Stepping Out Into Faith

Hey Readers!

This is going to be my last post on Riverdance, but I want to leave you with something to think about in your own personal life. I hope this blog has expanded your view point on a different dance, just like it has for myself. As I said this blog was completed for a dance class done at Eastern University which is a religious school. As for my research it has said that Ireland is known as a predominately Catholic country and I want to be able to tie faith into this blog. 

The Bible, in 2 Timothy 1:7 states, "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." This applies directly to the beginning of Irish Riverdance by the fact that the first performance was just done as an intermission show. Michael Faltey and Jean Bulter took their faith in God and made a big decision to expand their show. They were able to step out into faith and to not be fearful in their new decision.

On a personal note, I wanted to share with all of you how much this presentation and World Dance class has impacted me. I have been able to be pushed outside of my own limits and boundaries. I feel more confident with movement of my body that I have before taking this journey. As well as building boldness in a very new subject. As a conclusion I want to tell all of you that I was able to step out of my own comfort zone and be confident that The Lord will provide the confidence in myself I will need to reach my goals.

Personal Reflection

Hi everyone,

I wanted to use my last post to take some time and reflect on what I have learned through out this project and my dance class. Before I do that, I wanted to say thank you for reading this and hopefully you learned some new things and were able to expand your thinking through my questions to you.


I have learned more than I expected about myself through taking this World Dance class at Eastern. This class has challenged me not only physically through dance but mentally as well. I tend to be somewhat of a perfectionist; I expect and demand a lot from myself on a daily basis. I am an Athletic Training major, which relies heavily on knowledge of sciences and the human body. These disciplines are mostly factual; we know what happens and what doesn't. The answer is either right or it is wrong, in most cases. In dance, I did well with certain dances that had more structure and certain moves and rules, but found myself struggling with the dances that were less about form or structure and more about creativity and emotion or improvisation. I found that it was not only difficult for me to let go of trying to be 'perfect' but it was very uncomfortable. I found that I got frustrated and ready to give up easily with things that I didn't get right away. Looking back, I am surprised at how much anxiety I felt just from not being perfect at something. It was a huge eye-opener for me. Aside from learning about myself, I also learned a lot about dance and culture, and how learning about something like dance and the 'why' behind people do what they do, really helps you understand and see things differently. When you get past the actions and the physical movements and learn the feelings and emotions behind them, it gets easier to appreciate and see the beauty in things you might not have seen before.

Through this project specifically, I learned so much about my own culture since I am part Irish. I enjoyed reading the articles I found about the young people from England who work hard everyday to remember their Irish culture, or the young Irish dancers who explained how Irish dance made them feel confident and powerful. Hearing young people talk so passionately about their culture or their talent gives me so much happiness. It is so easy to get lost in the empty, temporary "fun" that so many young people are involved in these days, like partying or worrying more about make up and clothes than their education. It is refreshing to hear young people talk about things that carry worth and meaning for a change. I truly believe God created us all with a unique purpose. Today there are so many distractions that can keep us from figuring out what that purpose is. From this project I have been inspired to do more things that make me uncomfortable, so that I can become better. I want to challenge myself more and be open to new experiences without feeling like I have to be perfect. I think these lessons and interventions will help me become the person that God created me to be.

Thank you again for reading, and I hope you have learned something about yourself too!

Rachael Loeb, ATS
Eastern University

Costuming for Riverdance

Irish step dance today is often associated with very elaborate costuming, particularly for the females. They wear ornate dresses that come to right above the knee, usually long or 3/4 sleeves, and socks that come to just below the knee. The shoes will vary from ballet slipper type shoes to hard clog-like shoes, depending on the type of dance. The dresses are bright and colorful with Celtic designs and rhinestones. Some females also wear wigs to add the classic Irish 'red, curly-haired' look. Excessive make-up, glitter and fake eyelashes are also considered the 'norm'.  The males usually stick to black trousers and a loose fitting button up shirt that may or may not have Celtic designs on it as well. This is a very modernized look, mostly used to competitions and shows. In the 17th and 18th century, the clothing was similar but not anywhere near as 'glitzy' or elaborate.

