For anyone who is Irish in heart or spirit, this next act is sure to please. An absolutely amazing performance! The dress is also stunningly beautiful, by the way…
The hallmark of Irish step dancing is the maintenance of a stiff upper body while the feet move quickly, even intensely, and with great precision. According to one old story, dancers used to take doors off their hinges and use them as improvised dance floors.
Such a tiny stage didn’t allow for any arm movement, hence the focus on the feet! The history of Irish dance is intertwined with that of traditional Irish music. More recently, the group Riverdance has brought step dancing to the attention of the whole world.
Riverdance began as an interval performance act at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest (held in Dublin that year, incidentally). The group’s seven-minute performance literally brought the live audience to its feet — and probably not a few of the 300 million people watching on television, too. Soon, Irish step dancing took the world by storm. Riverdance has brought its show to literally hundreds of venues.
In this video below, Nicola Byrne and Alan Kenefick lead the way, dancing a lovely duet. Drummers come onstage, adding more percussion and lots of intensity. Kenefick stuns the audience with a solo where he does some intense spirals of footwork.
The pair reunite and a whole group of dances appears on the stage behind them, massively increasing the beat. Everyone comes forward and they all perform a dazzling routine, the sound of their shoes needing no musical accompaniment. Their feet are the instruments! You’re not going to believe how the pace quickens.
We’ve posted the video below. After seeing it, you won’t be surprised to hear it has over 2 7million views on YouTube. Now get ready to watch, like and share so your friends can experience this beautiful and fast-paced music and dancing.
