Irish dances. Traditional Irish Dance Irish Dance

The first information about Irish dances dates back to c. From this time we have the first data on dance parties of Irish peasants, which are called feis, (pronounced " F Esh”), however, the description of the dances themselves first appeared in the middle of the 16th century. and was rather lengthy and obscure. The Irish dances described included group dances, which were divided into "long" dances (dancers performed movements standing in long lines opposite each other), "round" dances (performed figures standing in pairs in a circle), as well as dances with swords. It is not entirely clear which of the dances described at the time were actually Irish, and which clearly appeared in Ireland under the influence of French and Scottish dances. In any case, they were rather the progenitors of modern set dances and keili dances. However, all ancient Irish dances were characterized by a fast pace and side steps. Some dances were so popular that they crossed the sea and were adopted by the English. So, the often mentioned English country dance Trenchmore is the Irish Rince mor, that is, the “long dance” in a line.

Irish dances

During the English colonization, the persecution of all manifestations of Irish culture intensified. Punitive laws that were introduced by the British in the middle of the XVII century. forbade the teaching of the Irish to anything, including music and dance. Therefore, for more than 150 years, Irish dancing has been taught in secret. Dancing culture existed in the form of clandestine classes held in the villages by itinerant dance teachers (so-called dance masters) and in the form of large country parties where people danced in groups, often led by the same masters. Information has been preserved that at rural parties for a long time there was a custom to put "on patrol" at a distance from the rest of the dancers a smart dancer boy. Seeing the enemy, the boy had to make as many conditional movements as he saw soldiers on the road, and then the adults themselves assessed how dangerous it was for their occupations. Also, dance masters held classes in crowded pubs and simply in large kitchens, standing on a table or on the bottom of a large barrel.

The appearance of dance masters in the first third of the 18th century laid the foundation for the modern dance school. Usually dapper craftsmen, dressed in the latest fashion, went from village to village, stopping at one of the houses. Moreover, it was considered a great honor to give shelter to a dance teacher. The dance master was usually hired for a month. At the end of the third week, he was paid for dancing lessons, and at the end of the fourth week, the accompanying musicians were paid. Therefore, many dance teachers tried to combine the professions of a dancer and a musician, first showing the movements, and then accompanying their students on the harp or bagpipes, and later on the violin. Each teacher gathered students in a designated place and taught them simple "fashionable" dances from his repertoire. It was thanks to the masters of dance that the forms of jig and ril known to us appeared. All movements were combined in the dance into elements, each was designed for 8 measures of music and was called "step" or "step". Therefore, in relation to jigs and reels, which were originally taught by dance masters, and later also in relation to hornpipes, the term "step dancing" is used. It is important to understand that Irish "step dancing" was originally associated with "steps" - elements of eight measures, and not with "tap dancing" - kicks in hard shoes, which we usually understand as the word "step". Although, of course, such strokes are included in the "steps" of modern dances in hard shoes in the form of movements.

Irish dances

At that time, mass dances were regularly tried to be banned not only by the British authorities, but also by Catholic priests who were under the ban, but enjoyed great authority. They considered the movements of the arms and legs during the dance to be "lewd". Therefore, in the original, old school of Irish dance, the dancers kept their hands still all the time. However, some researchers say that the masters themselves introduced the requirement to fix the hands, primarily not because of the prohibitions of the church, but on purpose to complicate the dance and increase self-control and attract the attention of the audience.

The best of the dance masters at the end of the 18th century. began to establish the first dance schools, of which the best known were those in the South in counties Kerry, Cork and Limerick. There were famous schools in other cities. Each master could invent his own movements (jumps, jumps, turns). Different schools differed in the set of movements used in dances.

Often the dance masters of the old school held competitions among themselves, and the winner was the one who could use more steps and jumps in the dance than his rivals, and not the one who, say, danced more artistically or performed movements cleaner. And the loser, along with his school, had to leave the city or village where the competitions were held and make room for the winning master and his students. So the first dance competitions between masters served not only to identify the best, but also to divide the spheres of influence between schools.

