Irish Dancing

1. Irish Dancing By Breaugh

2. History • shifting of population and invasions influenced dances • they preferred specific types of music • religious rituals started by the Druids • honored the oak tree and the sun • circular dances survive in the ring dances of today

3. Sixteen Century Dances • the Irish hey • the Rinnce Fada • long dance • Trenchmore • Irish Jigs

4. Kinds of Dance Today • the soft shoe dance • hard shoe dance • horn pipe • group dances

5. The Dance Master • wandering dance teacher • appeared during the eighteenth century • flamboyant characters • brightly dressed • carried staffs • standard of dancers – very high • doors taken off and placed on the ground for soloist to dance on • stayed in his own district – never went on another Master’s territory • when Master’s met at fairs – they challenged each other to public contests

6. Costumes • each school had it’s own dance costume • based on the Irish peasant dress worn 200 years ago • hand embroidered Celtic designs • Tara brooch holds cape which falls over the back • men wear plain kilt and jacket • The world championships are held in Dublin at Easter each year

7. Fast Facts • The Green School of Irish dancing • The ceili is a gathering of neighbors to dance , play music and tell stories

8. References • http://www.google.ca/ • http://www.irelandseye.com/aarticles/history/index.shtm • http://www.celticdanceshop.co.uk/