Modern Irish Dancing
...popular over the recent hundred years, again it is a hard danced dance with emphasis on rhythm. · The Reel – this the most popular in today’s Irish dancing circles. “Riverdance” employs this style into their routine regularly but it is never really danced at competitions. This may be due to the very fast footwork needed from the rhythmic beats. · Solo set dances – again performed in heavy hard shoes, this rhythm has two parts, which is referred to the dancer as a step. The footwork and rhythm of the dance are expected to interpret the tune. Irish Dancing today There is a great demand for solo Irish dancers to perform at all types of events and also the willingness to pay dancers for their services. Solo dancing is centered around the world of competition, but to reach these high levels takes ample amounts of time and dedication and it is said that the very top Irish dancers are considered to be excellent athletes. Celi dancers are exactly the same throughout the Irish dance world, which means celi dancers worldwide can dance with each other without any problem. Children, youth and adults can dance these types of celi dances. Social group set dances, which re purely social dances, have developed and become popular in Ireland in the last twenty years. They are danced more by mature older people, with usually no one having previous knowledge of dancing. People can come to learn this type of dancing, which is meant to easily, understood and where people can come and meet on a social level and enjoy themselves, which I would totally, recommend for anyone trying to learn how to pick up an excellent dance. I have also found some of the benefits that help the dancer in today’s world: - · Self esteem – increasing poise, personality and confidence · Increased mental skills – listening, following instructions, increasing attention span and memo rising steps · Physical skills – developing body control and co-ordination · Friendship – developing friendships with classmates, fellow performers and competitors while taking part in competitions and social events at home and abroad · Hobby – a very healthy leisure time activity to occupy dancers in their teens and later years. Irish Dancing Costumes There has never really been a set type of attire that people have had to abide by but, through the years people have just tried to stay with what the last generation had but instead they have tried to brighten it up a bit. Male costumes: · Kilt – before kilts were introduced into Ireland people wore knee breeches. But at the start of the 20th century the kilt was accepted by the Gaelic league and become a basic necessity. For a period of over 70 years it was, as everybody believed, compulsory for males to wear a kilt in Irish dancing competitors – not to wear one was unknown because if you didn’t, you had no hope of winning. Then along came “Riverdance” in April 1994 with its costumes of black trousers, immediately after, this became an accepted costume for competitors. Because of the over whelming support through out the world of “Riverdance” and also because most male Irish dancers wanted to move with this fashion, the organization responsible for making and implementing the rules of Irish dancing for almost 70 years announced that there never really was a rule that men must wear kilts. · Aran Sweaters – the hand kitted aran sweaters were much to warm to dancing in and were best suited for their original purpose, which was to keep the men warm. So again another influence from the Riverdance was that men could no wear a shirt and that was it. Men jumped at the chance to get away from heavy, uncomfortable costumes. Costumes today: -the male dancers since 1920’s have been wearing a jacket, which could have been used in everyday dress. Today most dancers wear a very smart outfit with matching comfort to be used instead of heavy, frilly hard costumes. All of this development can be owed to one major influence and this was the riverdance, and all has welcomed it. Female Costumes: Following the Gaelic revival in the beginning of the 1930’s, woman started wearing special types of costumes and adding special accessories. In the 1940’s there was an introduction of what was to become the recognized dancing costume for a woman which was: a pleated dress, with a coatee over this and a shawl draped over and caught on the other side of the hip. I will now explain the modern day dresses: - · Crochet collars and cuffs – a beautiful development in the woman’s attire, it is of a lace like material and the color often matches the head band worn by ladies. · Stockings – in the 1980 older woman wore long black stockings and the younger girls wore white ankle socks. Now a days all girls wear white calf socks. · Colors and Embroidery – back in the 1950’s many girl wore dull dark colors as there was a more uniform system back then, but through the use of modern technology and cost effective dresses girls have opted for more and more colors and also the colors being chosen just aren’t reds and blues but more of a aluminous feel to them with bright yellows and pinks. Also they are making all the ...