Ireland has always been famous for its unsurpassed dance culture, but lately the interest from the world community has increased even more thanks to spectacular shows where Irish dance is already used in a modern way.
History of the creation of dance art
This type of Irish culture has passed its thousand-year history and, according to many researchers, originated from the time of the Celtic peoples who founded their state on the territory of modern Ireland.
The most ancient image, reminiscent of something remotely an Irish dance, is the Celtic Sean – Nos performed by the Gauls, who lived on these islands in the distant past.
The first mention of dance movements similar to current modern dances dates back to around the eleventh century.
A little later, under the influence of the Norman conquerors, a completely different performance culture began to emerge - a group of people leading a round dance. And in palaces and balls, Irish dance began to gain its popularity in the sixteenth century.
A little later, about a century later, the first teachers of dance art appeared, thanks to which many types and varieties of modern contemporary variations arose. But at the same time, a terrible oppression of this culture began, so the performance of the dances was kept in strict secrecy. The church considered dance art to be obscene. Many historians agreed that the Irish dance acquired the characteristic motionless position of the hands on the belt precisely after Christian priests announced that dancing in this way was indecent and inappropriate, reminiscent of sacrilege or an invisible connection with a demon.
Modern look
Already in the nineteenth century, various competitions began to gain popularity in small villages and cities, the prize of which could be a large cake. The modern period in dance art begins at the end of the same century. The Gaelic League was created, which set a goal at all costs to preserve the Irish musical culture, which has been oppressed for the past one and a half centuries.
Dance rules were established in 1929, which appeared then by the Irish Commission, which operated in various competitions. As a result, the technique has changed significantly - modern Irish dances are performed on it to this day. In the 30s, women more often began to take part in productions and got the opportunity to teach in educational institutions where they taught dance art.
Solo performances
Many varieties and species have Irish dances. An amazing pattern of movements can be seen performed by solo dancers. They represent a real embodiment of a certain grace and lightness, but at the same time, energy and rhythm. For solo, both soft and hard shoes are suitable. It can look like lace-up ballet shoes or boots with heels, depending on who it is intended for (male and female).
How to dance an Irish dance, many dancers participating in competitions learn from childhood to the most diverse national melodies (rils, jigs, hornpipes) that they use for solo performances. They all have their own differences, but generalizing features - hands pressed to the sides and a beautiful posture with a fixed torso. This is done in order to pay as much attention as possible to the complexity and clarity with which the legs of the dancers move.
Sets
It is worth highlighting, as a separate category of solo Irish dances, traditional sets. They are performed in stiff shoes and represent a standard set of movements. As the Irish dance set is called, so is the melody to which it is dancing.
There is also an unconventional look of this style, performed under a slow motive by open level dancers. The set of movements may depend on the imagination of the teacher or the wishes of the performer.
Group dancing
This variety is distinguished by the fact that the dancers are standing opposite each other, thereby forming a square, mainly the famous quadrille. They are not originally Irish, so their movements can be present in various European styles. The differences between the dances are in the number of figures, which can vary from three to six.
In the 80s, this species became widely known to the public and began to be taught in many dance schools. Today, social group dances are performed at a very high speed and in some wild manner.
Kaley
This word, translated from the Irish language, literally sounds like "a fun holiday with music and dancing." At the beginning of the twentieth century, a new style of group performances was also called this term, which has survived to our time.
Kaylee decided to dance in soft shoes and, unlike the solo species, dancers use hand movements in him. The main thing in its execution is the full interaction of all partners.
Basically, this kind of dance is performed under jigs and riels. They include a different number of dancers: from four to sixteen. Variations can be very different, but often it’s two or four pairs of people standing opposite each other. All types of keili can be conditionally divided into linear (progressive) or curly. The former implies that all dancers stand in the form of one large and long line. When they dance the whole full cycle, they move to one position, respectively, they are already performing the next stage of the dance with a new partner.
The second kind of keilie is most often found at competitions or entertainment events. Various choreographic performances have led to the fact that this category of dances has become like real spectacular shows that have won the hearts of many viewers.
At the present time, Kaley can dance at various parties, people of different ages. And no matter in what manner and at what level they will be performed - a tremendous feeling of freedom of movement and perky rhythm will always arise in anyone dancing this dance.