At the beginning of the XIX century. in Irish villages and small towns, pie competitions also became popular. A large pie was placed in the center of the dance floor and served as a prize for the best dancer, who eventually "took the pie". The style of solo dancing that the dance masters brought was called Sean-nos or old school (manner). Solo dances remained the lot of the masters. The preparation of the best students took place during mass group dances, French quadrilles and cotillions rethought in an Irish way, which made it possible to involve many people in dancing, make new couples, and identify the best. Over time, each of the students, who firmly remembered the sequence of movements in the dance, could become an instructor himself. The rigidly defined sequence of steps performed served as the basis for group dances and the caylee dances descended from them during the creation of the Gaelic league of keley dances, which developed from elements of step dancing and French square dances.

Types of dances

Jig (jig)

Mentioned in articles on ancient history Ireland (two jigs - "The Kerry Dance" and "The Kesh Jig"). There are several variations of the jig: single (or soft), double (eng. double jig), triple (eng. Treble jig) and sliding jig (eng. slip jig). The musical size of the jig is 6/8 (the emphasis in the rhythm is on: one-two-three four-five-six). The size of the sliding jig is 9/8 (one-two-three four-five-six seven-eight-nine). Single or single jig - dance in soft shoes (soft shoe, ghillies, irish dancing pumps). Triple or treble jig - dance in hard boots with heels (eng. hard shoes). A sliding or slip jig is danced in soft shoes. The dance includes many jumps, pirouettes, swings. The sliding jig is mostly danced by women, but since the late 80s of the last century, a movement has been gaining momentum for the return of men to this dance.

Reel (reel)

It originated about the years in Scotland, and the Irish dance masters gave it further development(two reels - "Kelsey's Wee Reel" and "Miss MacLeod's Reel"). Reel time signature is 4/4. Reel is a "running" dance by nature. Reel is danced by both women and men. Women dance reel in soft shoes, men in special soft shoes with heels (eng. reel shoes).

Hornpipe (hornpipe)

Appeared about a year, from English miniatures (two hornpipes - "Ricketts" Hornpipe "and" The Ladies Hornpipe "). At first it was danced exclusively by men in boots with hard soles, but now it is performed by both men and women. They say that for the first time on a par with men, women began to dance it Irish county Cork... The musical size of the hornpipe is 4/4, reminiscent of a slow reel with an emphasis on the first and third beats (one-and-e two-and-e three-and-e four-and-e).

Irish dances in Russia and the CIS

Moscow
St. Petersburg
- School of Irish dance "Green Ribbon" (Peterhof)

Minsk
Kharkov

History of Irish Dance

The earliest evidence of Irish dancing dates back to the time of the constant movement of various peoples through migration and invasion of the territory of Ireland. Each of the peoples brought with them their preferred types of dance and music. There is very little evidence of the development of Irish dance in the most ancient history, but there is evidence that the Druids practiced "circular" dances to perform religious rites dedicated to the Sun and the Oak, signs of which are clear today.

When the Celts filled the Irish lands, arriving from Central Europe, they certainly had their own forms of folk dance. After the introduction of Christianity, the monks illustrated consecrated manuscripts with pagan Celtic symbols, and the peasants preferred to preserve the pagan spirit in music and dance. The Anglo-Norman conquests in the twelfth century respectively influenced the customs and culture of Ireland. Carol's music, popular among the Normans, was the following form: the soloist performed a song surrounded by dancers who echoed the same song to him. In the sixteenth century, written sources certify three main Irish dances:

Irish "Hey" (dancers circle partners)

Rinnce Fada (long dance)

Trenchmore (old peasant dance)

In one of the letters of the English representative in Ireland, Sir Henry Sidney, to Elizabeth I in 1569, there are references to girls performing an Irish jig in Galway. He wrote that they were very beautiful, splendidly dressed and danced first class. In the middle of the sixteenth century, dancers were invited to the great halls of newly built castles. Some dances were adapted by the English colonizers to be performed in the royal halls of Elizabeth, such as "Trenchmore" and "Hey". When the royalists sailed on a ship to the shores of Ireland, they were met by girls who performed an Irish folk dance, and three couples met King George III in 1780 in Kinsale (Cork). They stood in a row and held a white handkerchief. As soon as the music started, they moved out and formed separate pairs. At first, the couples danced with a scarf at a slow pace, then the pace increased and the dance became more and more energetic.

