Famous Irish dances. Irish dances

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 extended 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 Dancing 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 the 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 begin 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 staged 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 won the Irish National Dance Competition at the age of seventeen. 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 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

Irish dance - a whole group of traditional dance forms that originated in Ireland - is divided into everyday (public, social) dances and concert dances (theatrical dances or staged dances, as they are commonly called in the UK). Public or everyday Irish dances - ceili and set dances. Staged dances are traditionally called solo dances.

History of Irish dance

The earliest evidence of Irish dancing dates back to a time of constant movement of various peoples through migration and invasion of Irish territory. Each of the peoples brought with them their preferred types of dance and music. There is very little evidence of the development of Irish dance in the earliest history, but there is evidence that the Druids practiced "circle" dances to perform religious rites dedicated to the Sun and the Oak, signs of which are clear today.

When the Celts filled the Irish lands, arriving from Central Europe, they of course had their own forms of folk dance. After the introduction of Christianity, monks illustrated consecrated manuscripts with pagan Celtic symbols, and peasants preferred to preserve the pagan spirit in music and dance. The Anglo-Norman conquests in the twelfth century correspondingly influenced the customs and culture of Ireland. Carol's music, popular among the Normans, took the following form: a soloist performed a song surrounded by dancers who echoed him in the same song. In the sixteenth century, written sources attest to three main Irish dances:

Irish "Hey" (dancers spin around partners)

Rinnce Fada (long dance)

Trenchmore (ancient peasant dance)

One of the letters from the English representative in Ireland, Sir Henry Sidney, to Elizabeth I in 1569 contains references to girls performing Irish jigs in Galway. He wrote that they were very beautiful, superbly dressed and danced first-class. In the mid-sixteenth century, dancers were invited to the large halls of newly built castles. Some dances were adapted by the English colonialists for performance in Elizabeth's royal halls, such as "Trenchmore" and "Hey". When the royalists sailed by ship to the shores of Ireland, they were met by girls performing Irish folk dance, and King George III was met by three couples in Kinsale (County Cork) in 1780. They stood in a row and held a white scarf. As soon as the music started, they moved out and formed separate pairs. At first, the couples danced with a scarf at a slow pace, then the pace increased and the dance became more energetic.

Irish dancing was accompanied by music played on bagpipes and harp. In the households of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, masters often teamed up with servants to perform certain dances. They danced even in the morning after waking up or during funeral processions, following in a circle to the sad sounds of bagpipes. In the eighteenth century, dance teachers appeared in Ireland. Mainly, these were traveling people, they moved from village to village and taught the local residents basic dance steps. The teachers were colorful characters, dressed in colorful clothes, and often had assistants. Many students could not, due to illiteracy, determine where their left or right foot was. To do this, the dance teacher tied straw to one leg and hay to the other leg and taught: “raise the leg with the hay” or “raise the leg with the straw.” Mostly, each teacher had his own area, and he did not encroach on other people’s “dance” domains. The level of performance of the most gifted students was very high, and solo dancers were held in high esteem. Often the doors were taken off their hinges, laid on the ground, and a dancer performed a dance on them. At fairs, open dance competitions were held, in which the competition continued until one of the dancers fell from fatigue. Several versions of these dances are still performed in different areas of Ireland. The rich heritage in the form of dance forms is carefully preserved and today Irish jig, reel, hornpipe, sets, polkas, and step dances are known throughout the world. Solo dancing and step dancing appeared at the end of the eighteenth century.

Irish dance costumes

The costumes of dancers today are just a reminder of ancient dance costumes. Men in the past usually wore a high-buttoned waistcoat, tie, breeches, stockings and shoes. Ladies wore colored homespun ankle-length skirts and black bodices.
Each school today is distinguished by its original costumes. Most of the dresses are decorated with embroidery in the Celtic style, copies of the famous Tara brooch, which pins the cape thrown over the shoulder onto the back.
Men's clothing is less decorated, but it has a rich history. Often this is a plain-colored kilt, a jacket with a complexly draped cloak on the shoulder. Footwear – for both men and women – heavy, hard boots with heels for hornpipe, jig, for reel – soft “ballet” shoes.

