Irish dance by EK - 07TG 861488 Sir William Gage MS

Irish dancing

861488_1 — 2025-04-04 12:55:37 UTC

Irish Apparel

861488_1 — 2025-04-04 12:57:57 UTC

The female Irish dancers wear skirts and a shirt or a traditional dress with a full skirt. Male dancers can wear kilts & t-shirt or slacks, a vest & tie. Dancers also wear tights or poodle socks, and a traditional cape. Irish dancers also wear shoes called soft shoes (gillies), hard shoes (treble shoes). The dancers also wear bold makeup with a combination of neutral and bold colors for the eyes and a strong pink or red for lips.

Instruments used in Irish dancing

861488_1 — 2025-04-04 13:08:27 UTC

In traditional Irish dancing the instruments used are the fiddle, tin whistle, flute, Uilleann pipes, accordion, concertina, and bodhrán. The fiddle usually carries the melody and sets the rythme.

When did Irish dancing start? (1413)

861488_1 — 2025-04-04 13:34:43 UTC

Irish dance originated with the Celts and their cultural traditions. Ritual dances were often part of religious celebrations, and they usually told a story or symbolic expression. Others say the true origins of Irish dancing are unknown but the first documented evidence of dancing by Irish people dates back to 1413, with a meeting between the Mayor of Waterford and the Mayor of Baltimore.

Irish Makeup

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Irish Dancing Video

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Irish dance group Riverdance

861488_1 — 2025-04-04 13:58:38 UTC

Expression in Irish dance

861488_1 — 2025-04-04 14:01:41 UTC

Irish dance is a vibrant expression of Irish heritage and showcases a blend of joyful celebration, cultural pride, and a connection to tradition and community through intricate footwork and energetic rhythms.

Why is Irish dance important to the people that perform it?

861488_1 — 2025-04-08 00:28:16 UTC

Irish dance is important to Irish dancers because the dance shows a strong connection to their heritage. The Irish dance is also a source or pride and identity to the dancers and it also preserve's their Irish tradition.

Is Irish dance associated with a particular holiday, religious practice, or celebration?

861488_1 — 2025-04-08 00:50:31 UTC

Irish dance is not connected to a particular holiday but is preformed on St. Patrick's Day. The dance is a key part of St. Patrick's Day with dancers dancing all over Ireland and around the world. The dance is also performed at many Irish events, festivals and social gatherings as it is a big part of Irish culture. It is lastly mainly performed on International Irish Dance Day celebrated on September 17th and is also known to be halfway through St. Patrick's Day. On this day the Irish participate in something called the "Great Global Step About" where the Irish make videos or pictures of themselves dancing, and hosting performances or themed parties showcasing the dance beautifully.

What type of music is used to perform Irish dance?

861488_1 — 2025-04-08 01:02:05 UTC

When the Irish dance is being performed it is performed with traditional Irish music which includes reels, jigs, slip jigs, and hornpipes. Each having distinct time signatures and tempos that dictate the steps performed.

The spread of Irish dance

861488_1 — 2025-04-11 13:36:43 UTC

In 1598 saw dance reels beginning to be published in a work entitled News from Scotland. The reel which is thought to be originally from Scottland was said to be named after the Swedish ragla, which means to stagger, incline or move while walking, first to one side and then the other.

Irish dance 1413-1691

861488_1 — 2025-04-27 17:31:19 UTC

One of the earliest records of Irish dance talks about singing and dancing called “carolling.” It came from Europe and was brought to Ireland by the Normans in the 1100s.
Reels started to appear in writing. These fast dances, mostly from Scotland, became popular in Ireland too. The word might come from a Swedish word meaning “to sway.”
The Irish Jig became well known and is believed to have started from a marching tune. Queen Elizabeth I was even said to be a fan of it.
Dances like the hay, rinnce fada (“long dance”), and rinnce mór were common. People danced rinnce fada to welcome King James II, so it must have been around for a while already.

A writer from England said that Irish people loved dancing so much they’d gather at the village green and dance all day on Sundays and holidays.

Irish dance 1700-1929

861488_1 — 2025-04-27 17:34:45 UTC

The hornpipe, a dance from England, made its way into Irish dance. Around this time, traveling “Dance Masters” went around Ireland teaching dances to people of all ages. They mixed Irish steps with some French styles, which helped shape the dances we know today.
The Gaelic League was created to bring back Irish culture and language. They wanted to remove English influence, so they banned some popular dances that weren’t fully Irish.
The first public Ceílí (a social dance event) was held in London. People danced Irish sets and waltzes to Irish music.
A group called the Gaelic Dancing League tried to bring back old dances. When they couldn’t, they made up new ones like The Walls of Limerick and The Siege of Ennis.

Irish dance 1935-1990

861488_1 — 2025-04-27 17:36:36 UTC

A new law said all public dances needed a license, so people couldn’t have big house dances anymore. Still, traditional set dancing stayed alive in places like Clare, Cork, and Kerry.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was formed to promote Irish music and dance. This led to a huge comeback for Irish dancing, with Ceílís becoming popular all over the country.
Dance teams began performing and competing, showing off their local styles. This made more people proud of their dance traditions and inspired others to join in.
Irish set dancing became really popular again. People danced at schools, sports clubs, and halls all across Ireland. That energy and love for dance is still going strong today.