Dance of the Irish. Irish dances: the history of the origin, what is it

Irish dance is an art movement that originated in Ireland. It is very popular in the UK.

Irish dances are common. Public as well as social.

Also, Irish dances are concert. We are talking about those of their subspecies, which are put on performances in theaters. And also about those dances that are used in competitions.

From everyday Irish dances, two directions can be distinguished. Seth and Kaylee.

Irish dances can be both solo and group.

The history of the emergence of Irish dances

Irish dances were first created in ancient times. They were invented by the tribes who migrated to Ireland. And also other peoples who tried to conquer this country with a military invasion.

The tribes that migrated to Ireland made a huge contribution to the formation of national dances. They added elements of their own musical culture to them. Modified them in every possible way. They also performed Irish dances to their own national music.

Historians report that such dances were very popular with the Druids. They performed them in a circle. Holding hands.

Druids performed Irish dances in order to conduct religious rites. Communicate with your gods. And seek an answer from them.

With the help of Irish dances, the Druids prayed to the sun god and also to the Oak.

The Celts contributed immensely to the formation of Irish dance

A little later, the Celts invaded Ireland. They made a huge contribution to the formation of the national dance of this country. Modified it. And they also added elements of their musical culture to the dance.

Later, Christianity was adopted in Ireland. Monks began to decorate books and manuscripts with symbols that were used by the Celts. However, the peasants tried not to deviate from the Irish tradition. And while performing Celtic dances, they used the popular music of the country. They also repeated movements from standard Irish dances.

Influence of Anglo-Normans on Irish dance culture

Later, the Anglo-Normans attacked Ireland. They conquered part of its territory and brought with them the culture of national dances.

A music called Carol appeared in Ireland. She enjoyed immense popularity among the Normans. And they decided to bring Carol to Ireland's dance culture. To develop it.

Carol was performed as follows. One person sang songs in this style. And around him were people performing Irish dances. And they sang along to the soloist.

What Irish dances existed in the 16th century?

According to historians, there were only 3 dances in Ireland in the 16th century:

There was a jig in Ireland

Historians claim that they found another dance that existed in the 16th century. They found a letter in which Sir Henry Siday of Ireland addressed Elizabeth the First. It was posted in 1569.

In a letter, Sir Siday stated that in Ireland girls dance "the Irish jig". The dance, according to him, was very beautiful and unusual. And the girls themselves dressed in bright, unique outfits.

In the 50s of the 16th century, Irish dances were often performed in front of rulers

In the middle of the 16th century, national dances were very popular among the nobility of Ireland. The sovereigns regularly invited performers to the huge castles. So that they can dance beautiful Irish dances for them.

Subsequently, some peoples decided to borrow their national dances from the Irish. For example, they were taken and remade by the inhabitants of England. This is how the English versions of the "Trenchmore" and "Hey" dances appeared. They were subsequently performed before Elizabeth the First.

Irish dances were performed in the 18th century

According to historians, royalists on the shores of Ireland were also greeted with national dances. They were performed by girls.

In 1780, King George III sailed to Ireland. The state authorities sent six girls to his ship.

When the king arrived ashore, the Irish ladies greeted him with handkerchiefs in their hands. During this, a melody began to play. The ladies started dancing.

At the beginning of the dance, the girls moved slowly. But then they started to gradually pick up the pace. We danced faster. The Irish dance turned out to be very energetic and beautiful. It was performed without going beyond a small area.

What music were Irish dances performed to?

In ancient times, musicians were invited to perform Irish dances. They played bagpipes. Also, the harp was often used during performances.

The highest ranks of Ireland were not afraid to dance Celtic dances with their subjects. They danced with pleasure together with ordinary people.

What events were Irish dances performed at?

Irish dances were very popular among the population of the country. They were performed with or without reason. Both at important, tragic events and on ordinary days.

Irish dances were often performed early in the morning. The master got up with his subjects and began to dance.

Also, Irish dances were performed during tragic events. For example, at the funeral of loved ones. Or relatives.