The art forms of sewing, weaving, crochet, and embroidery were very popular historically in Ireland, which explains the Celtic designs and patterns seen in the costuming. In 1539, Henry VIII issued a law that stated, “no person or persons . . . shall use, or weare any mantles,cote, or hood, made after the Irish fashion.” This law had a huge impact on Irish culture and their ability to express themselves. As a result, many Irish people had no choice but to wear what English people wore. Many people in Ireland were very poor, and so the 'peasant' look is often associated with Irish culture. I think this might be the reason for the embellishment in the costumes today. Since they were repressed back then, it makes sense that now they would want to make it very obvious that they are proud to be Irish.

In Riverdance, the costumes are not this elaborate. The style of the dress is similar, however it is tighter, more dancer or figure skater-like. They usually wear black tights instead of knee socks. They don't wear wigs, however they do usually curl their hair and add volume. The makeup is not elaborate. The dresses are usually uniform and one color, rather than adorned with patterns or embroidery. The soloist may wear a different color dress or may have slightly more embellishment to stand out. The males wear the usual black pants and loose fitting shirt.

The controversy here is, do these costumes have anything to do with Irish culture? Through my research, I think the answer is yes. I have read that those who are Irish dancers take pride in wearing these costumes and expressing themselves as Irish. They also say it makes them feel confident and powerful during competitions. I think anything that makes someone feel like they are expressing their culture or their talent and confidence is a great thing. No fact in history should deny someone that feeling.


Rachael Loeb

Churchill, Sarah. "A Challenge to Tradition: Examining the Role of Costume in Contemporary Irish Step Dance" www.academia.edu (2008) Web. 16 April 2015

Extras

Hey all!

This is my last post here on our Irish step dancing blog! To wrap us up I just wanted to talk about a few interesting facts that slipped through the cracks or just didn’t fit into a particular category easily.

First off, Irish step dancing was performed to welcome royalty to Ireland…so clearly it was viewed very highly and of much importance to them and done with much excitement and happiness. Female dancers would line the shores and dance in a line to welcome the king or other high-ranked leader, saving the “best” act for last – the fast paced couples dancing. On the other end of things, step dancing was more than just a time of excitement and happiness – it was done during a time of sadness as well. During funerals circles were made around the coffin and would take soft slow-paced steps around it full of mourning.

As I mentioned in my previous post, dancing was done more in secrecy for a time period. Even the aristocrats in Ireland would hide it, however they would dance alongside their servants in the coziness of their own home.

These specific events are interesting to me because through everything the Irish found a way to incorporate step dancing into their heritage and culture. It is so clear how important and crucial this is dance is to them. They welcome it with happy hearts, they sway sorrowfully with it, and they are willing to dance these steps with any person, despite their class or heritage.

We could all learn a thing about the Irish and their dedication to their heritage and their willingness to share it with anyone who is willing to listen. It has been a great time getting to know Irish step dancing more and becoming more familiar with their culture with you all! So like the Irish in their dances…let’s make every step count!

Lauren C

Engel, Hallie. "Interesting Facts About Irish Step Dancing." Entertainment Guide. Demand Media. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://entertainmentguide.local.com/interesting-irish-step-dancing-3205.html>.

Stepping into comparison

Hey Readers,

   Back again. But instead of more facts about the culture, tradition and heritage we have been researching, I want to go further to explain the differences between Irish step dancing and Irish River dancing. These differences are small and sometimes over looked.   However, they are important for people who come from an Irish culture.

   The main difference between the two forms of dance is the style of the performance. If you can recall from our previous posts about history and the origin of Irish Riverdance, it was an intermission piece. It was something to entertain the audience while sets or costumes were changed. This led to a more ‘Showy’ type of dance compared to a strict step formal dance. One aspect of the differences was the music. As Rachael had just discussed, the music differences between the two dances is a small difference. Nevertheless, just like she said, this troupe embellished the older authentic Irish songs to add more drama and enthusiasm to the performance.

