they can buy second hand from another dancer. Championship dresses often have expensive fabrics, and it is popular for only two or three colors to be used. Since the dresses are hand made with pricey materials, unique designs, and are measured to each dancer’s body type, the dresses cost between $600 and $4,000. When each dancer grows out of the dress she can sell it at competitions, at their dance school or via internet websites specificaly for irish dresses or through other websites, like Ebay
.
Along with having the hand crafted dresses, championship commission dancers have wigs and crowns or decorative headbands. Dancers in lower levels have the choice to wear either a wig or curl their hair, but usually in championship, girls choose to wear a wig, as wigs are more convenient. Dancers get synthetic ringlet wigs that match their hair color or go with a extreamely different shade (a blonde dancer wearing a black wig or vice versa). The wigs can range from $20.00 to $150. Usually the crowns match the colors and materials of the dresses, but some dancers choose to wear tiaras, or tiaras with a fabric crown. Nowadays, wearing ringlet wigs is going out of style in some feisanna in favor of letting girls and women having their natural hair. The championship competitions are usually danced on a stage with a lot of lighting. To prevent looking washed out, dancers often wear stage makeup and tan their legs. A ban was put in place in January 2005 for Under 10 dancers forbidding them to wear fake tan, and in October 2005 it was decided that Under 12 dancers who were in the Beginner and Primary levels would not be allowed to wear fake tan or make up.
Each organization has a certification process which consists of a written and practical exam in the applicant's ability to teach Irish dance. In An Coimisiún these certificates are the T.M.R.F. (gives permission to teach céilí dances), T.C.R.G. (gives permission to teach solo dances) and A.D.C.R.G. (gives permission to judge at feiseanna).
Competitive step dancing has grown steadily since the mid 1900's, and more rapidly since the appearance of Riverdance
. An organized stepdance competition is referred to as a feis . The word feis means "festival" in Irish
, and strictly speaking is also composed of competitions in music and crafts. Féile ("faila") is a more correct term for the dance competition, but the terms may be used interchangeably. Many annual competitions are truly becoming full-fledged feiseanna, by adding competitions in music, art, baking, etc.
Participants in a feis must be students of an accredited step dance teacher. Dance competitions are divided by age and level of expertise. The names for feis competition levels vary around the world:
Despite a competition structure and culture that almost exclusively supports children, many feiseanna offer competitions for adult Irish dancers. At the beginner level, an adult Irish dancer is someone who did not dance as a child and is over the age of 18. Past beginner level, there is no restriction. Adult competitions, when offered, are held separately from children's competitions, and adults may advance only to Prizewinner level. If they wish to attempt higher levels, then they must switch over to competitions for young adults and may no longer compete as "Adults." This is referred to an "And Over" level, such as Ages 18 and Over.
In North America, the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America has recently changed its rules to restrict adult Irish dancers to the simpler, traditional speed hardshoe dances. Adult dancers capable of dancing the more complex, non-traditional speed hardshoe dances must have the support of their teacher before they can compete in the "And Over" age categories where they may perform the more complex dances.
Rules for feiseanna are set by the Organisation, not a particular feis. In An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (the largest of the "official" organizations), dancers are judged by adjudicators certified by An Coimisiún. This certification is known as the A.D.C.R.G., meaning Ard Diploma Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha (in English - Highest Diploma in Gaelic Dancing.) It is awarded to those who have passed the exams set by the An Coimisiún and have also been certified as T.C.R.G. Local organizations may add additional rules to the basic rule set. The Irish Dance Teacher's Association of North America (IDTANA) is the largest body of dance teachers associated with An Coimsiun le Rince Gaelacha. There are seven CLRG regions in North America.
An annual regional Championship competition is known as an oireachtas
. Regional Oireachtas are normally held in November and December. Up to 10 dancers from each age group may qualify for the World Championships - the exact number is worked out with a formula and is based on the number of dancers competing. National championship competitions are held annually in Ireland (the All Ireland Championships and the Irish Nationals, happening for the first time in May 2011), North America (including Canada and the United States, called the North American Irish Dance Championships, or sometimes the North American Nationals, or "NAN's"), the UK (the Great Britains and the British Nationals), South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. The annual World Championship competitions began in 1970 and have been held in The Republic of Ireland
, Northern Ireland
and Scotland
. Past and future host cities of the World Championships include:
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
from traditional Irish dance
Irish dance
Irish dancing or Irish dance is a group of traditional dance forms originating in Ireland which can broadly be divided into social dance and performance dances. Irish social dances can be divided further into céilí and set dancing...
