National dance of Ireland. Irish dancing: history of origin, what it is. Irish dancing in Russia and the CIS

INTRODUCTION

Dance originated with the first people and has relentlessly followed humanity, helping to overcome fears, express one’s thoughts and share these thoughts with others.

The first dances were primarily ritual and, in modern terms, therapeutic in nature. And since the nature of dangers and lifestyle changed depending on the living conditions of a particular people, the dances of different groups differed significantly from each other.

With the development of the national characteristics of a particular people, with the formation of character and temperament, folk dances were formed. It is thanks to the differences between representatives of different ethnic groups, the characteristics of a particular nation that we can enjoy such different folk dances.

Folk dance is the history of a people, its identity, the personification of its soul.
Dances of the peoples of the world are a kind of journey not only around the planet, but also in time. But at the same time, it is an endless source of inspiration for choreographers and choreographers, and for the dancers themselves. Indeed, in every national dance we can find elements that allow us to enrich the dance composition.

Folk dances formed the basis of ballroom dancing, the basis of modern dances and even the basis of some martial arts.
The national dance of each country is beautiful in its own way, but some folk dances have occupied a special place. This applies to Latin American dances, the fiery rhythms of which are present in almost all modern club dances or Irish dances, which gather huge halls, and the famous Michael Flatley is one of the highest paid dancers in the world. So what is the phenomenal popularity of the shows Lord Of The Dance, Rhythm of the Dance, Riverdance? You can answer this question by going back several centuries and finding yourself in ancient Ireland.

MAIN PART
History of Irish dancing

The first mention of Irish dancing dates back to the 11th century. We are talking about traditional dance festivities called feis. But only in the 16th century did a detailed description of Irish dance appear.

All ancient Irish dances were characterized by a fast tempo and added steps. Irish dancing was heavily influenced by French and Scottish dancing. And perhaps the dance culture of Ireland repeated the sad fate of many national dances and over time they would become just a ghost of a bygone time. But the English metropolis helped preserve the original Irish dance.

The colonialists fought so hard against the manifestation of everything “folk” and in the middle of the 17th century England introduced “Punitive Laws” that prohibited teaching the Irish anything, including dancing. In addition, the Catholic Church recognized Irish dancing as demonic and imposed a strict ban on it. In fact, Irish dances are one of the few that have been officially banned. At one time, the waltz, Cuban mamba, and Argentine tango were condemned, but these dances were not officially banned. Although the bans added to their popularity. What can we say about Irish dancing, which immediately acquired a special appeal. More than one hundred and fifty years!!! Irish dancing was a coveted forbidden fruit, it was taught in secret, and the knowledge was passed on by traveling masters. Agree that it is quite logical that in such an atmosphere the popularity of dancing grew every day. After all, often what is prohibited becomes especially attractive.

At the end of the 18th century, the first dance schools began to appear. The masters who taught Irish dancing brought their own elements to the dance (jumps, hops, turns) and each school had its own style.
At the end of the 19th century, a process called the Gaelic Revival began. Its essence was the revival of traditional Irish culture and dancing was one of the most important areas of this process. To revive Irish dance culture, the Gaelic League created the Irish Dance Commission at the beginning of the 20th century, which was involved in the formalization and description of Irish dances. As a result, dances that had strong foreign roots, such as set dances, were ignored. The League adopted the southern (“Munster”) dance school as its basis.

Types and varieties of Irish dances
As mentioned above, the Irish Dance Commission strictly ensures that the dance is as close as possible to its historical roots. Accordingly, all types of Irish dances are performed to traditional Irish dance tunes. These are reels, jigs and hornpipes.

Irish Stepdance
A distinctive feature of Irish solo dancing is fast and clear movements of the legs while the body and arms remain motionless. Fixed hands are due, according to one version, to persecution of the church, which claimed that the movement of the dancers' hands was part of a satanic rite. There is a more prosaic version, according to which the dancers previously had too little space to perform (an improvised stage was created from an ordinary door). Irish solo dances were developed by Irish dance masters in the 18th and 19th centuries and were strictly standardized by the Irish Dance Commission. It is on this technique that the entertainment value of the Riverdance show is based.

Irish ceilí
These are both partner and group dances based on standard Irish solo dance steps. Kayley's are a selection of dances with different formations.

