History

Ok, here we go...

This is rather long, but it's worth it! I included in here information about the origins of Irish dance, how the first dancing schools and feisianna were started, how the dancing commission was started, and more. Hopefully, you'll have enough patience to read this!! :o)

Little is known about Irish Dancing before the 5th century, A.D. because Viking raders destroyed most books from this period, therefore, there are few written records about dancing. The artwork, though, has survived to influence the designs on Irish Dancing costumes.

The first feisianna are dated back to 1014 a.d. They were a combination of a trade fair, political gatherings, and cultural events, which included music, sporting events, storytelling, and crafts. But as time passed, the cultural aspect came to dominate feisianna, has continued through time to the present. Feisianna today have all but politics; music, dance, crafts, and trade (the vendors!).

The records of the mid-1500's contain a variety of dances the Irish did. The dances were the Rince Fada or Fading where two lines of partners faced each other, Irish Hey (possibly a round or figure dance), jigs (most likely in a group), Trench mores (described as a big free form country dance), and sword dances. It isn't exact whose dancing influenced whose between the Irish, English, and French, but it was characteristic that Irish dances had a faster tempo and included side steps. English suppression of Irish culture continued, now banning of piping and the arrest of pipers. However, Queen Elizabeth I said that she was "exceedingly pleased" with Irish tunes and country dances. Who isn't???

One of the most influential events on Irish dancing were the presence of dancing masters in about 1750, beginning a tradition that continues through today. Dancing masters were most likely to travel throughout a county, stopping for about six weeks in each village they passed, staying with a host family. The masters usually taught Irish dancing in farm outbuildings, crossroads, kitchens, or hedge schools. They first taught their students the reel and the jig. It is said that teachers sometimes had to tie a rope around a student's leg to distinguish the right foot from the left! (I think I need a rope! HA HA!!!) Besides dancing instruction, they also appear to have given fencing lessons, too!

Each dancing master had a series of dance steps, and he also created steps over time. It is called "Step dancing" because 8 measures of music is one "step", hence the name!! How smart!!! he he. Anyway, at the local feisianna, dancers would compete (so THAT'S how it got started!!! Isn't history cool?) against each other, winning under the circumstances of knowing more steps, not how well they did them.

The dancing masters created the first Irish dancing schools, describing themselves as such things like "artificial rhythmical walkers" and "instructor of youth in the Terpsichorean art." How about just "dance teacher"??? :o) The best known teachers were from counties Kerry, Cork, and Limerick.

In about 1930, an Irish Dancing Commission (Coimisiun le Rinci' Gaelacha) was founded to establish rules on judging, teaching, and competitions, and continues throughout today. Prior to these establishments, many variations in music, dances, rules of feisianna and costumes existed. Part of the impact of the Commission was standardization of competitions.

Before this, the stages used to be much smaller. People would use, doors (on the ground, of course!), table tops, and sometimes crossroads! Think of a table top, then think of Riverdance!!!!! wow! People would test dancing ability by dancing on a soapy table or the top of a barrel!!! As the stages became wider, Irish dancing changed a bit. The adjudicators would now subtract points if the dancers would not "use the stage", and dancing steps that needed more room became possible (like "flying leaps"...like Colin Dunne!!). The location of competitions also changed. Instead of barns and crossroads, the competitions were held in hotels, schools, and fairgrounds.

Are you still wondering why in Irish dance, the arms are held down at the sides of the body? Before, the arms were more relaxed and were even placed on the hips. But the influence of parish priests led to the lack of arm movement. Some say that stiff arms were less provocative, and others say that the Church was trying to increase the dancer's self control. However, hand movements are still occur in figure dances.

If you're still with me, I'm very impressed!!! This is the last part, so hang on! I recently heard that women didn't take part in Irish dancing, because it was not "ladylike" to sweat. (yeah, I know.... WHATEVER!!!) Therefore, women didn't get involved until the masters invented the "slip jig" especially for women. Traditionally, the arms were held with one stiffly down at the side of the body, and one upon the hip. So I just figured out, that when Jean Butler dances her first slip jig, The Countess Cathleen, that she's actually doing a traditional thing with her arms!! I thought it was just a show!

So there you have it! If you're asleep, wake up!! Sorry that took so long, but I hope you've learned something!