Irish Dancing

Irish dancing generally be divided into two categories Group and solo Dancing
Group Dancing
There are two types of Group dancing Ceilis and sets
Set Dancing:
Oldest form and descended from European courtly and American square dancing
8 people make up a full set with four couples facing each other
Couples dance in a circle performing different movements
Shape and circular movement is always returned to
Dances were performed at the crossroads
Ceili Dancing:
Formed when the Gaelic League decided set dancing wasnt Irish enough
New dances invented and still danced today e.g. Siege of Ennis
New dances modelled on Scottish cil but suitable for middle classes
Promoted cultural nationalism
Solo Dancing
There are two types of Solo dancing Sean ns and Contemporary

Sean Ns:
Is the older style of dance
Relaxed body stance with hands hanging loosely
Steps are less complex
Music is complex but player wont have to alter the music to accommodate the dancer
Contemporary Dancing:
Promoted by feiseanna
Hands held rigidly by the sides
Rigid body stance adopting a proud and upright stance
Concentration on complexity of the footwork
Presentation is important with brightly coloured costumes
Slow straightforward music with little ornamentation
Dance Shows
Riverdance, Lord of the dance and Heartbeat of Home bring Irish dance to the world in a modern way
There is a mixture of styles fusing elements of ballet, jazz and tap
During the first Riverdance performance Michael Flately mixed elements of both styles of Solo Dance