Circle: Dancers in pairs join hands to form a circle.
Line: dancers line up in two lines, girls opposite young people. There are different restrictions on the number of couples in different dances: any even number, no more than 5 couples, etc.
Set: Two to eight pairs equally spaced to form a triangle, square or polygon.
Street, or column: for a set of two couples, the next set is built back to back, the next one for them, and so on, depending on the number of people willing to dance and the free space. The street can also be built from threes of dancers (two partners with one partner) and fours (two couples next to each other).
The dance is characterized by complex formations within its set. In line and street dances, after the end of the plot, the partners find themselves in other places and start the dance again with other counter-partners. Dances in a set usually have a complex dance structure with an introduction, an ending, a “body” - the body of the dance that is repeated several times, and figures that are danced between the body and are not repeated.

Set Dancing - paired Irish social dances. Unlike ceili, they are based on the relatively simple steps of French quadrilles.

Shan-nos (sean-nós) is a special style of performing traditional Irish songs and dances, not affected by the activities of dance masters and the Gaelic League, preserved in the Connemara region.

Choreographed Figure Dances
These dances are based on the standard Irish solo dances and ceilidh figures. But this is, first of all, a spectacular type of dancing. There are many dancers involved here. Since this is, first of all, a show, when staging numbers, various deviations from the standards are allowed to increase entertainment. Most famous Irish dance shows are choreographed figure dances.

Each type of dance is performed to a traditional melody, which has its own time signature. The main types are jig, reel, chronpipe.

The jig is an old tune of Celtic origin. Depending on the musical size of the melody in which the dance is performed, there are light (double) jigs, slip jigs, single jigs and treble jigs. The usual time signature for these types of jigs is 6/8.

The slip jig stands out completely, performed in a special size 9/8 and exclusively in soft shoes. It is the slip jig that is used as the basis for the Riverdance show.

The jig single is currently performed as a light dance (without beats or sound) in 6/8 and on rare occasions in 12/8.
The Double Jig can be danced both in light dance (in soft shoes) and in hard shoes with tapping rhythm. If danced in hard shoes, it is sometimes referred to as The Treble Jig, or The Heavy Jig, or The Double Jig, which are danced in 6/8.

The Heavy Jig is the only one that is danced exclusively in hard shoes, so that the dancer can especially emphasize the dance with sound and rhythm.

Rhyl originated in the second half of the 18th century in Scotland. The usual musical time signature is 4/4. Ril are danced in soft shoes (easy-ril) and hard ones (treble-ril). Men's "soft" reel is performed in special boots with heels, but without heels on the toes. Often part of shows, but rarely performed in traditional competitions.
The hornpipe originates from Elizabethan England, where it was performed as a stage performance. In Ireland it is danced quite differently and has been performed to 2/4 or 4/4 music with hard shoes since the mid-eighteenth century.

Clothes and shoes for Irish dancing
Irish dance shoes are divided into two types:
soft shoes
hard shoes.

Soft shoes (ghillies or pumps) are light leather slippers without heels and heels, with long laces. Slippers are usually the same for both feet. Typically black leather is used for these shoes, but you can also find a colored pair for show performances.

Men's soft shoes - leather shoes with soft soles and a small heel, allowing dancers to click even when dancing in soft shoes. Hard shoes are more specific: shoes, usually black, with a small heel with a heel on the toe, which causes the nose to rise and become slightly convex. For better fastening on the leg, in addition to the laces, they have a leather strap. Various plastics are used to produce heels and heels.
A woman's costume for Irish step dance is often represented by a short dress with a fairly wide skirt, since in this type of dance the main attention is paid to the movements of the legs, which in some dance steps need to be made in a fairly wide and fast movement. The dress is bright, often multi-colored, and decorated with Celtic patterns. The women's suit is also complemented by white knee socks, just below the knee.

A men's costume for Irish step dance consists of narrow pants and a shirt, often with wide sleeves.

Irish Dancing: The Rise
Irish dancing would have remained popular only on a national scale. But 1994 changed everything. It was in April of this year at the Eurovision music show, which took place in Ireland, that the world saw the dance show Riverdance, in which Irish dancing champions Jean Butler and Michael Flatley participated. The show shocked viewers so much that several more projects soon appeared. Among them, the shows that stand out are:

Lord of the Dance
Lord of the Dance (“Lord of the Dance”, also “Lord of the Dance”, “King of the Dance”) is an Irish dance show staged by choreographer Michael Flatley in 1996. The soundtrack was composed by Ronan Hardiman.
The story-based show, based on Celtic folk music and Irish folk dancing, has gained wide popularity. The troupe has toured Europe and the USA several times.