Irish dances were accompanied by music performed on the bagpipes and harp. In the households of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, the masters often joined with servants to perform certain dances. They danced even in the morning after waking up or during funeral processions, following in a circle to the sad sounds of bagpipes. In the eighteenth century, dance teachers appeared in Ireland. Mostly, they were traveling people, they moved from village to village and taught the locals the basic dance steps. The teachers were colorful characters, dressed in flowery clothes, and often had assistants. Many students could not, due to illiteracy, determine where the left or right foot was. To do this, the dance teacher tied straw to one leg, hay to the other leg and taught like this: “raise your leg with hay” or “raise your leg with straw.” Mostly, each teacher had his own area, and he did not encroach on other people's "dance" possessions. The level of performance of the most gifted students was very high, and solo dancers were held in high esteem. Often the doors were taken off their hinges, laid on the ground, and the dancer performed a dance on them. Arranged at fairs open competitions dances in which the competition continued until one of the dancers collapsed from fatigue. Several variations of those dances are still performed in different parts of Ireland. A rich heritage in the form of dance forms is carefully preserved and today they are known all over the world. Irish jigs, reel, hornpipe, sets, polkas, step dances. Solo dances and step dances appeared at the end of the eighteenth century.

Irish dance costumes

The costumes of the dancers today are only a reminder of the old dance costumes. Men in the past usually wore a highly buttoned waistcoat, tie, breeches, stockings and shoes. Ladies wore colored homespun ankle-length skirts and black bodices.
Each school today is distinguished by its original costumes. Most of the dresses are embroidered in the Celtic style, replicas of the famous Tara brooch, which pins a cape thrown over the shoulder onto the back.
Men's clothing is less decorated, but it has a rich history. Often it is a plain-colored kilt, a jacket with an intricately draped cloak on the shoulder. Shoes - for both men and women - heavy hard boots with heels for hornpipe, jigs, for reel - soft "ballet" shoes.

Irish dancing today

Today Irish Dance is a cultural symbol of the country and it is understandable that there are many dance organizations in Ireland that encourage dancing. Adults and children participate in separate competitions called "fesh" (feis, once the village dance parties were called) for valuable prizes. There are solo performances and group competition performances in which dancers are determined by age groups, from six years to seventeen years old, and groups of the senior category. In all four provinces of Ireland, qualifying competitions are held, the winners then participate in the all-Irish championship. The Irish Dance World Championship takes place in Dublin on Easter, and representatives from England, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand compete for the title of world champion.

Kaylee

The history of the Irish "caylee" begins with gatherings of neighbors for a pleasant time, with music, dancing and friendly conversations. Dance evenings were usually held on summer Sunday evenings when young people gathered at the crossroads. The music was performed by a violinist sitting on a three-legged chair with his hat turned upside down to collect donations. The violinist usually started with music for reel, but had to repeat the melody several times before the young people began to dance. But after a while the area filled up, and then the dancer could not stop.

In Ireland today there are many opportunities to enjoy Irish dancing. Informal dance evenings, "keili" sessions, when newcomers are shown the first steps, take place in large cities during the summer season, in which both the older generation and the youth take part with equal satisfaction. Thanks to the professional dance show Riverdance, the amazing Michael Ryan Flatley and his stunning Lord of the Dance and Dance Feet of Flames shows, today Irish dance is not just known all over the world. Students continue to come to dance schools in order to achieve the same recognition in the future as Gene Butler, Colin Dunn or Michael Flatley.

Irish dance group

Grade 8-9, second year of study

Topic of the lesson: " Traditional Irish dance: history, features, specifics.

Educational technologies:interactive learning.

Kind of activity: Irish dance in soft shoes.

Purpose of the lesson: Systematization and deepening of students' knowledge of traditional Irish dances.

Lesson objectives:

Introducing pupils to the musical traditions of the peoples of the world.
Unleashing creativity and pupils.

