The Snarl Beneath the Smile

The snarl beneath the smile

With the World Irish Dancing Championships upon us, Bernadette Galbraith looks beyond the joys of Riverdance and into the competitive – and surprisingly cut-throat – world of dance.

Beyond the bounce in their curls and spring in their step, Irish dance stems way back into the mythical lands of leprechauns and fairies. Just like all of the great legends originating from Ireland that have arrived to us through old tales, Irish dancing is also said to have been passed on through word of mouth. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, legend has it that travelling dance masters spread the sacred word of the jig by teaching Irish people all across the country how to dance. Of course, with so many to teach and different methods of teaching, slight variations cropped up amongst the regions but it wasn’t long before the jig became an integral part of Irish culture.

Not only the dancing but the importance of music in Ireland made Irish dance grow in popularity throughout the country. Teacher of the McManigan Academy of Irish Dance, Nula Sullivan explains how the travelling dance masters were not only teaching a skill but also effectively bringing communities together once a week, “Some people would bring guitars, some would bring tin whistles or bodhrans and then other people would come with food and everybody would end up at the end of the night – the party or traditionally called a céilí – dancing.” Céilí (kay-lee) translates to a Scottish or Irish social gathering which generally involves forms of folk music and dancing. However, céilí dancing in itself is another type of dancing, a variation of Irish but it takes place in sets of teams as a way of engaging everyone.

As different types of instruments started to become introduced, such as the hornpipe or the fiddle, it brought a distinctive sound which became closely connected to Irish dancing. The hornpipe for instance, typically complements dancing with a hard shoe which displays the impressive, quick beats from the feet. This would have also been demonstrated at a céilí as those confident would occasionally break loose from the team to step up and bang out a few beats. Whilst you could have one without the other, that’s not what Irish dancing was about during this time. “Everyone would join in. That’s why sometimes when you see a céilí, they’d maybe have 8 players, they might be playing the same instrument but they all join in,” Nula puts emphasis on how the gathering as a whole was a vital element to society, “if they’re working all day in the fields or on farms, it is quite a nice lively night to get into.”

With much of traditional Irish folk music having a certain element of freedom to the melody, attention is placed closely on lyrics. This might mean leading the listener through a story or simply bringing a crowd together with a repetitive chant. In the same way that music is treasured, it may also encourage people to join together in a dance accompanied by the music. Aside from competitive dancing, you’ll find an element of spontaneity to these Irish traditions. There probably isn’t a plan and there’s almost never a rehearsal but amongst all that may be happening on the outskirts of their lives, people can find a happy space at a céilí with the freedom to jump up and let loose on the floor.

However, things weren’t always so carefree. One of the most noteworthy elements to Irish dancing which has caused great fascination, is the way in which dancers manage to skilfully keep their arms glued to their sides. This position is combined with a poised, rigid upper body and makes Irish dancing unique in style.

There have been various theories as to why this strict constraint of the body came into play. Some have alluded towards the Catholic church, which had and still has a great influence on many aspects of culture in Ireland. The home of Irish dancing shoes and accessories, Antonio Pacelli discuss this curious case on their blog: “Apparently the Church did not want boys and girls to hold hands. To stop this they made them hold their arms by their side.” Others believe there could be a simpler answer, “The foot work was deemed to be too tricky and too fast so they’d just focus on the foot work,” Nula explains how there wasn’t much time to even spare a thought for the arms. She elaborates by comparing this more relaxed style to Appalachian dancing, which extends even to the strong focus on the rhythm of the feet.

The level of accuracy to these theories may never be determined but there’s one man who against all odds, fought against orthodoxy. Storming onto the Irish dance scene at the rather late age of 11 years old, Michael Flatley didn’t waste any time in getting to work. By the age of 17, he took home a World Irish Dance title but it seems there was no end to his talents, also being a keen flautist, as well as an amateur boxer. It was in 1994 though, during the interval of the Eurovision song contest in Dublin, where Riverdance, together with its creator and star Michael Flatley, leaped onto the world stage.