Feet of Flames
Feet of Flames is an Irish dance show choreographed by Michael Flatley. The music is composed by Ronan Hardiman. The Feet Of Flames show is a reworked, more modern version of Lord of the Dance. Although the plot of the show remained the same, the dance choreography changed, the musical compositions were rearranged, and the costumes and cast changed.

Celtic Tiger
Celtic Tiger is an Irish dance show directed by Michael Flatley, who also plays one of the main roles. Celtic Tiger combines Irish dancing with ballet, flamenco, hip-hop and salsa. The show's music was composed by Ronan Hardiman.

Dancing on Dangerous Ground d
Dancing on Dangerous Ground is an Irish dance show created by Jean Butler and Colin Dunn. It was presented in London at the Theater Royal Drury Lane in 1999. The show's American premiere took place in New York at Radio City Music Hall in 2000.

Riverdance
The dance show Riverdance was first presented at the Eurovision Song Contest 1994. This performance featured Irish dancing champions Jean Butler and Michael Flatley and the Celtic choir Anúna; the music was composed by composer Bill Whelan. Flatley himself was the choreographer of his part, Jean Butler choreographed the dances for herself and the rest of the troupe. Riverdance the Show. Riverdance was produced and directed by married couple John McColgan and Moya Doherty. Riverdance still performs around the world, albeit in a reduced format and in smaller venues.

Irish dance stars
Jean Butler is a professional Irish dancer. Born March 14 in Mineola, New York. She graduated from the University of Birmingham with an honors degree in Theater and Drama. Received the Irish Post Award for "outstanding achievement in Irish dancing" in April 1999. Jean's mother began teaching her Irish dancing when she was 4 years old. The famous teacher Donny Golden was invited. Jean also studied classical ballet and American step dance, but the main emphasis was on Irish step. Thanks to her talent, Jean won regional and national tournaments and took good places in world competitions. Jean performed with the bands Green Fields of America and Cherish the Ladies; when she was 17, she made her Carnegie Hall debut at a concert by The Chieftains. In 1994, at the invitation of producer Moya Docherty, Jean took part in a seven-minute break at the Eurovision Song Contest in a number called Riverdance.

Michael Flatley
Michael Ryan Flatley is an Irish-American dancer, choreographer, musician and producer, known for producing the dance shows Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames. Twice he became a Guinness Book record holder as the fastest tap dancer in the world (28 beats per second in 1989, 35 beats per second in 1998). Michael was born on July 16, 1958 in Detroit and grew up in Chicago, USA. He began dancing at the age of eleven, and at the age of seventeen he won the Irish National Dance Competition. At the same time, he successfully practiced boxing for some time. In 1975 he won the Chicago Golden Gloves championship. He also played the Irish transverse flute. Recorded a solo album. Since 1980, he was a member of an Irish folk group, where he played the flute. In 1978-79, he toured as a dancer with the group Green Fields of America. In 1994, Flatley became one of the main performers and choreographers of the dance show Riverdance. As an independent choreographer, Flatley founded Unicorn Entertainments Ltd and staged his own show, Lord of the Dance, in 1996.

CONCLUSION
As we can see, Irish dancing is a living example of the fact that folk dance can be extremely popular both among the people themselves and outside the borders of one country. Moreover, it is not necessary to radically change the style to suit modern trends. Irish dance, performed to traditional music, has not changed for centuries and at the same time lives in a rhythm with its people. Lively and dynamic, bright and imaginative Irish dance wins the hearts of not only spectators, but also professional dancers. And the proof of this is the large competitions and championships that will take place all over the world and their youngest participants are less than 8 years old.

Traditional Irish dances are a constant source of inspiration for dancers, choreographers, choreographers, and teachers. And what is especially interesting is that the choreography of Irish dance is simple and incredibly complex at the same time, and the picture of the dance fascinates and holds the viewer’s attention for two hours.

