Set dance is not River Dance!

When most Americans hear about my plan to come to Ireland to take Set Dance instruction, they think either of "River Dance" or their childhood experience taking "Irish dance" instruction. That is "Step Dance," characterized by young girls and, less frequently, boys dancing alone on a stage in elaborate costume, hair and, in the soft shoe, high on the toe or in hard shoe tap.  My father called this "jumpin and leapin." Set dance is much more informal.

Set dance is likely a precursor of square dance, although there is no caller and the footwork is more complex. It, like square dance, is influenced by French quadrilles arriving in Ireland in the 17th century.  Like most cultural evolution, the Irish added their own flourishes and regional influences. Early on, dances were taught by an itinerant "dance master" who usually stayed in a town for several weeks, teaching new dances and learning the local steps.  Dances are usually named for a particular town or region, but all involve a combination of swings, advance/retire and dance around movements.  This short video (2 min) shows a "figure" of a dance from the Connemara region.  Dances are made up of 4-7 figures and this is the first one of the Connemara dance, it will give you an idea of how much more informal set is as compared to step:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmkaWZ9ieGU

During the late 19th and early 20th century, this type of dance fell out of favor with the Catholic church in Ireland, which called it "lewd, licentious, immoral and unbecoming to it's flock." Dance was condemned. This attitude contributed to the decline of dancing at crossroads or in country homes throughout Ireland. This gradually changed, along with the Church's decline in influence and set dance has experienced a real resurgence since the 1980's.

My set dance classes start next week.  I am taking from the great teacher, Pat O'Reilly who teaches at The Glenside Pub in Dublin (picture).  I am so looking forward to beginning. See Pat's website at: www.ceili.ie.