Irish dancing today

Nowadays, Irish Dance is a cultural symbol of the country and it is clear that there are many dance organizations in Ireland that encourage the practice of dance. Adults and children participate in separate competitions called “feis” (feis, which was once the name for rural dance parties) for valuable prizes. There are solo performances and group competition performances, in which dancers are identified by age groups, from six years to seventeen years, and senior groups. Qualifying competitions are held in all four provinces of Ireland, with the winners then competing in the All-Ireland Championships. The World Irish Dancing Championships take place in Dublin at Easter, and representatives from England, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand compete for the title of world champion.

Kaylee

The history of the Irish "ceighley" begins with neighbors gathering for a pleasant time, with music, dancing and friendly conversations. Dance evenings were usually held on summer Sunday evenings, when young people gathered at crossroads. The music was performed by a violinist sitting on a three-legged stool with his hat upside down to collect donations. The violinist usually started with music for the reel, but had to repeat the melody several times before the young people began to dance. But after a while the area filled up, and then the dancer could not stop.

There are still many opportunities to enjoy Irish dancing in Ireland today. Informal dance evenings, “keily” sessions, when beginners are shown their first steps, take place in large cities during the summer season, in which both the older generation and young people take part with equal pleasure. Thanks to the professional dance show Riverdance, the amazing Michael Ryan Flatley and his stunning shows “Lord of the Dance” and “Dance Feet of Flames”, today Irish dance is not only known all over the world. Students continue to come to dance schools to achieve the same recognition in the future as Jean Butler, Colin Dunne or Michael Flatley.

Ar Rinci Foirne ("group dances") is a book describing the dances of the ceili. It was first published in the form of 10 described schemes in 1939. By 1943, a second book with ten more diagrams was published, and in 1960 the last part was published. Then the parts were combined, and still exist in the form of one book with 30 ceilidh schemes described.

Adisiardji (A.D.C.R.G. - Ard Diploma Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha) - certificate of Irish dance judge.

Beginners level - the initial basic level of proficiency in Irish dance techniques.

Grade Exams - an exam for dancers, including theoretical and practical questions on Irish solo and group dancing. According to WIDA, it consists of 11 parts. After passing all parts, the dancer receives two teaching certificates - T.C.R.G. and T.M.R.F.

Drama Dance – competition of show numbers/mini-performances, small stage small number at Irish dance competitions

Drilling (drill, drilling) is a type of training that consists of repeated repetition of an element, a combination of elements or entire steps in order to improve performance technique.

Intermediate level is the third level of development of an Irish dancer. Preparatory stage for the more complex Open level.

Lead a round is the first step of any dance. Traditionally it can be performed in a circle, but more often the direction is very different.

The Oireachtas or Open Championship is a major championship. There are qualifications called Nationals, of which there may be several and take place in different regions; major final ones, such as the European Championship and the World Championship, as well as the largest and most important - All Ireland, All Scotland, etc.

Open level is the highest level of Irish dance technique.

Open platform - the status of holding events when organizations allow dancers of any commissions, schools, teachers to participate in their competitions.

Premiership cup competition - for the title of winner in your age group. At WIDA competitions they perform reel and light jig or treble.

Preliminary (Pre-championship) – competitions at the Open level, for dancers who do not yet have the right to dance the Open Championship.

Primary level is the second basic level of Irish dance performance. Preparatory stage for the more complex Intermediate level. The dance movements are more complex and the music performed is slower.

Recall is the decisive round in the Irish dancing championship, eliminating 50 percent or more of the participants.

Syllabus - a set of dances that are required to be performed at a specific championship or feche, as well as the schedule of the fesh or championship.