Educational tasks:

Developed and e creative independence of pupils.
Formation common culture l and personality of the pupil.
Developing the ability to work in a team and individually.

Didactic support for the lesson:

Musical accompaniment: traditional Irish music Reel, Light Jig, Slip Jig, Сross Reel, stage dance music.

Dance class.

Basic knowledge and skills: elements and combinations of Irish dance in soft shoes.

Lesson structure:Work in creative groups.

Lesson scenario

Part I: preparatory stage.

On the eve of the lesson, the pupils are divided into groups and receive buildings - to prepare material for a report on the types of traditional Irish dances in soft shoes, as well as on the history of Irish dance, its specifics and features.

Part II: "Revived History"

Teacher: welcomes students and guests, and announces the name of the event, talks about the team, participants and the topic of the lesson.

Masha: Dedicated to Ireland...

To this emerald island
The goddess brought people
And the female soul, fate,
And the path is thorny, difficult
Ireland got it that way.
And hundreds of years since then.
She fought and fought
And again gave life to people,
And took them to Tir-na-Nog,
And again she called for feats.
And fate gave us its chance:
At the very edge of the ocean
Behind the lush greenery of the meadows,
Look into the distance of her centuries,
To see the shadow of the events of old,
Hear the Celtic clang of swords
Druid magic of speech,
And bewitched by the goddess
We are eternal bards from now on,
O Eire, your beauty! (Author Dubkova O.)

Dasha : You can talk about the mythology of the Celts, about the Celtic languages and Celtic ornaments. Usually anything is hidden behind this concept, from "elven" dances to American tap dance, stylized as Irish. There are many interesting national dance traditions - Breton, Scottish, Irish. By and large, they are all Celtic dances. But very, very different. There are different "traditional" (with a well-established set of movements and strictly defined music) dances, so there is also a division into "individual" and "mass". Irish dances are dances in soft shoes (solo and group) and hard shoes (solo).

Nastya : Irish started dance move in our country - from copying the movements that could be seen on the cassette. When meeting with professional teachers, the surprise of realizing that how to dancing was great. Unfortunately, even being a talented and experienced choreographer, one can not consider the subtleties that make up the essence and technique of dance. You can copy the bindings, but get only styling. The similarity of many movements with American tap and classical ballet is very misleading.

Masha : Irish dances involve differentmuscle groups , which in ordinary life rarely used. Even professional dancers need some time to work out the technique and “turn on” the necessary muscle groups, let alone amateurs. Help to evaluate your capabilitiesfeshies - Irish dance competitions, in which dancers from different countries participate.

Diana : Feis - festival of Irish culture, with competitions indancing , language, with a musical program and exhibitions. But most often it is a dance competition that is called fesh. Competitions are held in the categories: solo dances, sets, keley, figure dances in the author's choreography and "dance drama" (implying the presence of a plot).

Pauline : business card Irish dances - reels, although this Irish dance came from Scotland, judging by the references in the literature, only at the end of the 18th century. The Scottish reels quickly took root, but were transformed into the Irish manner and began to differ from the original source. Reel - as a rule, a very lively melody, under which one is drawn to start dancing. Ril goes back to the ancient hey or hay dance, which existed as early as the beginning of the 16th century. There is a version that the dance imitates the movements of a deer.

5 pupils perform Lead around and the first two steps of the traditional Easy Reel dance as a demonstration of the above.

Anya : Men rarely dance slip jigs at competitions, this is a women's dance. Although there are exceptions at feshas, and for teachers, the performance of any dance is a rule. Slip jig (hop jig, aka "sliding jig") is a dance that is performed to the music on 9/8. This is an exclusively female dance, which is why Irish folk dances are sometimes called "Irish ballet" - for graceful jumps and glides. Slip jig has long been a pair dance (in pairs - a man and a woman). If one couple danced, then it was a "round" dance, if there were several couples, then the couples stood in a line, and changed places in the dance.

4 pupils perform Lead around and the first two steps of the traditional dance Slip Jig.