During these events, people danced Irish dances to the sad "singing" of the harp. Or bagpipes.

Irish dances began to be taught in the 18th century

Irish dances began to be taught in the 18th century. It was then that professional teachers appeared in the country. They explained the principle of performing Irish dances to both adults and children. The teachers managed to teach this art to everyone. Regardless of the skills and abilities of people.

It is noteworthy that the dance teachers never sat in one place. They regularly moved to villages and towns.

At first, the inhabitants of one village were taught to dance. Then they moved on to another. And people were already taught to dance there.

The Irish dance teachers looked unusual. They were dressed in bright clothes. And due to this, they were different from those around them. Standing out from the crowd.

Every Irish dance teacher had an assistant. He helped the teacher explain to people how to dance. Thanks to this, the process of teaching one village took little time.

Irish dances in modern times

Nowadays, Irish dances are also popular. Moreover, not only in Great Britain, but also in other countries.

Nowadays in Ireland national dances are very well developed. There are special organizations in the country that teach young people this direction of art. And they even reward teenagers for learning Irish dances. Developing in this direction.

Celtic dances are most popular among the adults and children of Ireland. They take part in competitions, which are referred to as fesh.

Irish dance competition winners receive good, expensive prizes. And high fees.

The incentives given to dancers allow Irish dancing to develop.

About contemporary Irish dance competitions

There are several types of Irish dance competitions in the modern world.

Children can perform in solo performances. Show your Irish dance skills on your own.

Also, athletes can take part in group tournaments. Within them, groups are formed from children. Toddlers must perform complex movements. And also interact with each other.

Within the framework of group performances, children are divided into different age groups.

The smallest of them is the one in which children from 6 years old participate. The oldest is the one in which children 17 years old take part.

Participants for international Irish dance tournaments are selected responsibly

Irish dance championships are regularly organized in Ireland. However, not everyone can take part in them.

To qualify for a national tournament, an athlete needs to win the qualifying round. Only then can he be sent to international competitions.

A tough selection is made to ensure that the most skillful inhabitants of the provinces and cities compete for the title of the best Irish dancer. And so that the tournament turns out to be really beautiful and unusual.

The Irish Dance World Championship is held every year. For Easter. The event itself takes place in Dublin.

It is noteworthy that not only residents of Great Britain participate in the Irish Dance World Championship. Athletes from the United States, New Zealand, Australia and a number of other countries come to it. This suggests that Irish dance is hugely popular in the 21st century.

INTRODUCTION

The dance originated with the first people and relentlessly followed humanity, helping to overcome fears, express their thoughts and share these thoughts with others.

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

With the development of the national characteristics of a particular people, with the formation of character and temperament, folk dances were also 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 the people, their originality, the personification of their soul.
The dances of the peoples of the world are a kind of journey not only across 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, modern dance and even some martial arts.
The national dance of each country is beautiful in its own way, but some folk dances have taken a special place. This applies to Latin American dances, whose fiery rhythms are present in almost all modern club dances or Irish dances that 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
Irish dance history

The first mentions of Irish dancing date back to the 11th century. We are talking about traditional dance festivities called feis (fesh). But it was not until the 16th century that a detailed description of Irish dance appeared.

All ancient Irish dances were characterized by a fast pace and side steps. Irish dances are heavily influenced by French and Scottish dances. And perhaps the dance culture of Ireland repeated the sad fate of many national dances and over time they would become only a ghost of the bygone time. But the English metropolis helped to preserve the distinctive Irish dance.