, characterised by solo dancers who dance with hands by their sides and upper body stiff, making quick, intricate movements of the feet, often with a troupe. Irish stepdancing was popularized by the show "Riverdance
Riverdance
Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish stepdancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary. It originated as an interval performance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, a moment that is still considered a significant...
". Irish stepdance is performed in most places with large Irish populations. Aside from public dance performances, there are also stepdance competitions all over the world. Most competitive stepdances are solo dances, though many stepdancers also perform and compete using traditional set and céilí dances.
Roots of Irish stepdance
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
. The very first roots might have been in Pre-Christian Ireland, but Irish dance was also partially influenced by dance forms on the Continent, especially the quadrille
Quadrille
Quadrille is a historic dance performed by four couples in a square formation, a precursor to traditional square dancing. It is also a style of music...
dances. Traveling dancing masters taught all over Ireland as late as the early 1900s.
Stepdancing as a modern form is descended directly from sean-nós
Sean-nós dance
Sean-nós dance is an older style of traditional solo Irish dance. It is a casual dance form Irish Stepdancing....
("old style") stepdancing. There are in fact many other forms of stepdancing in Ireland (such as the Connemara style stepdancing), but the style most familiar is the Munster, or southern, form, which has been formalized by An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha, which first met in 1930. An Coimisiún was formed from a directorate of the Gaelic League during the so-called Modern Revival.
Irish stepdance has very precise rules about what one may and may not do and when, but within these rules leeway is provided for innovation and variety. Thus, stepdance can evolve while still remaining confined within the original rules.
The tradition never truly disappeared. In the nineteenth century, the Irish diaspora
Irish diaspora
thumb|Night Train with Reaper by London Irish artist [[Brian Whelan]] from the book Myth of Return, 2007The Irish diaspora consists of Irish emigrants and their descendants in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Mexico, South Africa,...
spread Irish dance all over the world, especially to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
One explanation for the unique habit of keeping the hands and upper body stiff relates to the stage. In order to get a hard surface to dance on, people would often unhinge doors and lay them on the ground. Since this was clearly a very small "stage", there was no room for the movement of the arms. But perhaps the most likely explanation is a practical one. The solo dances are characterized by quick, intricate movements of the feet. Reportedly, as in "sean nós"
Sean-nós dance
Sean-nós dance is an older style of traditional solo Irish dance. It is a casual dance form Irish Stepdancing....
(old style) dancing, the arms were kept relaxed or with fists on the hips before the late 1890s.
Dance teachers often place a bent clothes hanger around the back of the dancer and have them hold it in place with their arms during practice so that they will be trained to keep their arms in this rigid position.
Sometime in that decade or the one following, a dance master had his students compete with arms held firmly down to their sides, hands in fists, in order to call more attention to the intricacy of the steps. The adjudicator approved by placing the students well. Other teachers and dancers quickly followed the new trend. Movement of the arms is sometimes incorporated into modern Irish stepdance, although this is generally seen as a hybrid and non-traditional addition.
Dances
Irish solo stepdances fall into two broad categories based on the shoes worn: hard shoe and soft shoe dances."Reel
Reel (dance)
The reel is a folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type. In Scottish country dancing, the reel is one of the four traditional dances, the others being the jig, the strathspey and the waltz, and is also the name of a dance figure ....
", "slip jig
Slip jig
Slip jig refers to both a style within Irish music, and the Irish dance to music in slip-jig time. The slip jig is in 9/8 time, traditionally with accents on 5 of the 9 beats — two pairs of crotchet/quaver followed by a dotted crotchet note.The slip jig is one the four most common Irish...
", "hornpipe
Hornpipe
The term hornpipe refers to any of several dance forms played and danced in Britain and elsewhere from the late 17th century until the present day. It is said that hornpipe as a dance began around the 16th century on English sailing vessels...