   Now Readers, and classmates, there has been debate since the 1994 showcase of the Riverdance that it has changed the view of Traditional Irish dance. An article from Honors College of Western Kentucky University stated that because of exploring the new modern side of the Irish dance, it has changed how viewers see Irish dance, both River Dance and Step dance. The article also references many evolutionary changes the traditional dances have gone through to become what they are today. From ‘The Masters’ traveling to teach the youth about the dance, as well as the accomplishments of the tradition in the aspect of growth, Irish Step Dance is evolving into a modern version of the classic dance. The one main section of the research from this book that I enjoyed the most was that the authors gave the focus to the Irish step dance as the heritage of Riverdance!  They complimented how Riverdance took off, but it was to grow globally to give light to the tradition of the Irish.

Web. 15 Apr. 2015.<http://digitalcommon.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1241&context=stu_hon_these>.

Also check out our awesome classmates blog directly involved with Irish step dancing to get a better understanding of the difference in history! Their link is attached below!

 Irish Step Dance

The "heartbeat" of Riverdance

Among other things, music and dance have an enormous impact on what is called "cultural identity". Cultural identity is one aspect of how a person develops their sense of self, or in other words how the define who they are. In traditional Irish culture, music is one of the most highly regarded components of "being Irish". To illustrate this, music has often been referred to as the 'heartbeat' or 'pulse' of Ireland- inferring that music is essential to the life of an Irish person. This relation of music to a physical characteristic of a human body indicates that music and dance are not simply a hobby or a past-time, it's a way of life and a part of their identity that they would be incomplete without.

Traditional Irish music is usually about one thing- how beautiful Ireland is. Physically, Ireland is known for its green, lush landscapes and rocky shore lines. Much of Irish music is an expression of this beauty and how much it is loved. If an Irish song is not about how beautiful Ireland is, it is about other aspects of Irish culture or telling a story. There are many Irish stories/myths/legends that are passed down the generations through song. Some Irish music also refers to sadness, heart-ache, or hardships such as famine or losing a loved one. For the most part, Irish music is upbeat, fast and cheery music that people can dance to or sing along with and have fun.

I came across an interesting article (which I have cited below) that studied the effects of being a 2nd or 3rd generation Irish person who was born in England and how that affected their cultural identity. The article brought up the topic of authenticity; asking those who were not born in Ireland or don't have Irish accents or don't speak Gaelic can have such a strong connection with their Irish roots. I think this question relates back to my previous posts about Riverdance and it's authenticity to Irish tradition. The music used for Riverdance is based off of traditional Irish music with added instruments and embellishments to make it more "show-like" and dramatic. I believe that although the music used in Riverdance is not exactly the same as traditional Irish music, the fact that it is based off of it should be taken more as a compliment rather than an insult to Irish tradition. What do you all think?

Leonard, Marion. "Performing Identities: Music And Dance In The Irishcommunities Of Coventry And Liverpool." Social & Cultural Geography 6.4 (2005): 515-529. Academic Search Complete. Web. 15 Apr. 2015.

Stepping into the Shoes

Hey there Readers,

    This post is going to take a further look into the foot wear the dancers wear while performing in Riverdance. These shoes are unique in both the material from which they are made and way they are constructed so that they produce the signature sound that the dancers strive to achieve  from their feet.  Most of these special shoes are still handmade to this day in order to attain the perfect precision of fit and sound. The shoes were, and some continue to be, made of calf leather and metal nails. There are an increased flattened toe box and a metal heel for the intensifying click. Some important aspects of the shoes include the flexibility, durability and support.

         

    There are also two types of shoes. The hard shoes or ‘jig shoes’ which are best described to be the dancing shoe of Riverdance and the soft shoe which are called the ‘Ghillies or reel shoes or pumps.’ The soft shoe is a more form fitting shoe. The sole is much more flexible. Just the way Lauren had quickly described it earlier in one of our blog posts! The hard shoe is the more common one that we have described in the beginning of the post. Wide heel and toe box that produce a loud click and tick with each step and movement. The material has changed just a tad. There is less metal and more fiberglass material. What is very interesting is that there is no multiple type of hard toes shoes. They come in squared and rounded toed.