Set – has several meanings:
Part of a traditional dance (trad set) – its second part
General short name for solo dance (traditional set, modern set)
General name for folk dance (Irish folk sets)
Type of formation in group dances (in the form of a set)

Step – has several meanings:
1. Meaning “pattern”, “linkage” is the general name of a part of the dance, for example, the first step or the first linkage.
2. In the meaning that defines the part of a set traditional dance in hard shoes, where the first part is called “step” and the second “set”.
3. In the actual meaning of “step” - from the general definition of the dance direction, where the rhythm is beaten with feet dressed in special shoes with heels.

Timing (T, timing) - as a requirement for performance, means that the dancer’s movement clearly matches the music. As a musical term, it means a certain time signature (jig, reel, hornpipe)

Tisiargi (T.C.R.G. - Teastas Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha) – certificate of teacher of solo Irish dances. The rules and regulations for the certificate were first introduced in 1943 by An Coimisiun. This is the first Irish Dance Teacher Certificate, later the Judge and Cayley Teacher Exam was structured.

Temeeref (T.M.R.F. - Teastas Muinteora Rince Foirne) – certificate of ceili dance teacher

Feis is a festival of various areas of Irish culture. Specifically in Irish dancing it means a regional competition. As a rule, the name of the event is associated with the city or the fesh is given its own unique name. For example, Moscow Open feis or Sweets of May Open feis.

Championship (Open Championship) – an Open level competition where the winner receives the title of Champion

Trophy (Trophy) competition for the cup. In competitions, An Coimisiun performs 16 bars of any solo dance, except the traditional set.

Sean Nos (sean-nos) is a native folk, solo traditional Irish style of dance (“sean-nos - old style”). This is a special type of Irish folk dance, characterized by simple movements and patterns.

Show - a large, long performance, a dance performance of many numbers, if we talk about a large stage, or a small stage number, if we talk about competitions (show competitions).

Out is an advanced level element in Irish dancing - a straight leg raised high. Can exist as a separate element or as a link to the others (see Jump out)

Entrechat (from the French “entrechat”) is an element for advanced dancers. It is based on an element of classical choreography, where in one jump the dancer makes two or more crossed movements with his legs in the air from front to back. In Irish dancing, one leg does most of the work.

Butterfly is a movement for advanced Irish dancers. When jumping upward with two legs, the feet make circular movements down inward and up to the side and then downward, similar to the flapping of wings.

Bicycle (bicycle) is a complex element of Irish dance. During the jump, the movement of the dancer's legs resembles the movement of the legs when riding a bicycle.

Brush – soft or step movement. It is a movement of an elongated foot from bottom to top in a “kat” - reminiscent of sweeping movements with a brush.

Boxing is a movement in Irish steppe when the heels and feet create an element that resembles a “box” in outline.

Body - a figure in Irish ceilidh, consisting in turn of several figures, which is repeated several times during the dance

Drum rolls are a step element consisting of three kicks: a step with the back foot, a kick with the front heel and a kick with the heel. At the same time, the front leg makes twisting movements.

Jump (jump) is the general name for movements when there is a jump. There are many varieties depending on the technique of execution: for example, “jump two three” (jump 2-3) - a simple basic jump, sometimes called a “reel jump”. When combined with other elements, it can have corresponding names: hop-jump, cut-jump, etc.

Jump over, leap - a high jump with hovering in the air, which is achieved by holding the front leg and sharply raising the back

Jump out - a high jump while hovering in the air with the rear leg moving forward to move out

Kat (cut, “cut”) is a basic element, usually performed with one leg bent to the side and up (the foot tends to the thigh, the knee looks down), while the supporting leg is straight. It can be double front, when the front leg does two repetitions of the element in one jump, and also double bilateral, when the skat is performed by both the front leg and the back supporting leg - both legs point in different directions.

Click – step element. A common name for when a kick is made with heels, where one foot hits the other. The sound resembles a click. There are a lot of varieties.
Simple clicks (click 2-3) – simple elementary clicks
Through clicks – clicks with promotion
Click-out - strikes occur during straight leg movements, where the striking working leg rises high up
Click-cut - kick with the back foot on the front foot and take it forward to the cat
Back click – movement occurs from behind
Double/Triple/Guadruple clicks – double, triple, quadruple strike

Kick is an Irish dance movement where the front foot of the back leg strikes the front heel. Occurs more often in step dances.