", and "jig
Jig
The Jig is a form of lively folk dance, as well as the accompanying dance tune, originating in England in the 16th century and today most associated with Irish dance music and Scottish country dance music...
" (soft shoe and hard shoe) are all types of Irish stepdances and are also types of Irish traditional music
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
. Reels are in 2/4 or 4/4 time. Slip jigs are in 9/8 time, and are considered to be the lightest and most graceful of the dances. Hornpipes can be in 2/4 or 4/4 time, and are danced in hard shoes. There are three jigs danced in competition, the light jig, the single jig and the treble jig (also called double jig). Light and single jigs are in 6/8 time, and are soft shoes dances, while the treble jig is hard shoe, danced in a slow 6/8.
The actual steps in Irish stepdance are usually unique to each school or dance teacher. Steps are developed by Irish dance teachers for students of their school. Each dance is built out of the same basic elements, or steps, but the dance itself is unique, and new dances are being choreographed all the time. For this reason, videotaping of competitions is forbidden under the rules of An Coimisiun.
Each step is a sequence of foot movements, leg movements and leaps, which lasts for 8 bars of music for the "right foot" and is repeated for the "left foot" of the step. Hard shoe dancing includes clicking (striking the heels of the feet against each other), trebles (the toe of the shoe striking the floor), stamps (the entire foot striking the floor), and an increasing number of complicated combinations of taps from the toes and heels.
There are two types of hard shoe dance, the solo dances, which are the hornpipe and treble jig, and the traditional set dances, also called set dances, which are solo dances, despite having the same name as the social dances. There are approximately thirty solo set dance tunes, mostly jigs and hornpipes. These tunes vary in tempo to allow for more difficult steps for higher level dancers. Teachers choreograph the contemporary non-traditional sets their dancers dance to these special tunes. An unusual feature of the set dance tune is that many are "crooked", with some of the parts, or sections, of the tunes departing from the common 8 bar formula. The crooked tune may have a part consisting of 7½ bars, fourteen bars, etc. For example, the "St. Patrick's Day" traditional set music consists of an eight-bar "step," followed by a fourteen-bar "set."
The music and steps for each traditional set was set down by past dance masters and passed down under An Coimisiún auspices as part of the rich history of stepdancing, hence the "traditional." There are about 30 traditional sets used in modern stepdance, but the traditional sets performed in most levels of competition are St. Patrick's Day, the Blackbird, Job of Journeywork, Garden of Daisies, King of the Fairies, and Jockey to the Fair. The remaining traditional set dances are primarily danced at championship levels.
The céilí dances used in competition are bouncier and more precise versions of those danced in pubs and church basements. There is a list of 30 céilí dances which have been standardized and published in An Coimisiun's "Ar Rinncidhe Foirne" as examples of typical Irish folk dances; these are called the "book" dances by competitive stepdancers. Most céilí dances in competition are significantly shortened in the interests of time; many stepdancers never learn the entire dance, as they will never dance the later parts of the dance in competition.
Many CLRG dance schools place as much emphasis on ceili dancing as on solo dances, meticulously rehearsing the dances as written in the book, striving for perfect interpretation. In local competition, figure dances may be competed including 2 or 3 dancers. These are not traditional book dances and are choreographed similar to solo dancing. Dances for 4, 6 or 8 dancers are also often found in competition, but the book dances for 16 dancers are rarely offered. The Figure Choreography competition at Major Oireachtasi must be for more than 8 dancers and is a chance for teachers to show off interesting and intricate group choreography. A winning team at an Oireachtas gains a reputation for their school, and is thus an important part of competition.
Shoes
Some of the footwork of softshoe dances is echoed in the footwork of Scottish country dancingScottish country dance
A Scottish country dance is a form of social dance involving groups of mixed couples of dancers tracing progressive patterns according to a predetermined choreography...
, though the two styles are distinct. American tap dance
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
was also influenced by Irish Stepdancing.
