[Shoes] - Irish Dancers dance in two types of shoes - "soft" and "hard". For females, the "soft" shoes, or gillies, are slippers, similar to ballet slippers. They are black, and have nine loops on the front most part of the shoe. Extremely long laces are criss-crossed through these loops, then wrapped around the ankle and sometimes around the middle of the foot if there is enough left. For males, the "soft" or reel shoes are exactly like hard shoes, but without the fibreglass toe piece. Dancing in gillies is supposed to be light, airy, and performed on the toes. The "hard" (hornpipe/jig) shoes are heeled black leather dance shoes, similar to tap shoes. Instead of steel tips, dancers have fibreglass heels and toe taps that are wedge-shaped. The heels are approximately 1.5 in (7.5 cm) high. They are laced up the front with short shoe laces, and there is an ankle strap to keep the shoes on. Some jig shoes have metal shanks inserted in the sole of the shoe, but shoe makers are getting away from this trend and making "flexi-sole" shoes, because the shanks are so hard to break in. Dancing in jig shoes is supposed to be strong, rhythmic, and fast.

[See a picture of soft shoes] [See a picture of hard shoes]

Reel - (soft shoes) The Reel originated around 1750 in Scotland. The music is 4/4 time and it is danced at a relatively fast tempo (ONE-two-three-four). Both male and female dance the reel. For the females, it is a light and rapid soft shoe dance that allows for plenty of leaping and demands an energetic performance from the dancer. The male gender wears "Reel Shoes"-- like a hard shoe, only no fibreglass tips. They usually show off their high kicks and back clicks during a Reel.
Treble Reel - (hard shoes) Often a feis will include a special competition known as the "Treble Reel." Here, dancers in a single line display their best efforts in a competition matching boys and girls from multiple age groups. It is one step, both feet. The step usually consists of different manuevers to impress the judge. In some cases, the dancers themselves decide to do a simple "ending" where everyone does the same step. Usually, audiences are extremely enthusiastic in their appreciation for this exciting performance.
Jig - There are four forms of the Jig in Irish Dancing. There is the Light Jig, Single Jig, Slip Jig, (all performed in soft shoes) and the Hard or Treble Jig (performed with hard shoes).
    Light Jig - (soft shoes) The Jig is the well-known dance known to many people. Many people match the Irish "Jig" with Irish Dancing. The music is 6/8 time (the emphasis on beats in a jig is: ONE-two-three-four-five-six). Usually the first dance a new dancer learns in the "Light Jig."
    Single Jig - (soft shoes) The Single Jig is a dance with many slow leaps and turns. You can dance to the Slip Jig with "Pop Goes the Weasel" tune.
    Slip Jig - (soft shoes) The Slip Jig is the most graceful of Irish dances and features light hopping, sliding, skipping and pointing. Only females dance the Slip Jig. The Slip Jig is in 9/8 time (ONE-two-three four-five-six-seven-eight-nine).
    Treble Jig - (hard shoes) The Treble Hig is a rhythmic dance using the toe, heel, and ball of the foot. It is filled with front kicks, back clicks, and the dancer has to have the right "trebles." In this dance, the judge looks especially for timing.

Hornpipe - (hard shoes) The hornpipe began around 1760. It was originally danced exclusively by males in hard shoes, but now, both male and female compete. It is reported that the ladies of Cork were the first to brazenly perform the hornpipe in the male style. The hornpipe is in 4/4 time (ONE-and-a two-and-a three-and-a four-and-a). A notable feature is the frequent use of a rocking motion with the ankles.

[Set Dances] - (hard shoes) A set dance is performed to a specific tune which has remained set over time (at least during the 20th Century). Both males and females dance sets in hard shoes. Competitions begin at the level of "Open" because of the difficulty of the dances. Because the tune is always the same and the dancer knows the tune, adjudicators expect greater interpretation of the music. (In the jig, reel, and hornpipe competitions, the particular tune may vary depending on the musician.) The dances can be either in jig or hornpipe time. Sets contain two parts, the first is the "lead around" (from 8 to 16 measures), the second is the "set" (12 to 16 measures). Some tunes are more than 250 years old, but most of the dances are of more recent origin, developed by dance masters. Also, some of the tunes have accompanying words. Competitively danced sets come from an approved list of dances. Some are the "planxties" such as Planxty Drury and Planxty Davis. These tunes are over 200 years old, many composed by a blind harpist, Turlough O'Carolan (1670-1738).
Another group of set dances is related to Napoleon (Downfall of Paris, Bonaparte's Retreat, Madame Bonaparte). One reason for this may have been that the Irish looked to the French for help in overthrowing English rule around Napoleon's time. The list of set dances is long including The Hunt, Rub the Bag, The Humours of Branden (a humour appears to have been a drinking party at a particular place), The Piper through the Meadow Straying, Kilkenny Races, The Ace and Deuce of Pipering, The Three Sea Captains, King of the Fairies, Blackthorn Stick, The Drunken Gauger, and Hurry the Jug. Fairly often, a tune is known by more than one name. Tempos vary from the 60s to more than 100 beats per minute. Set dances are usually performed in a Championship Level.
A third group of sets are called "Traditional Sets." It includes dances named St. Patrick's Day, The Blackbird, Garden of Daisies, and Job of Journeywork. These are all very old tunes and were part of early Irish Dance history. Any level dancer can compete in a "Traditional Set Dance."