Lead around - the first step of any solo dance, can be a circle or another trajectory.

Point is a basic element. The leg is extended from the hip to the foot, the toes are tucked, the floor is touched in the form of a “point” with the outstretched thumb, the heel points upward.

Point and back (point&back) - a basic element consisting of the point itself and then the leg removed back.

The promenade step is a basic element in Irish dancing, used mainly as a step in group dances and in simple solo dances, but can also be a connecting link in more complex step dances. The “people” sometimes call it a country step, that is, a “village step.”

The bird is a complex element that consists of a jump with the front leg raised high, the push leg bent and landing on it.

Five is an Irish step dance element consisting of five beats.

Rising step (rising step, similar to rise&grand) is a basic jig element, which is essentially a combination of “hop, hop back, hop back, 3 steps in place.” Used in basic dances and as a connecting element in jig caley dances.

Reel jump is a basic jump, otherwise jump-2-3. In colloquial speech it can be shortened to the word "ril".

Side step (side step, “side step”) is a connecting element in Irish dancing, steps to the side or forward, performed sequentially with the right and left foot.

Swing – has two meanings:
1. Circular rotations in pairs in keili dances
2. Solo element, which is a jump up with a high bent leg raised from behind.

Stump - a basic element of step dance, consists of a single kick performed with one leg (full foot or heel) with the entire body weight transferred to it, or in its pure form a single kick with one leg.

Slide (slide otherwise “tip&dawn”) is a basic element, as a rule, of Irish step dance. Consists of one sliding movement made forward or to the side with steps. There is a variation of the performance with one leg and alternating legs. Can be short, otherwise "tip" or sliding/extended "slide"

The seven is typically an Irish step dance element consisting of seven beats. Sometimes it is Sevens (see Sevens).

Sevens is an element of Irish ceilidh dancing, which is a repeating side step from left to right and back. This is sometimes called side step in solo dances. See Side step.

Turns - the general name for movements where a turn occurs

Twist is a general definition of circular movements of the foot. It can be used as a decorative element when performing various types of soft and step dance elements, or as an independent element: when moving forward, the front foot opens, the back foot comes forward; when moving backwards, it’s the other way around.

Toe is a characteristic often used element of Irish step dances. A single kick is performed with the front of the foot, which is placed “on the toe”. Can be performed as a double strike - double toe. In this case, the blow can be from the front or the back. There is also a variant of performance in soft dances.

Treble is a basic element of Irish step dance, consisting of two beats. There are front trebles and back trebles; and they can also be slow (slow trebles), fast (fast trebles), double, triple, etc.

Toe wolf, toes, toe stand (toe walk, toes, toe stand) - performance of Irish step dance in the “on the fingers” position, similar to the movement in ballet on pointe shoes. It can be static - toe stand, or occur in motion - Toe walk. There are many varieties and variations of such movements.

Three is an element of Irish step dance, consisting of three beats. This is sometimes called a 3-hand.

The figure is part of an Irish ceilidh

Heel - a simple movement, as they say, on the heel. Also a common name for movements when the heel is used in a dance pattern.

Hop (hop, “jump, jump”) is a basic element that is a jump where the supporting leg is straight and the front leg is bent at the knee. It can be a front single, as well as a double - in the case of a double repetition in one jump. Also performed from behind - otherwise back double hop or back double up.

Hop back is a basic element, the general name of a movement where the leg raised to hop is then retracted back and lowered sequentially after the supporting leg. In the case when, when moving the leg back, a jump is made on two legs, this is a “hop back jump” or “hop jump”.

Change - a basic movement that represents a change of legs

The four is an Irish step dance element consisting of four beats. This is sometimes called 4-hand.

2-hand, 3-hand - small figure dances, respectively, 2 or 3 people participate, and this is, as a rule, reel. Author's dances.