In contact with

The first information about Irish dancing dates back to. From this time we have the first evidence of Irish peasant dance parties called feis, (pronounced " F Esh"), however, a description of the dances themselves first appeared in the middle of the 16th century. and was quite lengthy and unclear. The Irish dances described included group dances, which were divided into "long" dances (dancers performed the movements while standing in long lines opposite each other), "round" dances (performed figures while standing in pairs in a circle), and sword dances. It is not entirely clear which of the dances described at that time were actually Irish, and which clearly appeared in Ireland under the influence of French and Scottish dances. In any case, these were rather the progenitors of modern set dances and keili dances. However, all ancient Irish dances were characterized by a fast tempo and added steps. Some dances were so popular that they crossed the sea and were adopted by the British. Thus, the often mentioned English country dance Trenchmore is the Irish Rince mor, that is, a “long dance” in a line.

Irish dances

During the course of English colonization, persecution of all manifestations of Irish culture intensified. Punitive laws that were introduced by the British in the middle of the 17th century. prohibited teaching anything to the Irish, including music and dancing. Therefore, for more than 150 years, Irish dancing was taught in secret. Dance culture existed in the form of secret classes held in villages by itinerant dance teachers (called dance masters) and in the form of large village parties where people danced in groups, often under the direction of the same masters. There is information that at rural parties for a long time there was a custom to place a smart boy dancer “on patrol” at a distance from the rest of the dancers. Seeing the enemy, the boy had to make as many conventional movements as he saw the soldiers on the road, and then the adults themselves assessed how dangerous this was for their activities. Dance masters also conducted classes in crowded pubs and simply in large kitchens, standing on a table or on the bottom of a large barrel.

The appearance of dance masters in the first third of the 18th century marked the beginning of the modern dance school. Usually dapper craftsmen, dressed in the latest fashion, went from village to village, stopping at one of the houses. Moreover, hosting a dance teacher was considered a great honor. The dance master was usually hired for a month. At the end of the third week he was paid for teaching dances, and at the end of the fourth week the accompanying musicians were paid. Therefore, many dance teachers tried to combine the professions of a dancer and a musician, first showing the movements and then accompanying their students on the harp or bagpipes, and later on the violin. Each teacher gathered students in a designated place and taught them simple “fashionable” dances from their repertoire. It was thanks to the dance masters that the known forms of jig and reel appeared. All movements were combined into dance elements, each one was designed for 8 bars of music and was called a “step” or “step”. Therefore, in relation to jigs and reels, which were originally taught by dance masters, and later also in relation to hornpipes, the term “step dancing” is used. It is important to understand that Irish “step dances” are initially associated with “steps” - elements of eight bars, and not with “tap dancing” - kicking in hard shoes, which we usually understand by the word “step”. Although, of course, such blows are included in the “steps” of modern dances in hard shoes in the form of movements.

Irish dances

At that time, mass dances were regularly tried to be banned not only by the English authorities, but also by Catholic priests who were banned, but enjoyed great authority. They considered the movements of arms and legs while dancing to be “slutty.” Therefore, in the original, old school of Irish dance, the dancers kept their hands motionless all the time. However, some researchers say that the requirement to fix the hands was introduced by the masters themselves, primarily not because of church prohibitions, but specifically to complicate the dance and increase self-control and attract the attention of the audience.

The best of the dance masters at the end of the 18th century. began to create the first dance schools, of which the most famous were schools in the South in counties Kerry, Cork and Limerick. There were famous schools in other cities. Each master could come up with his own movements (jumps, hops, turns). Different schools differed in the range of movements used in dancing.

Often, dance masters of the old school held competitions among themselves, and the winner was considered the one who could use more steps and jumps in the dance than his rivals, and not the one who, say, danced more artistically or performed the movements more cleanly. And the loser, along with his school, had to leave the city or village where the competition was held and make room for the winning master and his students. Thus, the first dance competitions between masters served not only to identify the best, but also to divide spheres of influence between schools.

At the beginning of the 19th century. Pie competitions have also become popular in Irish villages and small towns. A large pie was placed in the center of the dance floor and served as a prize for the best dancer, who eventually “took the pie.” The style of solo dancing that the dance masters brought was called Sean-nos or old school (manner). Solo dancing remained the domain of masters. The best students were trained during mass group dances, French quadrilles and cotillions reinterpreted in the Irish way, which made it possible to introduce many people to dancing, make new pairs, and identify the best. Over time, each of the students, who firmly memorized the sequence of movements in the dance, could become an instructor himself. A strictly defined sequence of steps performed served as the basis for group set dances and the ones that evolved from them during the creation of the Gaelic League of Cayley Dances, which developed from elements of step dances and French quadrilles.