The colonialists fought so stubbornly against the manifestation of everything "popular" and in the middle of the 17th century the "Punitive Laws" were introduced in England, which forbade teaching the Irish anything, including dancing. In addition, the Catholic Church recognized Irish dances as demonic and imposed a strict ban on them. In fact, Irish dances are one of the few that have been officially banned. At one time, the waltz, the Cuban mamba, the Argentine tango were condemned, but officially these dances were not prohibited. Although the bans have added to their popularity. What can we say about Irish dances, which immediately acquired a special appeal. More than one hundred and fifty years !!! Irish dances were a coveted forbidden fruit, they were taught in secret, and knowledge was passed on by itinerant 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 schools of dance began to appear. The masters who taught Irish dance brought their own elements into the dance (jumps, hops, turns) and each school had its own style.
At the end of the 19th century, a process began, called the Gaelic revival. Its essence boiled down to 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 established the Irish Dance Commission in the early 20th century to formalize and describe Irish dances. As a result, dances with strong foreign roots, such as set dances, were ignored. The League adopted the southern ("Munster") dance school as a basis.

Types and varieties of Irish dances
As mentioned above, the Irish Dance Commission strictly enforces that dance is as close to its historical roots as possible. 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 dances is the rapid and precise movements of the legs while the body and arms remain motionless. Fixed arms are caused, according to one version, by the persecution of the church, which claimed that the movement of the dancers' hands is part of a satanic rite. There is a more prosaic version, according to which the dancers used to have too little space for performances (an impromptu stage was created from an ordinary door). Irish solo dances were developed by Irish dancers in the 18th and 19th centuries and were rigidly standardized by the Irish Dance Commission. It is on this technique that the spectacle of the Riverdance show is based.

Irish caylee (céilí)
These are both pair and group dances based on the standard steps of Irish solo dances. Kayleigh presents a selection of dances with various formations.

Circle: Dancers in pairs hold hands in a circle.
Rank: dancers line up in two lines, girls in front of young people. A different restriction is imposed on the number of pairs in different dances: any even number, no more than 5 pairs, etc.
Set: from two to eight pairs at the same distance from each other form a triangle, square or polygon.
Street, or column: the next set is built to the set of two pairs back to back, the next set to them, and so on, depending on the number of people who want to dance and free space. The street can also be built from three dancers (two partners with one partner) and fours (two couples side by side).
The dance is characterized by complex rearrangements within its own set. In the dances in line and in the street, after the end of the plot, the partners find themselves in different places and begin the dance again with other counter-partners. Dances in a set usually have a complex structure of dance with an introduction, an ending, "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 is a pair of Irish social dances. In contrast to keili, they are based on the relatively simple steps of French square dance.

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

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

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

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

The slip-jig, performed in a special size 9/8 and exclusively in soft shoes, stands out as a complete set apart. It was the slip jig that was taken as the basis for the Riverdance show.

The single jig is currently performed as a light dance (no beat or sound) at 6/8 and rarely 12/8.
Double Jig (The Double Jig) can be danced as light dance (in soft shoes), and in hard shoes with rhythm tapping. If she dances in stiff shoes, then sometimes she refers to The Treble Jig, or The Heavy Jig, or The Double Jig, which are danced at 6/8.

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

Reel originated in the second half of the 18th century in Scotland. The usual time signature of the reel is 4/4. Reel is danced in soft shoes (iziril) and in hard shoes (trable-reel). Male "soft" reel is performed in special boots with heels, but without heels on the toe. It is often part of the show, but rarely performed in traditional competitions.
The Hornpipe originated in 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 in stiff shoes since the middle of the eighteenth century.

Irish dance clothing and footwear
Irish dance shoes are divided into two types:
soft (eng. soft shoes)
hard (English 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 a colored pair can also be found for show performances.

Men's Soft Shoes - leather shoes with soft soles and small heels that allow dancers to make clicks even in soft shoes. Stiff shoes are more specific: shoes, as a rule, are black, with a small heel with a heel on the nose, which causes the nose to rise and become slightly convex. For a better fit on the leg, in addition to laces, they have a leather strap. Various plastics are used for the production of heels and heels.
The female costume for the Irish step is often represented by a short dress with a rather 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 have time to make a rather wide and fast movement. The dress is bright, often multi-colored, decorated with Celtic patterns. The women's suit is also complemented by white golfs, just below the knee length.

The male Irish tap dance costume consists of narrow pants and a shirt, often with wide sleeves.