4-hand, 6-hand, 8-hand, 16-hand – group ceili dances with the appropriate participation of 4 to 16 people. They have the described schemes and are executed strictly according to the description.

Jig is a type of timing and the general name of the oldest Irish dance. It happens: slow, fast, step and soft. There are: treble jig, single jig, light jig, slip jig.

Ceili is the general name for group Irish dancing. 2 or 3 participants - small figure dances, 4-6-8-16 - large group dances, 30 patterns of which are described in the book Ar Rinci Foirne.

Light Jig - Irish dance, Double Jig, musical timing 6\8. The simplest dance, performed in soft shoes.

Modern set - a complex dance of an advanced level, can be a jig or a hornpipe, performed to traditional melodies, but with original choreography. Dances solo in the decisive final round of the Open Championships.

Non-Traditional Set = Modern set

Reel - Irish dance with Scottish roots, musical timing 4/4. May have different speeds with corresponding difficulty. Can be soft (soft reel) or performed in boots (treble reel).

Single jig - Irish dance, musical timing 6\8 or 12\8, single jig. The simplest dance, performed in soft shoes. Characterized by a large number of jumps, simple steps and elements, sometimes also called Hop Jig

Slip Jig - Irish dance, musical timing 9\8. Performed mainly in soft shoes, it is considered primarily a women's dance.

Treble Jig (Heavy Jig) - Irish dance, musical timing 6\8, jig in hard shoes, accompanied by a characteristic rhythmic pattern, and can be slow or fast

Treble Reel - dance in hard shoes, performed in reel timing. See Rhyl

Trad Set (Traditional Set) - Irish dance, can be a jig or a hornpipe, performed to recognizable tunes with traditional choreography. Compulsory dance for solo competitions, each level has its own dance.

Figure Dance – group dance. Can be small (2- and 3-hands) and larger (10 people or more)

Hornpipe - Irish dance with English roots, musical timing 2\4 or 4\4, performed mainly in hard shoes.

Hop jig = see single jig

An Association or Commission is an organization that unites a number of schools with its own charter, rules, president, etc. Competitions and other dance activities are held under the patronage of this commission. At the moment there are about 20 such organizations, some of which are independent, and some are regional branches of AnKom

A.I.D.A. - Australian Irish Dancing Association Inc is the largest Irish dance association based in Australia. Among the strongest. Member of C.L.R.G. Official website http://aidainc.com/

Conradh na Gaeilge - The Gaelic League is an organization created in 1893 on 31 July to preserve the Irish language and culture. Organizers: Douglas Hyde, Eugene O'Growney, Eoin McNeil, Luke Walsh. It was with the founding of the League that Irish schools, including Irish dancing, officially began to open. Commission C.L.R.G. - the official brainchild of this commission. Official website https://cnag.ie

C.I.D.T. - The Congress of Irish Dance Teachers or AnCogal (An Comhdhail, Comhdhail na Muinteoiri le Rinci Gaelacha Teoranta) is the second oldest commission on Irish dance after C.L.R.G. The platform is closed in England and Ireland, excluding Darry. This fesh is held in collaboration with C.L.R.G. In America, all feshes are held on an open platform. Official website http://www.irishdancingorg.com

C.L.R.G. - An Com (An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha) is the oldest and largest Irish dance commission. Since 1930 existed as a body regulating all activities in the Irish dance world, was and is under the patronage of the Gaelic League. The president from foundation until 2004 was Tomas O Faircheallaigh. In 1932 The composition of the commission was approved and its main activities began. It has about 9 official branches, the platform is closed on both sides, only teachers and judges certified by the commission are allowed to join. At the instigation of this commission, books are published that structure and describe all keili dances. Official website http://www.clrg.ie/

C.R.N. (Cumann Rince Naisiunta) - exists since 1982. One of the few commissions with an open platform. The main motto: “Do not do to others what you would not like done to you.” Created by a group of 12 teachers. They adhere to the traditional style, where they value dance technique and its timing more than complex tricks. Official website: http://www.crn.ie

