Irish dancing began during the time of the Druids. They performed dances in a circular style to worship the oak tree and the sun. Although there is no solid evidence, the type of dancing they performed still remains in the form of Irish dance that is today. Dance masters started to make their way around Ireland in the eighteenth century. They would go to people’s homes and teach them how to dance. They would dance on barn doors, and have kitchen ceilis (group dances) with their neighbors. Each dance master had their own territory and did not cross into another master’s territory.

Today there are two organizations that have rulings over Irish dance. The oldest organization is An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha founded in 1920 in Ireland. The other organization that exists is called An Comhdhail. Later on in Irish dancing Moira Doherty wanted to create a number for the Eurovision Song Contest. She invited the world’s first American Irish Dance World Champion, Michael Flatley and Jean Butler to create a piece called Riverdance. This started the boom of Irish dancing all over the world.

History of Irish Dance

There are two organizations that have rulings over Irish dance. The oldest organization is An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha in 1920 in Ireland. It now operates out of Dublin Ireland. Each dancer who wishes to teach under this organization must undergo several tests that include reading music, teaching personalized steps and ceilis. A teacher then gains a TCRG which qualifies them to teach anywhere in the world. In order to become a judge the teacher must take a test for their ADCRG which qualifies them to teach anywhere in the world under An Coimisiun le Rince Gaelacha.

Images courtesy of irishdancingorg.com and clrg.ie

The other organization that exists is called An Comhdhail. An interview with Brendan McKenna, Chairperson of An Comhdhail, he describes the difference between the two organizations as, “a ‘teachers’ organisation’, in the sense that it is run exclusively by teachers. All teachers have a voice within An Comhdhail and help shape its future.”(Antonio Pacelli)This states that this organization is much more relaxed and as many people have said, “It has been said to me that the structure of An Comhdhail is very democratic.” (Antonio Pacelli).

An Coimisun vs An Comhdhail

Riverdance premiered at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest as

an interval act. The performance was so memorable that people

wanted to see more. Jean Butler and Michael Flatley

choreographed most of the show with help from Jean Butler and

Moira Doherty. The show ran for five weeks in Dublin and was

sold out every night. Michael Flatley left the show to pursue his

own show due to artistic differences. He created Lord of the

Dance which caused a huge stir in the Irish dance community

because it was so untraditional. There was a separation in

people between Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. Lord of the

Dance went on to sell out venues world wide and gaining a

celebrity following such as Donald Trump, Michael Jackson,

Bill Clinton to name a few. These two shows influenced people

to start Irish dancing no matter what their race or age and

started the boom of Irish dance.

Images courtesy of riverdance.com and lordofthedance.com

Riverdance vs Lord of the Dance

Soft Shoe: Reel and Slip Jig

For a beginner, one would learn soft shoe dances, the reel, light jig and slip jig. These soft shoe dances involve more grace and flexibility. The following are examples of time signatures one would perform these dances:Reel : 4/4 timing. The most enthusiastic of the dancesSlip Jig: 9/8. Requires the most endurance of all the dances

Image Courtesty of tirnanogacademy.com

As the dancer advances, they move on to the hard shoe steps called the hornpipe and treble jig. The hard shoe dances involve rhythm while the soft shoe dances involve more grace and flexibility. Each dance is performed to different timings:

1.Treble Jig: 6/8 More fast paced of hard shoe steps

2.Hornpipe: 2/4 Slower and more exact of hard shoe steps

Image Courtesty of celtic-dance.ch

Hard Shoe: Treble Jig and Hornpipe

10

10

16

16

1996 1997 2004 2006

The Boom of Irish DancingResults based on enrollment at World Championships over the years. Statistics from clrg.ie

Are the Irish Really Better?

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

AmericanIrishBritish

Data based on consecutive World Championships from the three largest regions

BibliographyAn Comhdhail irishdancingorg.com

An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha clrg.ie

Ireland’s Eye irelandseye.com/dance.html

Dunedin High School dhsshb.com/images/Riverdance-Logo.gif

Lord of the Dance lordofthedance.com

Riverdance riverdance.com

Dafont http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=403

Belfast City http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/news/photoquality/2006UlsterIrishDancingChampionships3.jpg

Garden Vision gardenvision.net/funpics/riverdance.jpg

Tir na Nog Academy of Irish Dance tirnanogacademy.com/

Aleksandar Zec http://lh5.ggpht.com/_VdTUYWvlYok/SD6w-YsRozI/AAAAAAAALPU/u10BMgw6CCw/Lord+of+the+dance++dvorana+Beogradske+Arene+Beograd++28+maj+2008+photo+by+Aleksandar+Zec++-+005.jpg