[Steps] - Many different school have many different "dance lingos." Although you may not refer to a rock as a rock, they are all basically the same thing. The steps have names so your teacher can say the words with the rythm. I have gotten to the point where I can almost learn a step without any movement from my teacher's feet -- just the words. Some teachers even hum music for their dancers "dum de dum de dum de dum.." Whatever your lingo may be, imagine without it. Steps do have names for reasons! :-) So, without further ado, the most common steps in Irish Dancing:
    Treble/Rally/Emerly - This step is basically what all hard shoe dances are make up of, trebles. They can be very quick and consecutive, or very slow. As you advance, you are able to do your trebles very quickly. A Treble/Rally/Emerly is a basic tap of the foot. With right/left foot, you bring it forward, do a shuffle, and bring it back with your heels turned in. Sometimes, after the first treble, teachers emphasize kicking your backside.
    1-2-3/Jump 2-3 - This step is most often in soft shoes, but it can be done in hard shoes. All a 1-2-3/Jump 2-3 is is a jump where you bring your right/left foot out, jump bringing the opposite foot to your backside, and then place your feet turned in doing a 2-3 (front, back) The numbers 1-2-3 show the amount of "mini" steps involved for that maneuver. In this case, a jump would be #1, the placement of the left/right foot to the front would be #2, and bringing the back foot down would be #3.
    Quiver/Double Downs - This step is most often done in the Slip Jig. It is when you bring your leg up to your knee and do a "double-down". You can hit your toe against your knee, or you can just beat it in the air closely to the knee.
    Butterflies - This step is most often done in the Slip Jig, but can be done in ANY dance. I personally do about 4 butterflies in my set dance! A butterfly is a move where you switch your two feet. The trick to a "good-looking" butterfly is to flatten both of your feet in the air. In the air, your two toes should turn in, then turn back out. In hard shoes, if you do a good butterfly, you can hear the two clicks.
    Flutters - This step is done in Reels and Slip Jigs, and sometimes in hard shoes. This step needs height, pointy toes, and legs together. Basically, you bring your front foot around twice. This is a VERY quick manuever and usually only advanced dancers can do them. Any advice for flutters -- practice them over and over.
    Toe Stand - This step is done in hard shoes. If you have "flexi" hard shoes, then you probably can do toe stands. If not, you have to first break the metal shank in the sole of the shoes, right at the innermost point of the foot when it is pointed. To do proper toe stands, your hard shoes need to be broken in to the point where they can bend in half (toe to heel). Then, all you have to do is go on your toes using the top of the fibreglass tip to balance yourself. Make sure your ankles are strong enough (your dance teacher can determine this) before you practice toe stands. With practice, this move can be very easy. You can also do variations of toe stands when you do rocks (explained below), turns, and walk 2-3s. These are all done with the toe stands.
    Leaps - This step is most often done in soft shoes. This is another variation of a 1-2-3 or a Jump 2-3. This step requires strength in the lower calfs, and height. To do a leap (watch Lord of the Dance-- see the Tempest's solo dance), you must have momentum and height. You do a jump 2-3, but before you go down, you hold the leg in the back and at the last moment, whip it out. Toes need to be pointy in both leading leg, and back leg. If you are able to do this, the step can look quite fascinating.
    Front Kicks - This step is done most often in hard shoes, to get the "click" effect. Front kicks can also be called front clicks. A front kick is basically where you step with your right/left foot, then swing up the opposite foot, and then immediately swinging up the other foot trying to get a click from the heels of the hard shoes. If you get your kick high, you are considered flexible. The front kick is used in many dances.
    Back Clicks - This step is done in hard shoes. This step in related to Michael Flatley's style of dancing. A back kick/click is the opposite of a front kick. You bring both feet to your back side and click them together. A high jump isn't required, but it gives it a better effect. Unlike front clicks, you can do back clicks while turning in the air.
    Stamps/Stomps - This step gets the best affect in hard shoes. The step sounds like its name, STOMP. All you basically do is bang your whole hard shoe at the ground turning your heals in. The stamp/stomp is used in a very popula figure dance, High Caulcap. At the end, the dancers do stomp-stomp "clap-clap-clap", stomp-stomp "clap-clap-clap"... and repeat it again after a side step. Sometimes this is the highlight of dances.
    Rocks - This step is fun :-) It is done in ALL dances. It is when you bring your two feet together, and rock side to side. Some dancers can do this with toe stands. They do a rock then go up on the toe, then they do another rock, and go up on the toe.

By Amy, with help from:
http://tigger.cc.uic.edu/~aerobin/irhist.html
http://home.us.net/~dconner/stepdnce.htm

[Benefits]
(as inspired from: About Irish Step Dancing)

Increases Physical Skills
Irish Dance helps dancers young and old develop body control and coordination. It creates strong leg muscles and nimble feet. Dancing is also a great aerobic exercise.
Increases Mental Skills
Dancers must listen to their teachers, follow their directions, memorize steps, dance to a beat. They also have to develop the ability to recognize, understand and fix their mistakes.
Increases Competitive Spirit and Goal-Setting
Feisanna will encourage the dancer's desire to do well and to dance to the best of their ability. In fields of sometimes over a hundred dancers,
Increases Self-Esteem
It helps to increase the dancer's confidence, develop a "stage presence".
Forms Lasting Friendships
Not only with classmates, but through performing and competing, Irish Dancers meet others from all parts of the city, state, and country.
Promotes Irish Culture
An American revival of Irish identity and tradition began in the 1960s, and widespread interest in Irish Dancing exploded with Riverdance in 1994. While a young dancer may not comprehend this particular benefit while training, this revival continues!

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