C.A.I.D. - Celtic Association of Irish Dance. - an organization promoting Irish dancing for pleasure - “just for fun”. You can join the team without having a teaching certificate. It has schools throughout England, mainly in the South East and Ireland. Some of the feshes are closed and participation is possible only by invitation, the other part is an open platform. Official website: http://caid-irishdance.webs.com

C.C.E. - Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann is a large organization promoting traditional Irish music. Conduct music, dance and language classes. Official website: http://comhaltas.ie

C.I.D.A. (formerly C.D.A.) - Celtic and Irish Dance Association Inc. is a small association in southern Australia. It has existed since 2001. They promote the simplicity and accessibility of Irish dancing to everyone, without glamor and huge financial investments, in particular this concerns the strictness of the traditional costumes. Notable for the fact that each participant is given a competition participant diploma. Official website: http://www.celticdance.com.au

C.M.F.A. - Cead Mile Failte Association is a small dance organization in several counties in England (Hertfordshire, Kent, Essex, Sussex and Wiltshire). They hold feshes among their schools. But there is an exception, the Hemel Open summer fesh with an open platform. Official website: http://cmfa-id.co.uk

C.R.D.M. - Cumann Rince Dea Mheasa – the commission, existing since 2002, has an open platform. The purpose of the founding was to preserve the history of Irish dance and move it into the future, striving to make Irish dancing accessible to everyone. Calls itself an organization with a business reputation. Official website: http://www.crdm.ie

C.R.G. Cumann Rince Gaelach, which has been in existence for approximately 20 years, was created in Ireland and promotes high standards of dance while maintaining both fun and competitiveness. Open platform commission. They hold one competition per month and try to ensure that all participants receive awards. Official website: http://crgirishdance.webs.com/

F.D.T.A. (Festival Dance Teachers Association) - since 1971 it was called the Nine Glens Association, since 2002 it has existed as FDTA. They are unique for their original traditional dance style called “festival style”. They are located primarily in Northern Ireland. offer a calm and vibrant atmosphere in which to learn, dance and compete. The festival dancing is very traditional and different from what is seen in other feiseannas but there is a continuing crossover of styles between them and their school members can dance the open platform feiseanna if they wish. Official website: http://www.fdta.net

J.I.D.A. - Japan Irish Dancing Association is an Irish dance commission in Japan that has existed since 2000. Official website: http://www.roisindubh.jp/jida/

I.D.T.A.N.A. - The Irish Dancing Teachers Association of North America is an association founded in 1964. It is in partnership with An Coimisiun and has several branches: Mid Atlantic, Mid America, Western US, Eastern Canada, Western Canada, New England, Southern US. Official website: http://www.idtana.org

I.D.T.A.C. - The Irish Dance Teachers Association of Canada is in partnership with the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America, the North American Feis Commission and An Coimisiun Le Rinci Gaelacha. Official website: https://idtace.wordpress.com/

I.M.D.A. - Irish Music and Dance Association Association of Irish Music and Dance Charitable non-profit cultural and educational organization. It was created to develop, support and coordinate all programs in the field of Irish dance and music. The mission of the association is to support and promote Irish cultural traditions, ensuring their further development.
Official website: http://irishmusicanddanceassociation.org

N.A.F.C. - North American Feis Commission is the governing organization of An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha in Canada and America. Official website: http://northamericanfeiscommission.org

N.S.I.D. - Nordic Society of Irish Dancers – exists since February 2000. Created for the purpose of communicating with people interested in Irish culture in the Scandinavian countries and beyond. Unites schools in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. Under the auspices of the organization, Nordic Feis is held annually - a festival of Irish culture and fashion. Official website: http://nsid.org/

R.T.N. - Rince Tuatha Nua – Rince Tuatha Nua (Rink-a Two-a New-a) roughly translated means “New Irish Dance Community.” Exists since 2013. Organized by teachers wishing to create another reliable type of Irish dance organization. Based in America, the platform is open. Hosted by North American Nationals Official website: http://www.rtnirishdance.com

