Irish Dance

Ireland · dance · culture · performance

Feet do the talking. Irish dancers move their feet incredibly fast in rhythmic patterns while keeping their upper bodies still and straight, making the footwork the star of the show.

Travelling teachers. In the 17th and 18th centuries, dance masters wandered across Ireland teaching people their craft, and different regions developed their own special styles based on what local people loved.

Codified and competitive. From the early 1900s, organizations created official rules and styles for Irish dance, which made competitions fair and helped spread the tradition worldwide.

Solo and group forms. While most Irish dancers perform solo, they can also dance in groups of any size from pairs to massive ensembles of 16 or more dancers moving together.

Part of Irish pride. Irish dance became deeply important to Irish culture and identity, especially when people were fighting for independence and wanted to celebrate their heritage.