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

Lord of the dance
Lord of the Dance is an Irish dance show choreographed by Michael Flatley in 1996. The soundtrack was written by Ronan Hardiman.
The story show, based on Celtic folk music and Irish folk dances, has gained widespread popularity. The troupe has toured Europe and the United States on several occasions.

Feet of Flames
Feet of Flames is an Irish dance show choreographed by Michael Flatley. The music was written 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 choreography of the dances changed, the musical compositions were rearranged, the costumes and the composition of the participants changed.

Celtic tiger
The Celtic Tiger is an Irish dance show directed by Michael Flatley, who also stars. Celtic Tiger combines Irish dance with ballet, flamenco, hip-hop and salsa. The music for the show was written by Ronan Hardiman.

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

Riverdance
The dance show Riverdance was first presented at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, featuring Irish dance champions Jean Butler and Michael Flatley and the Celtic choir Anuna; the music was written by composer Bill Whelan. Flatley himself was the choreographer of his part, Jean Butler choreographed the dances for herself and for the rest of the troupe. Riverdance the Show. Riverdance was produced and directed by the married couple, John McColgan and Moya Doherty. Riverdance still performs around the world, albeit in an abbreviated format and at 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 Excellence in Irish Dance in April 1999. Her mother began teaching Jean Irish dance when she was 4 years old. The renowned teacher Donny Golden was invited. Jean also studied classical ballet and American step, but the main emphasis was on Irish step. Thanks to her talent, Jean has won regional and national tournaments, and has taken good places in world competitions. Jean has performed with Green Fields of America and Cherish the Ladies; When she was 17, she made her Carnegie Hall debut at The Chieftains concert. 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 American-Irish dancer, choreographer, musician and producer, known for staging the dance shows Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames. Twice became the Guinness Book record holder as the fastest tap dancer in the world (in 1989 28 beats per second, in 1998 35 beats per second). Michael was born on July 16, 1958 in Detroit and raised in Chicago, USA. He began dancing at the age of eleven, at the age of seventeen he won the Irish National Dance Competition. In parallel, he was successfully 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 has been a member of an Irish folk group where he played the flute. In 1978-79s 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 Riverdance dance show. As an independent choreographer, Flatley founded Unicorn Entertainments Ltd and in 1996 directed his own show, Lord of the Dance.

CONCLUSION
As we can see, Irish dances are a living example of the fact that folk dance can be extremely popular both among the people themselves and outside one country. Moreover, it is not necessary to radically change the style for the sake of modern trends. Irish dance performed to traditional music has not changed over the centuries and at the same time lives in a watery 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 spawn 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 c. From this time we have the first data on the dance parties of Irish peasants, which are called feis, (pronounced " F Esh”), But the description of the dances themselves first appeared in the middle of the 16th century. and it was rather lengthy and unclear. The Irish dances described included group dances, which were divided into "long" dances (dancers performed movements while standing in long lines opposite each other), "round" dances (performed figures, standing in pairs in a circle), and sword dances. It is not entirely clear which of the dances described at the time were actually Irish and which clearly appeared in Ireland under the influence of French and Scottish dances. In any case, they were more likely the progenitors of modern set dances and keili dances. However, all ancient Irish dances were characterized by a fast pace and side steps. Some dances were so popular that they crossed the sea and were adopted by the English. For example, the often mentioned English country dance Trenchmore is the Irish Rince mor, that is, "long dance" in a line.

Irish dances

During the course of English colonization, the persecution of all manifestations of Irish culture intensified. Punitive laws that were introduced by the British in the middle of the 17th century. forbade teaching the Irish anything, including music and dance. Therefore, for more than 150 years, Irish dance has been studied in secret. The dance culture existed in the form of secret activities carried out in the villages by itinerant dance teachers (the so-called dance masters) and in the form of large village parties at which people danced in groups, often under the guidance of the same masters. Information has been preserved that for a long time there was a custom at rural parties to expose a smart boy-dancer “on patrol” away from the rest of the dancing. 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 estimated how dangerous it was for their activities. Also, dance masters held classes in crowded pubs and simply in large kitchens, standing on a table or on the bottom of a large barrel.

