Researching this article I came across so many titles of other blogs that both fascinated me and filled me with pride. I was shocked at how all over the world people, not just Irish people feeling homesick, but all people, have fallen in love with Irish dance.
Below are just my top 3 favourite headings I came across:
- How Irish Dancing Conquered the World
- Optimising Health, Performance and Longevity in Irish Dance
- Reinventing Tradition, Irish Dance Knows no Boundaries
Seeing these positive things written about our native style of Dance, why wouldn't you want to learn? It's good for your health, there are not just local competitions but Worl competitions, AND September 17th was International Irish Dance Day 2022, how cool is that?
History of Irish Dance
Although the exact roots and origins of early Irish dancing are slightly blurry in time, evidence suggests a linkage between the Celts and Irish dance.
The Celts were sun worshippers who practised a pagan dance within a circular formation of stones which has some commonality with the circular formation of Irish set dancing. Celts were also said to have danced clockwise in circles on happy occasions and anti-clockwise when mourning.
The Gaelic League was founded in 1893. After centuries of British rule in Ireland, the aim of the League was to recreate a separate cultural Irish nation where the use of all English language, culture, games, dress, literature, music and dance was eliminated.
The year of 1897 marks the first ever public Ceílí which took place ironically, in London’s Bloomsbury Hall, organised by the Gaelic League, at which sets, quadrilles and waltzes were danced to Irish music.
In 1935, the Public Dance Halls Act was enforced which required all public dances to be licensed and laid down the conditions under which licenses might be issued by district justices. With the act came the end of a way of life in rural Ireland where dances in neighbouring houses were commonplace. Despite another obstacle to the growth of the culture of Irish dancing, the raw nature of set dancing did survive in the parts of Ireland that most valued tradition including counties Clare, Cork and Kerry.
1951 saw the formation of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, meaning the Society of the Musicians of Ireland, which was dedicated to the promotion of music, song, dance and language in Ireland, leading to the strongest revival of interest in traditional Irish music and dance on record. People danced Ceílís and sets across the country and in the years to follow the movement inspired the rise of great Irish Ceílí bands like the Kilfenora, the Tulla, the Aughrim Slopes and the Castle.
1980-1990 saw a huge increase of set dancing workshops and set dancing Ceílís around the country of Ireland, with even GAA and ruby halls becoming practice grounds for Irish Dance and its pupils as the infectious nature of the craft captured the hearts of many. Since this time Irish Dance has continued to grow steadily.
The 1980's to Now. When the recessions hit Ireland and many of the young professionals left for countries such as England, Australia, Dubai, Canada and the USA for work, they eventually set up clubs where they would join together and partake in the things they missed from home. One of which, was music and dance. the first recession hit in the '80s and the second in the late noughties, both waves took several thousand Irish people abroad and with them, hundreds of Irish dance schools opened globally.
Finding the Right Irish Dance Lessons for You and Your Family
More people than ever are taking Irish dance lessons for as adults or enrolling their children in dance courses. Because of the growing popularity of Irish dancing as a cultural sport and the growing trend of dance events and contests on television and the internet, it's actually getting a little hard to choose where or how to take lessons.
While some communities provide free beginner dancing lessons, the majority of classes or tutors will charge a fee. So how do you decide what's best for you?
I have compiled a short list of a few things you may want to keep in mind when searching for lessons.
First off, remember the cost of dance lessons varies depending on where you take them; for example, you may learn to dance in a dance studio or a community centre, or with an online tutor. The 2nd and 3rd options will be cheaper but if you've always dreamed of being in a dance studio it may be worth the money.
Next, the cost of a lesson varies based on whether you want to study solo or in a group. One-to-one lessons in a studio will cost a lot more than group lessons. However, with that being said, if you want solo lessons but are not too worried about the in-studio experience, you could try an online tutor to save a few bob.
Finally, the higher the level you compete at, the more expensive your lessons will be. If you are just learning Irish Dance as a hobby or for fun, you would need that many lessons and you should not end up spending too much money overall. However, if you plan to compete, it can become quite costly and after a while, lessons won't be your only expense. So it is worth taking the time to consider how competitive of a person you are, and how likely you are to take things all the way.
The average cost of a Dance Exam is about €20 and it's around the same to enter a competition.
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