Types of dances

Jig

It is also mentioned in materials on the ancient history of Ireland (two jigs - “The Kerry Dance” and “The Kesh Jig”). There are several variations of the jig: single (or soft), double (eng. double jig), triple (eng. treble jig) and sliding jig (eng. slip jig). The musical size of the jig is 6/8 (the emphasis in the rhythm is on: one-two-three four-five-six). The size of the sliding jig is 9/8 (one-two-three four-five-six seven-eight-nine). Single or single jig - dance in soft shoes (soft shoes, ghillies, irish dancing pumps). Triple or treble jig - dance in hard boots with heels (eng. hard shoe). A sliding or slip jig is danced in soft shoes. The dance includes many jumps, pirouettes, and swings. The sliding jig is danced mainly by women, but since the late 80s of the last century, a movement for the return of men to this dance has been gaining strength.

Reel

It originated around the time in Scotland, and the Irish dance masters gave it further development (two reels - “Kelsey’s Wee Reel” and “Miss MacLeod’s Reel”). Musical time signature is 4/4. Reel is a “running” dance in nature. Ryl is danced by both women and men. Women dance the ril in soft shoes, men - in special soft shoes with heels. reel shoes).

Hornpipe

Appeared about a year, from English miniatures (two hornpipes - “Ricketts" Hornpipe” and “The Ladies Hornpipe”). At first it was danced exclusively by men in boots with hard soles, but now it is performed by both men and women. They say that for the first time on equal terms the women of the Irish county of Cork began to dance it with men. The musical time signature of the hornpipe is 4/4, reminiscent of a slow reel with an emphasis on the first and third beats (one-e-e two-e-e three-e-e four-e-e).

Irish dancing in Russia and the CIS

• Moscow
• Saint Petersburg
  • School of Irish dance "Green Ribbon" (Peterhof)

• Minsk
• Kharkiv

see also

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See what “Irish dance” is in other dictionaries:

See what “Irish dance” is in other dictionaries:

Irish solo dancing (English: irish step dance) is a type of demonstration dance that originated in Ireland and developed from traditional Irish dances. Irish solo dance is developing in most countries with a large Irish diaspora... Wikipedia Irish ballet - IRISH BALLET (Irish Ballet Company), first prof. national troupe in Ireland. The creation of this team was the beginning of the development of prof. ballet lawsuit in Ireland. Troupe main in 1974 (receives a grant from the Council of Claims of the Irish Republic). First… …

Ballet. Encyclopedia

This term has other meanings, see tap dancing. Tap dancing is a type of dance, the characteristic feature of which is rhythmic percussive footwork. Another name for step (from the English step dance, from step “step”; in ... ... Wikipedia

Irish dancing is one of the most expressive and beautiful dances in the whole world. This outwardly emotional dance fascinates the audience with its colorfulness. In order to understand the nature of dance, its primal energy, passion, and charisma. It is necessary to make a short excursion into the history of the ancient world, it was there that Irish folk dances got their start.

The founders, or rather the first inhabitants of the territories on which the Irish state was subsequently formed, were the Gauls, who sailed here on their ships. If we take the area of ​​settlement of the Gallic tribes, it is truly huge. There is historical evidence that the Gauls lived in Siberia, and carried out military service with the Egyptian pharaohs, were known to the Persians, and fought against the Greeks.

Therefore, it is not strange that the first colonizers of the future Ireland were the wild tribes of the Gauls. However, such warlike neighbors gave no rest to the empires, due to the predominance of the military element in the culture as the highest goal of a man’s life. Due to the fragmentation of the tribes, and the fact that the Gauls were unable to create a single conglomerate of tribes, they were almost all destroyed by larger empires or states. The Gauls began a general hunt; these tribes had to hide in deep forests and carry out their raids from there.

How did Irish dancing develop?

The era of this difficult period in the history of the Gauls left its mark on the formation of Irish culture, which became a direct heir to Gaulish customs. Therefore, it is not strange that the original Irish dance was more like a ritual of preparing warriors for battle than fun.

The warriors prepared for battle by dancing, trying to drown out the fear of possible death. Therefore, such energy, tuning and raising a hurricane of emotions in a person, accompanies Irish dancing. After Christianity came to Ireland, the clergy could not note that the culture of the Irish was much more warlike than that of other tribes that were part of the English kingdom. Therefore, the ban on dancing by the Church is logical, since the Catholic Church saw in them the spirit of paganism, which it constantly fought against.

