Irish Step Dancing

1
Irish Step Dancing

• Step dancing is distinctively Irish, combining
  artistry, grace, and physical ability. It has
  followed the Irish and Irish missionaries
  wherever they traveled including North America,
  Australia, New Zealand, Brittany, France,
  Singapore, and Africa.
• Eight measures or bars of music are called a
  step, hence the term step dancing.
• History records a variety of dances done by
  Irish in the mid 1500s. These include
• Rinnce Fada or Fading where two lines with
  partners face each other
• Irish Hey (round or figure dancing)
• Jigs (likely done in groups with hands on hips)
• Trenchmores (described as big free form country
  dance)
• Sword dances. It is thought that the African
  beat and flamenco tapping sounds influenced Irish
  dancing.

2

• During the 20th century, Irish dance has
  evolved in terms of location, costumes, and dance
  technique. During the period of the dance
  masters, stages were smaller including table
  tops, half doors, and sometimes the stage as
  simply a cross road. Many times the Irish danced
  for enjoyment in small crowded pubs and the foot
  movement had to stay quick and under the body
  with little room to travel. The arms had to stay
  tight to the sides.
• Early descriptions of dancers sometimes note
  they were barefoot. Soft shoes were introduced
  around 1924 for girls dancing reels, jigs, and
  slip jigs. For awhile boys also wore soft shoes.
• Dancers have adapted fiberglass toe tips and
  hollow heels. This allows clicks to become
  louder. Some studios use tap shoes because of
  the cost, and so these dancers are called Irish
  tap dancers.
• There are four types of Irish dancing
• Jig
• Reel
• Hornpipe
• Set dances.
• Tunes are lively and quick and reflect the joy
  and passion the Irish have for life.

The majority of the information is from an
article written by Don Haurin and Ann Richens
(Richens Academy of Irish Dancing in Ohio).