Lera : jig - this is the word that comes to mind when referring to Irish dances, which is not surprising - this is the most ancient type of dance. There are several jig, the division depends ontime signature and the nature of the dance: simple or single (single jig), heavy jig (double - double jig and triple - treble jig) and slip jig (slip jig). The word "jig" comes from a common Germanic root meaning "repetitive movements".

Nastya : all these beautiful words - jig, reel, hornpipe - first of all time signatures, and only then - dances that are performed to the appropriate music. So it’s quite possible to sing and play reel, jig, and hornpipe, and not just dance. In addition, it is possible to combine different sizes in one dance, this is typical for group dances.

8 pupils perform three steps of the traditional Light Jig dance.

Alyona : a beginner dancer meets a lot of terms: jig, reel, hornpipe, keley, set, step, fashion ... Irish dances are surprisingly democratic in the sense that they provide an opportunity for self-realization for both inveterate egoists and collectivist enthusiasts. Solo dances - an opportunity to show personal abilities, group dances (ceili, figure, group set dances) - a great chance to practice in creating an effective team.

8 pupils perform the traditional Cross Reel dance.

Olya : who were the Irish dance teachers? Professional dancers traveled all over the country, staying in one place from nine days to six weeks. They were always accompanied by a piper or violinist. The master looked impressive: he usually wore a "Carolingian" hat - a voluminous soft-brimmed hat, a tailcoat with tails, narrow breeches to the knees, white stockings and "ball" shoes. In his hands the master held a cane with a silver head and a silk tassel. Dressed in this way, the master occupied a position higher than his piper or violinist, all local residents, and especially students, should treat him with respect.

Zhenya : the master considered himself a true gentleman, and behaved accordingly.
The arrival of a professional dancer was a real event. Usually he negotiated with the farmer and rented a building or a barn from him, in which classes were held. If the farmer had enough space in the house or barn, the teacher himself settled there. In return, the teacher gave free lessons farmer's children. If there was no place in the courtyard, the students took turns letting the teacher spend the night. There is evidence that sometimes teachers had to resort to the "hay-straw" technique - tying them to the feet of the students so that they could distinguish the left foot from the right! To explain the correct rhythm and sequence of steps, teachers had to compose rhymes such as these simple lines: "Step-jump, do-step-jump, swing-pike and turn."

Nina : the dance master, as a rule, was a bachelor; he did not have a permanent home and traveled from house to house within a radius of twenty miles. The glory of the master was not only and not so much the actual virtuoso performance, but the ability to compose dance steps. This skill was guarded by the master with the greatest care.
Even now, the status of a dance teacher is largely determined by his ability to compose new dances.

Kate : With the advent of teachers in Irish dancing, solo performances began to flourish. For two hundred years, teachers traveling around the country have had a huge impact on the development of Irish dance. It is to them that Irish figured and solo dances owe their existence. Thanks to their enthusiasm and dedication, despite all the difficulties, the foundations of Irish dance, as we know it today, were laid.

16 pupils dance the stage dance "Shamans".

The teacher says final words thanks all the participants.

In Ireland, there is a belief that the hills are the gateway to another world. A world inhabited by fairies (faeries). It is not uncommon for people and hill dwellers to meet. And always such meetings promise something unusual. Often, following the charm of the fairies, people follow them to a magical land, and return after many, many years, being already very old people. Those who did not succumb to temptations, or earned the gratitude of the fairies, acquired all sorts of interesting abilities and, of course, a reliable assistant. But none of those who saw the fairies remained the same.

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With regard to dance, we can say that no one who has seen Irish dance remains the same. And the Irish dance itself is often called the “dance of the wondrous people”. Light, unearthly jumps, gliding steps, swift throws and leg overruns, combined with a calm body, make a mesmerizing impression. Not the usual combination of pride and mischief, dignity and temperament!

The history of the Irish national dance reflects the events that took place in Ireland itself, starting from the 20th century BC, and ending with the 20th century of ours - the migration of peoples and the invasion of conquerors, the change of religions ... Each culture that the Irish came into contact with contributed to their dance tradition. Although today there is only a vague idea of the most ancient stage in the development of Irish dances, it is known that the Druids were the first to perform them. Initially, the dance had a ritual meaning: they were performed, praising the sacred trees and the sun. Coming from the mainland to Ireland, the Celts brought with them religious dances, some elements of which have survived to this day.