The combination of all these factors makes Irish folk dancing unique. The immobility of the dancer's upper body encourages the viewer to concentrate all his attention exclusively on the dancers' legs. Strange and unusual, the dancer expresses all his feelings and emotions through the movement of his legs. This spectacle amazes everyone who witnesses this “mystery.” The dance fascinates the viewer with its rhythm and dynamics. Due to the fact that all attention is paid to the movement of the legs, special shoes are used in the dance, which are equipped with special heels to make the sounds that accompany the dance even more expressive. This dance takes the viewer to an era when Roman legionaries marched victoriously along the roads, and the Gauls had to hide in the forests.

National costume for Irish dancing

In this regard, the Irish are not particularly conservative, and this is justified, for the reason that archaism is not appropriate here, the dance should be lively, energetic, beautiful, and not dull and boring.

There are a huge number of costumes on the market that are used in dancing.

Irish dance costumes are quite specific; the girls' skirts are always short and wide, painted with ethnic British patterns.

Also, Irish dance requires specific shoes; girls use hard or soft shoes, and the former are more popular due to the price-quality ratio.

Men's dance clothing consists of tight trousers, a vest, and a shirt with wide sleeves. Of course, the clothing should have an element of green, which is the national color of Ireland.

In Irish dance, great importance is attached to the dancer's legs, due to the fact that in the national dance of this country, hand movements are completely absent.

Of course, everything you need can be purchased at any store, but only authentic Irish things can create a feeling of being in Ireland. However, only authentic Irish dancewear can make the dance unique. Therefore, you should not buy an untested product of questionable quality. Don’t deprive yourself of the holiday and good mood, order real Irish clothes right now. And let the purchased goods bring not only a festive mood, but also unforgettable impressions and experiences that will be remembered as the best moments of life.

Ireland has always been famous for its unsurpassed dance culture, but recently interest from the world community has increased even more thanks to spectacular shows that use Irish dance in a modern interpretation.

History of the creation of dance art

This culture has gone through its thousand-year history and, according to many researchers, originated from the times of the Celtic peoples, who founded their state on the territory of modern Ireland.

The most ancient image that is somewhat reminiscent of Irish dance is the Celtic Sean-Nos performed by the Gauls who lived on these islands in the distant past.

The first mention of dances similar to today's modern dances dates back to approximately the eleventh century.

A little later, under the influence of the Norman conquerors, a completely different performance culture began to emerge - a group of people dancing in a circle. And in palaces and balls, Irish dance began to gain popularity already in the sixteenth century.

A little later, about two centuries later, the first teachers of dance art appeared, thanks to whom many types and varieties of the current modern variations arose. But at the same time, terrible oppression of this culture began, so the performance of the dances was kept in strict confidence. The church considered the art of dance to be obscene. Many historians agree that Irish dance acquired the characteristic motionless position of the hands on the belt precisely after Christian priests declared that dancing in this way was indecent and inappropriate, reminiscent of sacrilege or an invisible connection with a demon.

Modern look

Already in the nineteenth century, various competitions in which the prize could be a large pie began to gain popularity in small villages and towns. The modern period in dance art begins at the end of the same century. The Gaelic League was created, which set itself the goal of preserving Irish musical culture, which had been oppressed over the last century and a half, at all costs.

Dance rules were established in 1929 by the then Irish Commission, which were in effect at various competitions. As a result, the technique has changed significantly - it is used to perform modern Irish dances to this day. In the 1930s, women began to take part in productions more often and were given the opportunity to teach in educational institutions where they taught the art of dance.

Solo performances

Irish dances have many varieties and types. An amazing pattern of movements can be seen performed by solo dancers. They represent the true embodiment of a certain grace and lightness, but at the same time energy and rhythm. Both soft and hard shoes are suitable for solo. It can look like lace-up ballet shoes or boots with heels, depending on who it is intended for (men's and women's).

How to dance Irish dance, many dancers participating in competitions learn from childhood to a variety of national melodies (reels, jigs, hornpipes), which they use for solo performances. They all have their differences, but the common features are arms pressed to the sides and beautiful posture with a motionless torso. This is done in order to pay as much attention as possible to the complexity and clarity with which the dancers’ legs move.

Sets

It is worth highlighting traditional sets as a separate category of solo Irish dances. They are performed in hard shoes and represent a standard set of movements. As the Irish dance set is called, so is the name of the melody to which it is danced.