R.T.M.E. - Registered Teachers Mainland Europe branch An Coimisiun le Rince Gaelacha, a group uniting teachers from continental Europe Official website: http://www.europeirishdancing.com/

T.I.D.A.N.Z. - Traditional Irish Dance Association of New Zealand – An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha branch in New Zealand. Official website: http://www.irishdance.co.nz

W.I.D.A. - World Irish Dance Association is an independent full-fledged commission founded in 2004 in the Netherlands. Unites schools in more than 20 countries around the world. An open platform for all associations. Conducts feshes and championships in a full range, including World, European and All-Ireland, takes exams, gives open master classes. Official website: http://irish.dance

Former organizations

AFC/AAIDT - American Feis Association/American Association of Irish Dance Teachers - American Association of Teachers of North America, was founded in 1998. Now dissolved.

BAID - British Association of Irish Dance, existed between 2000-2010.

FIDT - Federation of Irish Dance Teachers, North American organization.

IDN - Irish Dancing Net - began as a movement to challenge commercialism, ownership and power, aiming to ensure the quality and value of Irish dancing

NAIDF – North American Irish Dance Federation A once independent North American Federation with an open platform. The association has now merged with WIDA.

PIDTA - Performance Irish Dance Teachers Association - was organized to unite schools, teachers and dancers not interested in competitive activities

S.P.I.D.A - St Patrick's Irish Dance Association - an organization based in Southern England in the 90s. After its closure, the schools merged with CAID and CMFA.

Pumps - pumps - shoes for Irish soft women's dance

Boots – shoes for Irish hard dancing

Reel boots - shoes for soft male dance

Tiara, Diadem - a bright decoration for the head, a women's accessory as an addition to the hairstyle

Bun – a bun – a small chignon as a decoration for wearing at performances

A wig or full wig is a full curly wig, traditionally used in competitions by girls to preserve traditions and preserve their hair.

Hards - shoes for Irish step dance, or the general name for dancing in hard shoes

Softs – shoes for soft dancing or the general name for dancing in soft shoes

The belt is a former part of the costume of an Irish dancer. In old schools they were worn in the form of a cord belt with tassels, then they were transformed into wide belts. At the moment, such belts are traditionally awarded to young people - winners of big championships.

Terms that are often used during practical training :)

Biryulyovo is the intra-city municipality of Moscow of the same name, through which the dancer sometimes turns his leg, although he knows the shortest path - from his own hip

Home is a place where they usually forget everything, from the dance pattern to turnout, crossover, and even timing.

Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern is “the man and the ship”, who does all the independent dirty work for the dancers. Sometimes it replaces AS Pushkin.

The Cracker is a very complex element of Irish dance, which is beautiful when performed perfectly, but cannot be learned even after the hundredth repetition.

The grasshopper is a solo dance figure that vaguely resembles a “hop.”

The crocodile is a solo dance figure where two straight legs raised up resemble a bloodthirsty crocodile.

NUIDA (NUIDA, Nemnogo Ubogo Irish Dance Association) is an alternative or sofa dance commission of Irish dance with a complete lack of technical requirements, where a dancer is usually sent if he is not suitable for any official organization

Cucumbers are an irregularly shaped leader, as well as a ceilidh figure consisting of sevens executed in a row.

Pornpipe is a dance performed not in the most decent way, but vaguely reminiscent of a traditional hornpipe in choreography.

Trouble - appears for the dancer and his teacher when the treble does not break through. In this case, sometimes a treble jig transforms into a “trouble jig.”

Teacher is a person who teaches Irish dance from scratch. He also happens to be a coach, when he makes you do planks and jump ropes, and also a teacher, when he gives educational lectures.

Ears are knees, the collaring of which has gotten out of control.
http://site/irish-dance-dictionary

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.

History of the Gaul settlers

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 you 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 did not give 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. It is not strange and unusual that 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, there should be an element of green in the clothing, 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.

The first information about Irish dancing dates back to c. 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 at an appointed 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 elements in the dance, 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 those 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 a lot of 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 same 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).