The oldest type of Irish dance, which has survived to this day, is called Sean-Nos. It traces its origins to the Celts who lived in the British Isles from 2000 BC. and up to 200 AD. Ancient chronicles testify that this dance is of Irish origin, although sailors from distant lands, North Africa and Spain, who visited local ports, for example, in Limerick, brought their national features to it. Sean-Nos competitions are still held today. This dance is most popular in Western Ireland.

In about 400 years, after the conversion of local residents to Christianity, Catholic priests continued to widely use elements national culture in their worship. Holy Scripture was decorated with Celtic archaic ornaments; Celtic rituals and dances accompanied Christian holidays. In the 12th century, on the wave of the Anglo-Norman conquest, Norman traditions, customs and culture came to Ireland, including the most popular dance of the time, Carol. The leader of the party in Carol stands in the center of the circle and sings a song that is picked up by the dancers surrounding him in a round dance. Carol's style greatly influenced the development of Irish dance.

TO XVI century three main types of Irish dances are already mentioned in the chronicles: Irish Hey, Rinnce Fada and Trenchmore. One of ancient descriptions national dance is contained in a letter from Sir Henry Sidney to Queen Elizabeth I, who was "very impressed with Irish melodies, as well as dances." Sydney described his observations of people dancing in the clearing, noting that the participants were dancing in two lines. This suggests that an English knight saw an early version of the Rinnce Fada dance.

By the middle of the 16th century, folk dances migrated to the ceremonial halls of palaces and castles. Some of them, adapted in the English manner, gained popularity at Her Majesty's court. Among them was the Trenchmore, a variant of an old peasant dance. Around the same time, Irish Hey gained popularity.

Due to the oppression and persecution of Irish culture, which began in the XVIII century, national dances for a long time performed only under the cloak of strict secrecy. A proverb of that time says: "The dancer dances until he returns to the village." Moreover, folk dances were strongly condemned by the Christian church. The priests called them "mad" and "bringing misfortune." Some historians believe that the characteristic motionless position of the hands on the belt appeared in Irish dance after the church declared the movements of the hands obscene.

In the 18th century, “dance teachers” appeared in Ireland, with whom the era of the revival of dance traditions is associated. It is not known where this movement first originated, but it played a decisive role in the preservation and development of ancient customs. Teachers wandered around the villages, teaching dances to local peasants. The dance teachers were dressed in bright National costumes. Often they arranged competitions with each other, which usually ended only when one of them collapsed in exhaustion. Many dance teachers also taught the game on musical instruments, swordsmanship or good manners.

Varieties of Irish dance:

Solo Dances

Solo dances were developed by dance masters in the last quarter of the eighteenth century and have since continued to develop in both physical and artistic aspects. Today they express the greatest freedom of expression, excellent mood, a true combination of splendor, lightness and power of movement, achieved by years of hard work. Irish solo dances in their modern form include jig, hornpipe, reel and set dances.

Jig (The Jig)

As a solo dance, the jig can be performed in various forms: Slip (The Slip Jig) or hop (The Hop Jig) jig is currently danced exclusively by women, but until about 1950, competitions were held for this dance among both men and pairs. The slip jig, danced on 9/8, is the most elegant and graceful dance performed in soft shoes and highlighted in the ”Riverdance” show. The Single Jig is currently performed as a light dance (no beats or sound) on 6/8 and on rare occasions on 12/8. Double jig (The Double Jig) can be danced as a light dance (in soft shoes), and in hard shoes with rhythm tapping. If it is danced with stiff shoes, then sometimes it refers to The Treble Jig, or The Heavy Jig, or The Double Jig, which are danced on 6/8. The Heavy Jig is the only one that is danced exclusively in hard shoes, so that the dancer can especially emphasize the dance with sound and rhythm.

Hornpipe (The Hornpipe)

In Ireland it is danced quite differently and has been performed in 2/4 or 4/4 music since the mid-eighteenth century. It is danced in hard shoes and is one of the most popular Irish dances in the world today.