There is also an unconventional form of this style, performed to a slow tune by dancers of the open level. The set of movements may depend on the imagination of the teacher or the wishes of the performer.

Group dancing

This variety is distinguished by the fact that the dancers stand opposite each other, thereby forming a square, basically these are the famous quadrilles. They are not native Irish, so their movements can be found in various European styles. The differences between the dances are in the number of figures, which can vary from three to six.

In the 80s, this type became widely known to the public and was taught in many dance schools. Today, social group dances are performed at a very high speed and in a wild manner.

Kaylee

This word literally means “a fun holiday with music and dancing.” At the beginning of the twentieth century, a new style of group performances also began to be called by this term, which has survived to this day.

Keighley is usually danced in soft shoes and, unlike the solo types, the dancers use hand movements. The main thing in its implementation is the complete interaction of all partners.

Basically, this type of dance is performed to jigs and reels. They include a different number of dancers: from four to sixteen. Variations can be very different, but often these are two or four pairs of people standing opposite each other. All types of keili can be divided into linear (progressive) or curly. The first ones mean that all the dancers stand in the form of one large and long line. When they dance the entire full cycle, they move one position, and accordingly they perform the next stage of the dance with a new partner.

The second type of caylie is most often found at competitions or representative events. Various choreographic performances have led to the fact that this category of dances began to resemble real spectacular shows that won the hearts of many spectators.

Nowadays, people of different ages can dance ceilidhs at various parties. And it doesn’t matter in what manner and at what level they are performed - an amazing feeling from freedom of movement and a perky rhythm will always arise in anyone dancing this dance.

It is believed that Irish dances are in no way inferior to oriental dances in their passion, they are simply performed in a more intelligent and secretive manner.

It turns out that Irish step occupies one of the main steps among many dance and production shows.

The tunes to which Irish modern sets and square dances, as well as other forms of this art, are danced, are played mainly on bagpipes, violin and accordion, and the result is a rather catchy and playful melody.

The Irish themselves say that the best dances are Irish dances, which symbolize the strong spirit and unyielding will of this people.

All types of Irish dances are performed exclusively to traditional Irish dance tunes: reels, jigs and hornpipes.

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✪ Irish dancing. Why do the Irish dance like that?

Subtitles

Varieties of Irish dances depending on the melody and musical size

Jig

Hornpipe

Researchers are confident that the hornpipe originated from Elizabethan England, where it was performed as a stage performance. In Ireland it is danced quite differently and has been performed to 2/4 or 4/4 music since the mid-eighteenth century. Performed in hard shoes.

Story

The first information about Irish dances dates back to the 11th century. From this time there is the first evidence of dance festivities of Irish peasants, which are called feis, (pronounced " F Esh"), however, descriptions of the dances themselves first appeared in the middle of the 16th century. and were quite lengthy and unclear. It is not entirely clear which of the dances described at that time were actually Irish, and which appeared in Ireland under the influence of French and Scottish dances. However, all ancient Irish dances were characterized by a fast tempo and added steps.

During the period of English colonization of Ireland, the metropolis continuously persecuted all manifestations of Irish culture. “Punitive laws”, which were introduced by the British in the middle of the 17th century. prohibited teaching anything to the Irish, including music and dancing. Therefore, for more than 150 years, Irish dancing was taught in secret. Dance culture existed in the form of secret classes held in villages by itinerant dance teachers (called “dance masters”) and in the form of large village parties where people danced in groups, often under the direction of the same masters.

Some of the dance masters at the end of the 18th century. began to create the first dance schools, of which the most famous were schools in the South (in the province of Munster) in the counties of Kerry, Cork and Limerick. There were famous schools in other cities. Each master could come up with his own movements (jumps, hops, turns). Different schools differed in the range of movements used in dancing.

At the beginning of the 20th century, in the process of the “Gaelic Revival,” a special division of the Gaelic League (later separated into a separate organization, the Irish Dancing Commission) began researching and standardizing traditional Irish dances with the aim of further popularizing them among the Irish population (the League deliberately ignored dances that foreign roots were very noticeable - for example, set dances, which were quite popular in Ireland, were ignored). The League adopted the southern (“Munster”) dance tradition as the basis, as the most clearly expressed in technical terms. During the League's activities, the following were standardized:

• solo Irish dances (both performed to traditional tunes and special dance sets)
• group ceilidh dances.

From then to this day there has been a huge system of dance schools throughout the world teaching these standardized ("modern") Irish dances, as well as a system