Irish dancing is one of the most beautiful yet difficult dance forms to master. Popularized in recent years by shows such as 'Riverdance' and 'Lord of the Dance', Irish dance is characterized by the stiff upper body. Why? There are many explanations for this. Irish dancing originated several hundred years ago (while Ireland was under British rule), and during this time the Irish were forbidden to speak their own language, dance, play and sing traditional Irish folk songs, etc. So people decided to keep their arms by their sides while dancing indoors so if a British guard happened to look into a window it would appear as though the person was just walking around. This reason is also credited to the invention of Uillean pipes which are essentially the Irish version of Scottish bagpipes. Unlike bagpipes which are held up, Uillean pipes are played across the lap, hence unable to be seen through a window. However, this reason for keeping the arms by the side doesn't sound like a tradition the people would want to cherish and preserve. Another probable reason is that the Catholic church considered arm movements vulgar, while others speculate that it was difficult for people to dance in pubs without knocking over someone's pint so they decided to keep their arms down. However, the most widely agreed upon theory is that the dance masters of the 18th century told their students to keep their arms still so they could focus on the intricate footwork, so over the years the arm movements were eventually taken out.Another key characteristic of Irish dance is the two 'kinds' of dancing within it - softshoe and hardshoe. Many compare softshoe dancing to ballet while hardshoe dancing is commonly viewed as a predecessor to tap dance. For some more in-depth information on the history and development of Irish dance, please take a look at the following links.
Up until some 10 years ago, Irish dancing was danced in Ireland, the UK, Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand. But with the arrival of shows such as 'Riverdance' and 'Lord Of The Dance', Irish dance schools have sprung up in unlikely countries such as South Africa, Germany, Russia and the Netherlands. Interested in taking some Irish dance lessons on your own? Click here for Anne's directory of Irish dance schools for a school close to you!
~Brief Timeline of Irish Dance~
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