Miss Deanna Talks about Irish Dance…
The history of Irish dance is rather complicated. A lot of people have ideas of how the dance formed over the years. What I do know about Irish dance is that it was a very social form of dancing. Irish dance is so close to my heart because of the history it holds and the relationships I have made through this art form.
So let's break down the dances! There are 6 main dances that have been passed down for centuries; the reel, jig, slip jig, hornpipe, treble reel and treble jig. Lost already? Don’t panic. Let me give you some more information. The reel, jig and slip jig are all danced in ghillies (soft, black, ballet type shoes). The differences between them are the speed of the music. Also, the slip jig is a feminine dance, so sorry boys, not for you! The hornpipe, treble reel and treble jig are really cool hard shoe dances, they are NOT TAP SHOES. Soft shoe dances: reel, jig and slip jig. Hard shoe dances: Treble jig, treble reel and hornpipe. There are many other “set dances” but let's not make this complicated!
Why the wigs? This question is most definitely number one on my list for the most asked question. Girls would curl their hair and make it look nice on Sundays. Usually social events would take place on Sunday afternoons when everyone was dressed up, so the curly hair stayed. The 1980’s really enhanced the big hair! Personally, as a retired competitive dancer, the bigger the hair, the more experienced you were.
The dresses have definitely changed over the years. Most costumes still have celtic knot designs, long sleeves and a “cape” on the back. Competition dresses are completely one of a kind. No two dresses can be exactly the same. This really promotes individuality for each dancer. Irish dancers also use the same costume for years until they outgrow it. I have only owned 3 dresses while I was a competitor, and I was competing for over 10 years. The higher a dancer is in competitions the “bling” will be on the dress.
Everyone wants to know why we dance with our arms down. There are actually a few theories. The dances were originally performed on doors, tables and whiskey barrels that constricted the movement of the body.
The most common theory is that the Catholic church did not approve of the dancing. The dancers would keep the top half of their body straight and only dance with the bottom half to show they were in total control.
Irish dance is so much more than a great way to exercise. I met some of my closest friends through Irish dance and I have definitely developed an amazing relationship with my current dance students.