    The heel of the shoe is about two inches high! And when I mentioned that the toe box was flattened that is because some shoes have a fiberglass toe box which offers more support while the dancers perform the toe stances and jumps.

    However, these shoes are handmade and customized for each dancer.  Keep in mind these shoes take a very long time to “break in.” Some research even states that when the dancer is maintaining and breaking their own shoes in, the shoes look like they had been run over by a truck. Wow, it is incredible how precise shoe wear can be. The shoes cannot be to lose or the foot of the dancer would not have enough support. However, the shoe cannot be too stiff or the dancer would not have enough flexibility while completing the performance.  Dancers also travel with multiple pairs of shoes!

On the left below is a picture 

of what a hard shoe would look like.

On  the right is an example of the soft shoe.

                               

"Show Guide for Riverdance." — Popejoy Presents. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://popejoypresents.com/performance-guides/show-guide-for-riverdance>.

VanderWerf, Pamela. "The Different Riverdance Shoes." EHow. Demand Media, 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.ehow.com/info_12264166_different-riverdance-shoes.html>.

"Irish Dancing Shoes - Buy Irish Dancing Shoes on Line from Ireland." Irish Dancing Shoes - Buy Irish Dancing Shoes on Line from Ireland. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.fays-shoes.com/>.

-Shannon B

Religious and Social Side

Hey guys!

Today is all about history and the past of Irish step dancing. The church played a huge part of the popularity of this dance and how it was viewed socially. In my previous blog I mentioned a little bit about how the dance masters helped bring it out to the public and I will be mentioning more about them today, so keep your eyes our for that!

In the 17^th century the Irish culture was “under attack” in a way. The established Church denomination of England (Anglican) didn’t want Irish to believe or practice any religion or denomination other than their own. Because of this they created Penal Laws, which enforced their wishes causing the Irish to spend the majority of their lives underground and in secret.  The established church didn’t even want catholic children to be schooled, much less step dancing to be a privilege that the Irish could practice. During this time step dancing still continued, but obviously in secret…it was a source of comfort and release from the craziness and suppression going on around (or above) them.

The dance masters that I mentioned previously at this time came out of their shells and wanted the dance that portrayed their passion and kept their culture’s passion alive to be spread and not to be forgotten underground. They went to different towns and spread it to whoever they could without getting in trouble. They would even dance in secret places like kitchens of town members or in a corner of town – having the people around them to memorize or pick up whatever they could.

Eventually when the Irish weren’t so suppressed by the churches laws (The Penal laws were lifted in the 1920’s…just a little bit before women came out dancing from their place of hiding as well) the dance masters would all compete in festivals called, “feisianna”. They would be judged on who could remember the most steps and everyone around them would go crazy over this social event. According to the Nassau County, “In Ancient Ireland communities placed great importance on local festivals, where people could come together in song, dance, music, theatre and sport”

Dancing was something steady for the Irish during their time of secrecy and suppression. When they became free it was almost a celebration of the fact that no matter good or bad circumstances they have a reason to be joyful and to dance.

Until next time!

Lauren C

Kingsland, Arthur. "Irish Dancing." Sets, Steps and Ceilis: Irish Dancing. University of Newcastle. Web. 14 Apr. 2015. <http://www.unco.edu/AE-Extra/1999/2/id.htm>.

"What Is a Feis?" The Nassau County AOH Feis and Irish Festival. The Nassau County. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. <http://www.nassauaohfeis.com/about/history-of-the-feis/>.

Social Aspects & Culture

Fellow bloggers! Happy Monday!

In today’s post I am going to talk about some social situations that helped form Irish Step Dancing as the unique dance that it is. Buckle up because there is a lot of information hidden behind this beautiful dance!

In 1929 the Irish Dancing Commission was founded in order to judge people that considered themselves Irish dancers. There were competitions in which dancers were judged based on a system called “100-mark system”. This system was constructed in a way that all the points that each dancer received were placed into 4 different sections evenly – the dancers had to pay close attention to 1) their timing 2) their deportment/style 3) construction of their steps and lastly 4) their execution.

