About Irish Dance
There are 6 different levels in Irish dance. Beginner, Advanced Beginner, Novice, Prizewinner, Preliminary Championships, and Open championships. Competitors will compete at competitions called Feises. (Fe-shis) Each feis is run by a different dance school. Other competitions include Regional Oireachtas, Nationals, All-Irelands, All-Scotlands, Great Britians, european Championships, and Worlds.(Note these are not the only major competitions) Each dancer will do these dances: reel, heavy jig, hornpipe, Slip jig, light jig, hop jig, a set piece-championships only(some set pieces are traditional, which is already made up, and others are temporary which means you/your teacher makes it up) and a ceili dance. Some competitions get creative and add a dance drama, etc. If you dance in Championships, you will do two of these dances, depending on your age group. (either heavy jig, and slip jig, or reel, and hornpipe)
Dancers will wear elaborate dresses. Some dresses are customized, others are second-hand. Dancers are known to wear wigs and shoes (either soft shoes-like a ballet flat or hard shoes like a tap shoe) dancers are also known to wear "poodle socks". To win, you must turn your feet out, arms by your side, etc. Irish dance is done all over the world and as you may know, some people even join Riverdance! If you switch schools, you are on suspension for 6 months.
Irish dances can broadly be divided into social dance and performance dances. Irish social dancing can be divided further into céilí and set dancing. Irish set and céilí dances are usually danced by formations (sets) of couples, often in squares of four couples. Irish social dance is a living tradition, and variations in particular dances are found across the Irish dance community; in some places, dances are deliberately modified and new dances are choreographed. Irish performance dancing is traditionally referred to as stepdance. Irish stepdance, popularized in 1994 by the world-famous show "Riverdance," is notable for its rapid leg movements, body and arms being kept largely stationary. Most competitive stepdances are solo dances, though many stepdancers also perform and compete using traditional set and céilí dances. The solo stepdance is generally characterized by a controlled but not rigid upper body, straight arms, and quick, precise movements of the feet. Go Inishfree! :)
The dancing traditions of Ireland probably grew in close association with Irish traditional music. Originating in Pre-Christian Ireland, Irish dance was later influenced by dance forms from the Continent, especially the Quadrille. Travelling dancing masters taught all over Ireland as late as the early 1900s.