The emergence 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, walked from village to village, stopping at one of the houses. Moreover, it was considered a great honor to give shelter to a dance teacher. The dance master was usually hired for a month. At the end of the third week, he was paid to teach dancing, and at the end of the fourth week, he was paid to accompany musicians. 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 his repertoire. It is thanks to the masters of dance that the forms of jig and rila known to us appeared. All movements were combined in the dance into elements, each was designed for 8 bars of music and was called "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 dances" is used. It is important to understand that Irish "step dances" are originally associated with "steps" - elements of eight bars, and not with "tap dance" - kicks in hard shoes, which we usually understand as "step". Although, of course, such strikes are included in the "steps" of modern dances in stiff shoes in the form of movements.

Irish dances

At that time, mass dances regularly tried to ban not only the English authorities, but also the banned, but highly respected Catholic priests. They considered the movements of the arms and legs during the dance to be "lecherous". Therefore, in the original, old school of Irish dance, 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 the prohibitions of the church, but specifically to complicate the dance and increase self-control and attract the attention of the audience.

The best dancers 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 of Kerry, Cork and Limerick. There were famous schools in other cities as well. Each master could come up with his own movements (jumps, jumps, turns). Different schools differed in the set of movements used in dances.

Often dance masters of the old school held competitions among themselves, and the winner was 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 movements cleaner. 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. So the first dance competitions between masters served not only to identify the best, but also to divide the spheres of influence between schools.

At the beginning of the XIX 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 brought by the dance masters is called Sean-nos or old school (manner). Solo dances remained the lot of masters. The preparation of the best students took place during massive group dances, rethought in the Irish way of the French quadrille and cotillion, which made it possible to introduce many people to the dances, 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. The rigidly defined sequence of the performed steps served as the basis for the group set dances and derived from them during the creation of the Gaelic league caley dances, which developed from the elements of step dancing and French quadrille.

Types of dances

Jiga (jig)

Mentioned in the 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 shoe, ghillies, irish dancing pumps). Triple or treble jiga - 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, swings. The sliding jig is mainly danced by women, but since the end of the 80s of the last century, a movement for the return of men to this dance has been gaining momentum.

Reel

It emerged around the years in Scotland, and the Irish dancers gave it further development (two reels - "Kelsey's Wee Reel" and "Miss MacLeod's Reel"). Reel is 4/4 in time. Reel is a "running" dance. Reel is danced by both women and men. Women dance reel in soft shoes, men - in special soft boots with heels (eng. reel shoes).

Hornpipe

It appeared about a year from English miniatures (two hornpipes - "Ricketts" Hornpipe "and" The Ladies Hornpipe "). At first it was danced exclusively by men in shoes with stiff soles, but now it is performed by both men and women. the women of the Irish County of Cork began to dance with the men in. The hornpipe is 4/4, reminiscent of a slow reel with an emphasis on the first and third beats (one-and-e-two-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e).

Irish dances in Russia and the CIS

• Moscow
• St. Petersburg
  • School of Irish Dance "Green Ribbon" (Peterhof)

• Minsk
• Kharkov

see also

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Description

Irish dance is a traditional group that formed in Ireland in the 18th and 20th centuries and gained a lot of popularity around the globe thanks to the Riverdance show and other dance shows that followed.

Irish dances are divided into the following types:

The dances are performed only by Irish traditional melodies: jigs, reels, hornpipes.

• Solo - Irish Stepdance - a distinctive feature of them is a clear movement of the legs, the body and arms remain motionless. They were created by Irish masters in the 18-20th centuries and are strictly standardized by the Irish Dance Commission. Standardization came at the beginning of the 20th century as a result of the Gaelic League, which allowed the creation of schools of craftsmen capable of performing complex techniques. It is on the solo direction that the entertainment of Riverdance is based, as well as shows like it;
• Kayleigh - céilí - group or doubles, the base of which is based on the standard steps of the solo direction. Keiley standardization is also available;
• Choreographed Figure Dances - the base is made up of solo performance and Kaylee figures, but the focus is on the performance of several performers at once, which is within the framework of the staged show. Deviations from the standards are allowed in order to increase the entertainment. Riverdance was born out of this direction;
• Set-dances - Set Dancing - social pairing, the base is made up of simple steps of French square dance;
• Shang-nos - sean-nós - this style is special, it was not affected by the activities of the Gaelic League and the masters. This species has survived in the Connemara region, Ireland.

