Traditions of Irish Dance

Irish Dancing has grown over the past decade; more people are interested partly due to publicity of the sport like in the movie JIG, and Riverdance. There are several different opinions on Irish Dance and it's old traditional looks to the new glitz and glamour but one thing everyone can agree on is the history.

In 1893, the Gaelic League was established to preserve the elements of the Irish Culture, focusing on language and organizing dance classes and competitions. This league founded An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha in 1929. Today the Commission is responsible for the certification for the certification of teachers and adjudicators as well as the development and promotion of Irish Dancing. The commission organizes all the major competitions including the: Oireacthas (regionals), Nationals, All-Ireland Championships, All-Scotland's, and the prestigious World Championships (equivalent to the Olympics). 

Dances feature prominently Ireland's mythology and history, which keeps the traditions alive in a modern world; many dances are named from places in Ireland like the Ceili (team dance) Antrim Reel and The Gates of Derry.

Being an Irish Dancer I get many questions that have traditional responses. The most popular ones are:

1. Is that your real hair?
-No it's not. Some people use their actual hair to either curl or make a unique hairstyle but the most common big curly look Irish Dancers have come from wigs. You can get any color wig you want- mine is blonde because it looks better with my dress. No, I don't dye my hair; if you have a different wig color you simply buy the washable spray dye and use that for a Feis (competition) or show. The purpose of the curls comes from tradition. Back in the day, girls would curl their hair to look their best for church, and following church would gather at parties and dance.

2. Why do you dance with your arms at your side?
-Irish Dancing was a form of rebellion against the Queen of England. The parties following church were often held in people's barns. If you think about a barn door you will notice that it split with a top and bottom half and either can be open at a time. At the Parties the top half would be open and as English soldiers passed by, they wouldn't notice that people were Irish Dancing because the arms were blocked by a lower door.

3. Are your shoes tap shoes?
-No they are made of fiberglass tips and have a much larger heel.