As far as the social aspect goes, the Irish dancing masters were in charge of that. Dancing masters were individuals (most likely male since it was before the 1930’s – like I mentioned in my last post women dancers came around in the 1930’s) that went around Ireland from town to town teaching anyone who was interested or willing to learn the steps to Irish step dancing. Not only did they try and include anyone they could…but they would perform for them as well. They would dance in confined areas for as many people as could see in a town. It was looked at as a talent to dance in small spaces, it was even looked at as an addition to the dance; if you step danced in a large area it took away from the authenticity of the dance itself. This is where the concept of dancing on top of a table came from – according to Celtic Dance Webring, the best compliment you could give a dancer was that, “they could dance on stop of a plate”!

Stay tuned guys, only a few more posts until we have an even better understanding of this beautiful dance!

Lauren C

Rozakis, Laurie. "Research Methods." Google Books. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. <https://books.google.com/books?id=aSru7XVwFa0C&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147&dq=irish step dancing gender differences&source=bl&ots=XAhPwEnwQ1&sig=29Izss1AOrEzBRZamu1AneEKH9s&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1hIrVaHxB4LUggSHvoP4DA&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=irish step dancing gender differences&f=false>.

"What Is Irish Dance?" What Is Irish Dance? Celtic Dance Webring, 1 Jan. 2015. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. <http://www.albee.org/celticdance/irishdance.htm>.

Gender Differences and Religious Background

Hey Everyone! Today we are going to talk about gender differences in Irish Step Dancing and how it is and was viewed in their culture. We are going to hint on how the church viewed it and the different (maybe not so different?) roles that men and women have during this dance! 

In the early 1920's it was considered indecent for Irish women (and most parts of Europe) to dance according to the Church, however by the 1930’s a flood of Irish women started coming out and showing the world the talents they possessed that had otherwise been cooped up. Because of this new “tight and poise” style that these women obtained, the stiff posture and upright position of Irish dancing developed. 

Men and women dance alongside of each other now which is a beautiful contrast and testimony that this dance can be performed by a diverse population, but at the same time their in-sync movements are very easy on the eye!

Irish step dancing is a little bit different than the Lord of the Dance performance that is often done by the same dancers. Lord of the Dance strongly promotes the difference between a man and a woman. The male dancers have, “strong, percussive, serious ‘masculine’ movements” while the females perform, “air-borne, light, playful, and ‘feminine’” movements. As far as Irish step dancing nowadays there is no real distinguishing factor between men and women as far as the dance movements themselves. They both have the same stiff upper body structure and fast paced steps and kicks. Their shoes or attire are one of the only things that differentiate between the genders.  The men always wear exceptionally hard shoes while women may wear the same hard bottomed shoes, but they also may sometimes wears shoes called ghillies which are softer, almost like ballet flats – it all depends on the dance.

This video captures beautifully how each dancer...male or female...step dances in sync with one another. They are partnered off to create a performance but their steps are completely in sync and even copied by one another at certain points! Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B718RsboGEI

Until next time, bloggers!

Lauren C

Rozakis, Laurie. "Research Methods." Google Books. Web. 13 Apr. 2015. <https://books.google.com/books?id=aSru7XVwFa0C&pg=PA147&lpg=PA147&dq=irish step dancing gender differences&source=bl&ots=XAhPwEnwQ1&sig=29Izss1AOrEzBRZamu1AneEKH9s&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1hIrVaHxB4LUggSHvoP4DA&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=irish step dancing gender differences&f=false>.

Vallely, Fintan. "The Companion to Irish Traditional Music." Google Books. Web. 12 Apr. 2015. <https://books.google.com/books?id=_xN1VS6sWsEC&pg=PA217&lpg=PA217&dq=gender roles irish step dancing&source=bl&ots=E95tbkhaFY&sig=LIAnWNP4kKyQDoaTm97JJle2sxo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=N1c