Varieties, depending on the rhythm and melody:

• Jiga - jig - this melody has an ancient Celtic origin, the jiga depends on the speed of the melody: slip-jig, light (double) -jig, single-jig, treble-jig. The size of the music is 6/8, only the slip-jig has a rhythm of 9/8, it is performed only in soft shoes.
• Reel - reel - its occurrence falls on about the second half of the 18th century, Scotland. The size of the music is 4/4, if the dance is performed only in soft shoes, then it is called light-reel, if in hard ones - trable-reel. In special boots, a “soft” male reel is usually performed, the boots have a heel, but there is no heel on the toe of the boot.
• Hornpipe - researchers suggest that it came from England, during the reign of Elizabeth, where it was performed as a stage performance. On the territory of Ireland, the dance is performed differently, in sizes 4/4 and 2/4, stiff shoes are required.

History of origin

The first mention dates back to the 9th century, the first festivities of the peasants, who were called fesh, are mentioned, but the description, namely Irish, appeared in the 16th century, it was very unclear. It is difficult to say from the references which of them could be attributed to the Irish, and which to those that arose under the influence of the Scottish and French. But one thing was the same for everyone - side steps and a fast pace.

When Ireland was a colony, the culture was constantly persecuted, in "punitive laws" it was forbidden to teach Irish dance and music. For 150 years, the Irish secretly studied with the help of wandering craftsmen, performed at country parties, the leadership of which also belonged to the craftsmen.

At the end of the 18th century, masters began to create their first schools, the most famous were in the province of Munster, in the counties of Limerick, Cork, and Kerry. Famous schools also existed in other cities. The masters came up with their own movements (jumps, jumps, turns). Schools differed in the set of movements used.

The beginning of the 20th century was marked by a "Gels renaissance", the Gels League, which later became a separate organization - the Irish Dance Commission. It was she who began the study of traditional dances and their standardization, in order to then popularize them among the population. Those that carried foreign roots, for example, set, were deliberately excluded. The "Munster" tradition became the basis, it was technically the most pronounced. As a result, solo dances and group keili have become standardized.

Since then, there has been a system around the world followed by schools teaching Irish dance. There are competitions that constantly give rise to future masters.

Solo, which is performed using other techniques, are called "shan-nos", which means "the old way." They have two directions: the dances of the Connemara region and those that have survived among emigrants in North America.

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In Ireland, there is a belief that the hills are a gateway to another world. A world inhabited by fairies (fairies). Often people and hill dwellers meet. And always such meetings promise something unusual. Often, following the charm of the fairies, people go after them to a magical land, and return after many, many years, being already very old people. Those who did not succumb to temptations, or earned the gratitude of the fairies, acquired all sorts of interesting abilities and, certainly, a reliable assistant. But none of the fairies who saw them remained the same.

March 4, 2018

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With regard to dance, we can say that no one who has seen Irish dance remains the same. And the Irish dance itself is often called "the dance of the wondrous people." Light, unearthly jumps, sliding steps, rapid throws and leg sweeps, combined with a calm body, make a mesmerizing impression. Not the usual combination of pride and mischief, dignity and temperament!

The history of the Irish national dance reflects the events that took place in Ireland itself, from the 20th century BC to the 20th century of ours - the migration of peoples and the invasion of conquerors, the change of religions ... Each culture with which the Irish came into contact contributed to their dance tradition. Although today there are only vague ideas about the most ancient stage in the development of Irish dances, it is known that the druids were the first to perform them. Initially, the dance had a ritual meaning: they were performed, offering praises to the sacred trees and the sun. Coming from the mainland to Ireland, the Celts brought with them religious dances, some elements of which have survived to our time.