Reel (The Reel)

Most of the reel steps are performed under the double reel, while single reel melodies are used more for simple steps used by beginning dancers. They are performed to 4/4 music and danced in soft shoes. The treble reel is danced in hard shoes. While it has become quite popular around the world with audiences who have seen "Riverdance" and other Irish dance shows, it is rarely (if ever) performed in competition. This dance, with its fast rhythmic beats and spectacular movements, enthralled millions of viewers around the world when it was first performed as the number "Riverdance" during the Eurovision Song Contest. It can be said that in a few minutes this performance turned everything in Irish dancing upside down and provided them with more public recognition and respect than in the previous seventy years. The treble reel style gained popularity through the efforts of The National Folk Theater (Siamas Tire) under the artistic direction of Rev. Pat Ahern and teacher Patrica Hanafin of Tralee.

Solo Set Dances

Set solo dances are performed in hard shoes to special set music or excerpts of dance melodies, and many date from the mid-nineteenth century. Set music differs from the usual jig or hornpipe in that the latter strictly correspond to the 8-bar structure. Set melodies usually consist of two parts, which are divided by dancers into “the step” (the first part) and “the set” (the second part), while both the step and the set may not correspond to the 8-bar structure. In a set dance, the performer dances to a strictly defined music, so that the movements and rhythm of the dance exactly match the accompanying melody. Below are some of the solo set dances: On 2/4 - The Blackbird, Downfall of Paris, King of The Fairies, The Lodge Road, Rodneys Glory. On 6/8 - The Blackthorn Stick, The Drunken Gauger, The Three Sea Captains, The Orange Rogue, Planxty Drury, Rub The Bag, St Patrick's Day. On 4/4 - The Garden of Daises, The Hunt, Kilkenny Races, Madame Bonaparte, The Job of Journeywork, Youghal Harbour.

Keilis (Ceilis - Irish Group Dances)

Keili dances are group dances that are performed both in competitions and at ceilis (a type of social dance, dance party). Keili are a collection of dances with different formations - round dances, long line dances and long column dances. Thirty of them are described in the first, second and third parts of the Irish Dance Commission's An Rince Foirne, and knowledge of these thirty dances is a prerequisite for becoming an Irish dance instructor. They are danced in the same way throughout the worldwide "Irish" dance community, with minor local variations. Dances performed during ceilis and competitions may vary slightly, as good example can be brought by the square to the Fairy Reel. The most common dances in competitions are 4-hand and 8-hand jigs and reels.

Social Group Set Dances

These dances, known as sets or half-sets, are derived in their variety from square dances, dances in which couples stand opposite each other to form a square. The quadrille was very popular in Napoleonic Paris. The victorious armies of Wellington became acquainted with them and then introduced them into use in England and Ireland. Dance masters adapted these dances to the already existing traditional steps and accelerated the pace to the usual reels and jig. Differences existed in the number of figures, the number of which ranged from three to six, while initially there were five. In the original quadrilles, the presence of five figures was determined by the music on 6/8 and 2/4.

Group dances were practically eradicated in the first seventy years of the twentieth century, as they were considered foreign by the Gaelic League. IN last years set dances such as the Kerry and Clare sets returned to the Irish dance arena and became quite popular among middle-aged people.

Since these dances are not typically Irish, a similar dance style and detailed steps can be found in many European countries, especially in Russia. Today, group set dances are often danced at a very high speed and in a wild manner bearing no resemblance to the original sets, which are characterized by strict discipline and good manners determined by their character (sets).

Today, Irish dancing has conquered the whole world. Dance schools attract many students not only in Ireland itself, but also in many other countries. Irish dancing has become popular everywhere. Four major competitions are regularly held - the American National Championship, the All-Ireland Championship, the British Championship and the World Championship. By tradition, the World Championship is held in Ireland, and thousands of dancers come to it, for whom a worthy result at the championship can be the beginning of a stellar career. For example, in 1998 the World Cup, held in Ennis (Ennis), brought together three thousand participants and another seven thousand coaches, teachers and fans.