Three types of shoes are worn in competitive step dancing: hard shoes and two kinds of soft shoe. The hard shoe, which is also called heavy shoe and jig shoe, is unlike the tap shoe, in that the tips and heels are made of fiberglass, instead of metal. The first hard shoes had wooden taps with metal nails. It was common practice in the 17th and 18th century to hammer nails into the soles of a shoe in order to increase the life of the shoe. Dancers used the sounds created by the nails to create the rhythms that characterize hard shoe dancing. Later the soles were changed into resin or fiberglass to reduce the weight and increase the sounds of the footwork.
Each shoe has eight striking surfaces: the toe, bottom, and sides of the front tap and the back, bottom, and sides of the back tap (the heel). Hard shoes are made of black leather with flexible soles. Sometimes the front taps are filed flat to enable the dancer to stand on his or her toes, somewhat like pointe shoes
Pointe shoes
A pointe shoe is a type of shoe worn by ballet dancers when performing pointework. Pointe shoes developed from the desire for dancers to appear weightless and sylph-like and have evolved to enable dancers to dance on the tips of their toes for extended periods of time...
. The same hard shoes are worn by all dancers, regardless of gender or age.
A legend about hard shoe dances is that the Irish used to dance at crossroads or on the earthen floors of their houses, and they removed and soaped their doors to create a resonant surface for hard shoe dancing. (The more common actuality was that dancers "battered" on a stone laid in the floor with a space underneath; in the case of set dancing, the head couple of the set would claim the stone.)
Soft shoes, often called "ghillies" (or "gillies"), fit more like ballet slippers, but they are of black leather, with a leather sole and a very flexible body. They lace from toe to ankle and do not make sounds against the dance surface. They are worn by female dancers for the light jig
Jig
The Jig is a form of lively folk dance, as well as the accompanying dance tune, originating in England in the 16th century and today most associated with Irish dance music and Scottish country dance music...
, the reel
Reel (dance)
The reel is a folk dance type as well as the accompanying dance tune type. In Scottish country dancing, the reel is one of the four traditional dances, the others being the jig, the strathspey and the waltz, and is also the name of a dance figure ....
, the single jig
Jig
The Jig is a form of lively folk dance, as well as the accompanying dance tune, originating in England in the 16th century and today most associated with Irish dance music and Scottish country dance music...
, the slip jig
Slip jig
Slip jig refers to both a style within Irish music, and the Irish dance to music in slip-jig time. The slip jig is in 9/8 time, traditionally with accents on 5 of the 9 beats — two pairs of crotchet/quaver followed by a dotted crotchet note.The slip jig is one the four most common Irish...
, and group dances with two or more people. They also can be worn for céilí dancing, though social céilí dance doesn't have rules about the sorts of shoes worn.
The second kind of soft shoe is worn by male dancers; these are called "Reel Shoes" and are similar to oxford or jazz shoes in black leather, with fiberglass heels that the dancers can click together. Some male dancers do not have fiberglass heels. The men's steps may be choreographed in a different style to girls' in order to take advantage of the heels.
Costume
In public performances, dancers wear costumes appropriate to the show. The costumes are frequently modern interpretations of traditional Irish styles of dress. In competitions, there are various rules and traditions which govern the choice of a dancer's costume.Judges at competitions critique the dancers primarily on their performance, but they also take into account presentation. In every level of competition the dancers must wear either hard shoes or soft shoes, and white poodle socks or tights. In commission schools, female dancers either curl their hair or wear a curly wig, although most dancers choose to wear wigs. In more festival schools the hair is often worn down and loose. Boy and girls wear very distinctive costumes. The girls wear dresses with stiff skirts which are intricately embroidered. Some dresses have flat backed crystals added for stage appeal. Swarovski
Swarovski
Swarovski is the brand name for a range of precisely-cut crystal and related luxury products produced by Swarovski AG of Wattens, Austria...
is being used more frequantly. The boys used to wear jackets and kilts, but now more commonly perform in black trousers with a colourful shirt and tie and, more frequently, a vest with embroidery and crystals. Costumes can be more simple for the beginning female dancer; they often wear a simple dance skirt and plain blouse.