The oldest Irish dance that has survived to this day is called Sean-Nos. It traces its origins to the Celts who lived in the British Isles from 2000 BC. and 200 AD Ancient chronicles indicate that this dance is of Irish origin, although sailors from distant lands, North Africa and Spain, who visited local ports, for example, in Limerick, brought their national characteristics to it. Sean-Nos competitions are still held today. This dance is most popular in Western Ireland.

In about 400 years, after the conversion of local residents to Christianity, Catholic priests continued to widely use elements of national culture in their worship. The Holy Scriptures were decorated with Celtic archaic ornaments; Celtic ceremonies and dances accompanied Christian holidays. In the 12th century, on the wave of the Anglo-Norman conquest, the traditions of the Normans, their customs and culture, including the most popular dance of the time, Carol, came to Ireland. The leader of the party in Carol stands in the center of the circle and sings a song, which is picked up by the dancers around him. Carol's style greatly influenced the development of Irish dance.

By the 16th century, the chronicles already mentioned three main types of Irish dances: Irish Hey, Rinnce Fada and Trenchmore. One of the oldest descriptions of the national dance is contained in a letter from Sir Henry Sydney to Queen Elizabeth I, who was "quite impressed by the Irish melodies as well as the dances." Sydney described his observations of people dancing in the clearing, noting that the participants dance in two lines. This suggests that the English knight saw an early version of the Rinnce Fada dance.

By the middle of the 16th century, folk dances migrated to the state rooms of palaces and castles. Some of them, adapted in the English manner, gained popularity at the court of Her Majesty. Among them was the Trenchmore, a variation of the old peasant dance. Irish Hey also gained popularity around the same time.

Due to the oppression and persecution of Irish culture, which began in the 18th century, national dances for a long time were performed only under the cover of strict secrecy. The proverb of that time says: "The dancer dances until he returns to the village." Moreover, folk dances were strongly condemned by the Christian church. The priests called them "insane" and "bad luck." Some historians believe that the characteristic fixed position of the hands on the belt appeared in Irish dance after the church declared the movements of the hands obscene.

In the 18th century, "dance teachers" appeared in Ireland, with whom the era of revival of dance traditions was associated. It is not known where this movement first originated, but it played a decisive role in the preservation and development of ancient customs. Teachers wandered through the villages teaching local peasants to dance. The dance teachers were dressed in bright national costumes. Often they arranged competitions with each other, which usually ended only when one of them fell exhausted. Many dance teachers also taught musical instruments, fencing, or good manners.

Varieties of Irish dance:

Solo Dances

Solo dances were developed by masters of dance in the last quarter of the eighteenth century and have since continued to develop in both physical and artistic aspects. Today they express the greatest freedom of expression, excellent mood, a true combination of splendor, lightness and strength of movement, achieved through years of hard work. Contemporary Irish solo dances include jig, hornpipe, reel and set dances.

Jig (The Jig)

As a solo dance, jig can be performed in various forms: The Slip Jig or The Hop Jig is currently danced exclusively by women, but until about 1950 there were competitions for this dance among men and pairs. The slip jig, danced at 9/8, is the most graceful and graceful dance performed in soft shoes and is highlighted in the "Riverdance" show. The Single Jig is currently performed as a light dance (no beat or sound) at 6/8 and rarely 12/8. Double Jig (The Double Jig) can be danced as light dance (in soft shoes), and in hard shoes with rhythm tapping. If she dances in stiff shoes, then sometimes she refers to The Treble Jig, or The Heavy Jig, or The Double Jig, which are danced at 6/8. The Heavy Jig is the only one that is danced exclusively in stiff shoes, so the dancer can emphasize the dance especially with sound and rhythm.

The Hornpipe

In Ireland it is danced quite differently and has been performed to 2/4 or 4/4 music since the middle of the eighteenth century. It is danced in stiff shoes and today is one of the most popular Irish dances in the world.

