Transcript Irish Step Dancing - Hobbs High School

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 1500’s. 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.
• 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).