Preliminary and Open Championship are levels where dancers can qualify for Major competitions. At these levels, solo costumes help each dancer show their sense of style, and they enable them to stand out among a crowd. The dancers can either have a new solo dress made specially for them with their choice of colours, fabrics, and designs (some dancers will even design the dress themselves), they can choose new dresses and have them tailored to fit them or they can buy second hand from another dancer. Championship dresses often have expensive fabrics, and it is popular for only two or three colors to be used. Since the dresses are hand made with pricey materials, unique designs, and are measured to each dancer’s body type, the dresses cost between $600 and $4,000. When each dancer grows out of the dress she can sell it at competitions, at their dance school or via internet websites specificaly for irish dresses or through other websites, like Ebay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.
Along with having the hand crafted dresses, championship commission dancers have wigs and crowns or decorative headbands. Dancers in lower levels have the choice to wear either a wig or curl their hair, but usually in championship, girls choose to wear a wig, as wigs are more convenient. Dancers get synthetic ringlet wigs that match their hair color or go with a extreamely different shade (a blonde dancer wearing a black wig or vice versa). The wigs can range from $20.00 to $150. Usually the crowns match the colors and materials of the dresses, but some dancers choose to wear tiaras, or tiaras with a fabric crown. Nowadays, wearing ringlet wigs is going out of style in some feisanna in favor of letting girls and women having their natural hair. The championship competitions are usually danced on a stage with a lot of lighting. To prevent looking washed out, dancers often wear stage makeup and tan their legs. A ban was put in place in January 2005 for Under 10 dancers forbidding them to wear fake tan, and in October 2005 it was decided that Under 12 dancers who were in the Beginner and Primary levels would not be allowed to wear fake tan or make up.
Competition structure
Modern Irish stepdance can be taught anywhere. Teachers must be certified with one of several separate organizations such as An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha ("The Irish Dancing Commission"), Comhdháil Múinteoirí Na Rincí Gaelacha ("The Congress of Irish Dancing Teachers"), NAIDF ("North American Irish Dance Federation") or World Irish Dance Association (WIDA), (other less well known organisations also exist) in order for their students to be eligible for competitions (dancers may only enter competitions run by the organization the teacher is registered with). However WIDA feisana are open to everybody. <"feis" is singular. "feiseanna" is plural>Each organization has a certification process which consists of a written and practical exam in the applicant's ability to teach Irish dance. In An Coimisiún these certificates are the T.M.R.F. (gives permission to teach céilí dances), T.C.R.G. (gives permission to teach solo dances) and A.D.C.R.G. (gives permission to judge at feiseanna).
Competitive step dancing has grown steadily since the mid 1900's, and more rapidly since the appearance of Riverdance
Riverdance
Riverdance is a theatrical show consisting of traditional Irish stepdancing, notable for its rapid leg movements while body and arms are kept largely stationary. It originated as an interval performance during the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, a moment that is still considered a significant...
. An organized stepdance competition is referred to as a feis . The word feis means "festival" in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
, and strictly speaking is also composed of competitions in music and crafts. Féile ("faila") is a more correct term for the dance competition, but the terms may be used interchangeably. Many annual competitions are truly becoming full-fledged feiseanna, by adding competitions in music, art, baking, etc.
Participants in a feis must be students of an accredited step dance teacher. Dance competitions are divided by age and level of expertise. The names for feis competition levels vary around the world:
- UK and Europe: beginner, primary, intermediate, open
- Ireland: Bun Grád, Tús Grád, Meán Grád, Ard Grád, Craobh Grád (translates as "bottom", "beginning", "middle", "high" and "trophy" grades)
- North America: Beginner, Advanced Beginner (or Beginner 2), Novice, Prizewinner/Open, Preliminary Champion, Open Champion
- Australia: Novice, Beginner, Primary, Intermediate, Open
- South Africa: Bun Grád, Tús Grád, Meán Grád, Ard Grád, Craobh Grád (Ungraded section is also offered for dancers 7 years old or younger. Dancers who win this section do not grade.)
Despite a competition structure and culture that almost exclusively supports children, many feiseanna offer competitions for adult Irish dancers. At the beginner level, an adult Irish dancer is someone who did not dance as a child and is over the age of 18. Past beginner level, there is no restriction. Adult competitions, when offered, are held separately from children's competitions, and adults may advance only to Prizewinner level. If they wish to attempt higher levels, then they must switch over to competitions for young adults and may no longer compete as "Adults." This is referred to an "And Over" level, such as Ages 18 and Over.