Reel

Most reel steps are performed with double reel, while single reel melodies are used more for simple steps used by beginner dancers. They are performed to 4/4 music and danced in soft shoes. The treble reel is danced in stiff shoes. While it has become quite popular around the world with audiences who have seen Riverdance and other Irish dance shows, it is rarely (if ever) performed in competitions. This dance, with its fast rhythmic beats and spectacular movements, delighted millions of viewers around the world when it was first performed as a “Riverdance” number during the Eurovision Song Contest. We can say that in a few minutes this performance turned everything in Irish dancing upside down and provided them with public recognition and respect more than in the previous seventy years. The treble reel style gained popularity thanks to the efforts of The National Folk Theater (Siamas Tire) under the artistic direction of the Rev. Pat Ahern and teacher Patrica Hanafin of Tralee.

Solo Set Dances

Set solo dances are performed in stiff shoes to special set music or snippets of dance tunes, and many of them date back to the mid-nineteenth century. Set music differs from the usual jig or hornpipe in that the latter strictly correspond to the structure of 8 counts (8-bar). Set melodies usually consist of two parts, which are divided by dancers into “the step” (first part) and “the set” (second part), while both the step and the set may not correspond to the 8-bar structure. In a set dance, the performer dances to strictly defined music, so that the movements and rhythm of the dance exactly match the accompanying melody. Below are some of the solo set dances: 2/4 - The Blackbird, Downfall of Paris, King of The Fairies, The Lodge Road, Rodneys Glory. On 6/8 - The Blackthorn Stick, The Drunken Gauger, The Three Sea Captains, The Orange Rogue, Planxty Drury, Rub The Bag, St Patrick's Day. 4/4 - The Garden of Daises, The Hunt, Kilkenny Races, Madame Bonaparte, The Job of Journeywork, Youghal Harbor.

Kayleigh (Ceilis - Irish Group Dances)

Kayleigh dances are group dances that are performed both in competitions and in ceilis (a type of social dances, dance parties). Kayleigh presents a selection of dances with various constructions - round dances, long line dances and long column dances. Thirty of them are described in the first, second and third parts of the collection of the Irish Dance Commission "An Rince Foirne", and knowledge of these thirty dances is a prerequisite for obtaining the status of an Irish dance teacher. They are danced in the same way throughout the global “Irish” dance community with minor local variations. The dances performed during the ceilis and competitions may differ slightly, the square in the Fairy Reel is a good example. The most common dances in competitions are 4-hand and 8-hand jigs and reels.

Social Group Set Dances

These dances, known as sets or half-sets, in their variety originate from square dance, dances in which couples stand opposite each other in a square. Quadrilles were very popular in Napoleonic Paris. Wellington's victorious armies became acquainted with them and then introduced them into use in England and Ireland. The dance masters adapted these dances to the already existing traditional steps and accelerated the pace to the familiar reels and jigs. Differences existed in the number of figures, the number of which ranged from three to six, while initially there were five of them. In the original square dance, the presence of five figures was dictated by the music at 6/8 and 2/4.

Group set dances were practically eradicated in the first seventy years of the twentieth century, as they were considered foreign by the Gaelic League. In recent years, set dances such as Kerry and Clare sets have returned to the Irish dance scene and have become quite popular among middle-aged people.

Since these dances are not typically Irish, a similar dance style and detailed steps can be found in many European countries, especially Russia. Today, group set dances are often danced at a very high speed and in a wild manner that bears no resemblance to the original sets, which are characterized by strict discipline and good manners determined by their character (sets).

Today Irish dances have conquered the whole world. Dance schools attract many students not only in Ireland itself, but also in many other countries. Irish dancing became popular everywhere. Four major events are regularly held - the American National, the All-Ireland Championship, the UK Championship and the World Championship. Traditionally, the World Championship is held in Ireland, and thousands of dancers come to it, for whom a decent result at the championship can be the beginning of a stellar career. For example, in 1998, the World Championships, held in Ennis (Ennis), brought together three thousand participants and another seven thousand coaches, teachers and fans.