In North America, the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America has recently changed its rules to restrict adult Irish dancers to the simpler, traditional speed hardshoe dances. Adult dancers capable of dancing the more complex, non-traditional speed hardshoe dances must have the support of their teacher before they can compete in the "And Over" age categories where they may perform the more complex dances.
Rules for feiseanna are set by the Organisation, not a particular feis. In An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (the largest of the "official" organizations), dancers are judged by adjudicators certified by An Coimisiún. This certification is known as the A.D.C.R.G., meaning Ard Diploma Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha (in English - Highest Diploma in Gaelic Dancing.) It is awarded to those who have passed the exams set by the An Coimisiún and have also been certified as T.C.R.G. Local organizations may add additional rules to the basic rule set. The Irish Dance Teacher's Association of North America (IDTANA) is the largest body of dance teachers associated with An Coimsiun le Rince Gaelacha. There are seven CLRG regions in North America.
An annual regional Championship competition is known as an oireachtas
Oireachtas (Irish dance)
In modern Irish dance, the term Oireachtas refers to an annual championship competition. The word "oireachtas" literally means "gathering" in English....
. Regional Oireachtas are normally held in November and December. Up to 10 dancers from each age group may qualify for the World Championships - the exact number is worked out with a formula and is based on the number of dancers competing. National championship competitions are held annually in Ireland (the All Ireland Championships and the Irish Nationals, happening for the first time in May 2011), North America (including Canada and the United States, called the North American Irish Dance Championships, or sometimes the North American Nationals, or "NAN's"), the UK (the Great Britains and the British Nationals), South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. The annual World Championship competitions began in 1970 and have been held in The Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Past and future host cities of the World Championships include:
- 1970: Dublin
- 1975: Dublin
- 1981: Dun LaoghaireDún LaoghaireDún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
- 1983: Dublin
- 1985: MalahideMalahideMalahide is a coastal suburban town, near Dublin city, located in the administrative county of Fingal, within the traditional County Dublin, Ireland. It has a village-like centre and extensive residential areas to the south, west and northwest.-Name:...
- 1986: LimerickLimerickLimerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
- 1987: GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
- 1988: GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
- 1990: GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
- 1989: GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
- 1994: Dublin
- 1995: GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
- 1996: Dublin
- 1997: GalwayGalwayGalway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
- 1998: EnnisEnnisEnnis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
- 1999: EnnisEnnisEnnis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
- 2000: BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
- 2001: World Championships cancelled due to outbreak of Foot-and-mouth disease
- 2002: GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
- 2003: KillarneyKillarneyKillarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
- 2004: BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
- 2005: EnnisEnnisEnnis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
- 2006: BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
- 2007: GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
- 2008: BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
- 2009: Philadelphia
- 2010: GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
- 2011: Dublin
- 2012: BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
- 2013: BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
- 2014: LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
- 2015: MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
- 2016: GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
See also
- Sean-nós danceSean-nós danceSean-nós dance is an older style of traditional solo Irish dance. It is a casual dance form Irish Stepdancing....
- Sean-nós dance in AmericaSean-nós dance in AmericaSean-nós dance in America has its roots in Irish culture, but may be practiced differently from how it is danced in Ireland. When Irish people emigrated to America in great numbers during the early American Colonial period, or when escaping troubles in Ireland, they brought their dance culture with...
- Irish DanceIrish danceIrish dancing or Irish dance is a group of traditional dance forms originating in Ireland which can broadly be divided into social dance and performance dances. Irish social dances can be divided further into céilí and set dancing...
- The Keltic DreamsThe Keltic DreamsThe Keltic Dreams are an Irish dancing troupe based in PS 59 in the Bronx, New York City. They are led by Dublin-raised Caroline Duggan, who moved to New York after graduating from Trinity College, Dublin to become a music teacher. The troupe consists of boys and girls ages between 7-11 in...
- Step danceStep danceStep dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance. Body and arm movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.Step dance is one end of a spectrum of dance styles...