Dancers_Stories

Where the Girls Are
A Look at Irish Dance From a Mans Perspective

by Michael

"I must be in the wrong class".
This was my first thought when I entered the high school gymnasium for my first Irish Dance lesson and found approximately twenty-five young ladies milling about. There was not a man among them.

Although raised in a sub-culture where a hot car, accurate rifle and the ability to power-chug a beer were considered important and impressive qualities, I was not unfamiliar with Irish dance.

In spite of my upbringing, I always gravitated toward the Irish; I loved their music, their customs, their culture and, of course, their dance. Unlike many people in those pre-Riverdance days, I had personally witnessed Irish Step Dance. So awed was I by the intricate footwork and the blending of power and grace that I never even bothered to imagine myself doing it.

When I reached my forties, however, I began making a conscious effort to finally do those things I had always wanted to do but could never seem to find the time for; Irish Dance was high on that To Do list. I found a continuing education brochure advertising a four-week introductory course and signed up immediately. My assumption was that the class would be fairly evenly divided among the sexes so, when I arrived, I became convinced I must have misread the advertisement, failing to notice the line that read, Women only. The fact that the teachers -a mother daughter team - were also women only served to increase my unease. I wasn't outnumbered; I was in the wrong place!

My gender didn't seem to inspire any particular interest or consternation, though, and eventually I began to feel not quite so out of place. We walked through a few basic solo steps then formed up into teams to try our hand at what I referred to as Irish Square Dancing. It was here that I learned the advantage of being a male dancer in a female-dominated arena: I had no shortage of partners and there was never any discussion as to who was going to be the boy.

For a few weeks we practiced our simple steps and struggled with the unfamiliar ceili dances but I never saw anything that made me want to continue past the end of the course. Not until the final class, when the teacher brought one of her adult students with her to assist. She wasn't much of an adult in my eyes, being a mere 22 years old. What did impress me was the fact that she had been dancing for only two years. This first put the notion in my head that you really didn't need to start at age seven to become somewhat proficient. What hooked me was watching her dance. During our break, while the rest of us sat against the wall, sweating, gasping and gulping water, she stepped out onto the gym floor and started casually dancing to the music. I was once again thrilled and awed by the steps; I knew I had to learn to dance like that.

Before the end of class I signed up with the school and began taking regular lessons. I was pleased to find I wasn't the only guy there, but I was one of a very few. It still surprises me that more men aren't involved in Irish dance, especially considering the perks. First of all, the scenery is much better from my point of view, and I never have to fudge around with wigs or tiaras or sock glue. I'm never without a partner and I have had the privilege of dancing in more than my fair share of shows and competitions simply because they needed a man to fill out the team.

The only downside I can think of in being a male Irish dancer is I feel I have to uphold the honor of my gender. It's bad enough to be singled out as the only guy in the group, but to be singled out as the worst dancer as well simply will not do. I therefore tend to put a lot more pressure on myself than I should. Aside from that, I enjoy the notoriety that comes with being a male Step Dancer. Most of my friends, both male and female, are impressed by the fact, and I am, thankfully, no longer at an age or a member of a socio-economic class where I am in danger of being beaten up or called a Nancy-boy because of my unusual pastime.

Still, there are times when the fact is best left unspoken, for some continue to enjoy equating everything outside the realm of football, stock cars and beer with an effeminate nature. I have no elegant response to that, but one fellow dancer, while being ribbed about this activity, had this to say: "Yeah, so I dance. And what to you do? You play golf. You spend all day hanging around with a bunch of middle-aged men. I spend all day dancing with beautiful women. Figure it out".

My Discovery of Irish Dance as an Adult

by Belinda from South Africa

Well, now, that's quite a story. My Mom, who lives about 600km from where I do saw this television show and phoned me the next day to see if I too had watched it. Unfortunately (for me) I had not. It was the "Royal Variety Performance" segment of Riverdance, which had caught her attention. Well, she raved about this show and eventually it was rebroadcast and I was threatened with my life if I didn't watch it, or at least tape it! Needless to say I watched (and taped) the show! Over time I taped some more excerpts from various shows, and my tape is now over two hours long!

Thereafter, I would haul out my tape every so often, and watch from beginning to end staring in fascination at the dancer's feet! At the time I was in my (very) late 20's and figured that even if they DID have Irish Dancing in my country (which I doubted) then I would probably be too old to start now. Boy, was I in for a surprise!

I went to visit my Mom just over a year ago, I still remember it was Easter time and there were lots of 'beach events' going on at the time. One of those events was a young troupe of Irish Dancers (much to my surprise - there was Irish in my "little" backwater country!). The local radio station had sponsored this particular event and shortly thereafter they had an interview with the Irish teacher. Well, didnt she proceed to announce that she had a student in her sixties. All of a sudden, I realised that maybe I wasn't too old! That was great news, but now to find a teacher in my area!

First, I thought I'd get hold of the organisers of the Easter beach events, who, I was sure, would be able to give me the local numbers, who in turn, would be able to give me a number for where I now live. Unfortunately, that was not to happen. When I contacted the organisers (and they actually answered the phone), the chap who had dealt with the Irish dancers was not in! Nor was he in any of the other times I phoned. That's South Africa for you though! So, I was afraid that my search had been fruitless.

Then, some time later, I was doing "the community bit" and I went to a 'Friends of the Library' meeting (this is now about four months later). While we were all introducing ourselves, the one guy said he ran a local community theatre and amongst others, he had an Irish Dance troupe that performed there. Well, that was me if you ask me now what was said in the meeting I probably couldnt tell you. All I was interested in was how soon the meeting would end and I would be able to corner this guy and extract all the "Irish information" from him.

After the meeting, I rushed over, but I was to be thwarted in my endeavours to speak to him immediately! He (much to my disgust) knew a lot of the people at the meeting and everyone wanted to chat to him about various things. I bided my time and eventually there was a gap! Brilliant! So, I asked him about this Irish teacher (I didn't even bother re-introducing myself, there were more important things at stake here!). Foiled again! He didn't have the teacher's phone number! All was not lost however, he did know where and when she practised! On Wednesdays and Fridays, between 5pm and 7pm. It was Wednesday, so I couldn't go that night, I would have to wait for about 48 hours! The anticipation nearly finished me off!

THEN, my memory did me in. (by this time I was already 30!) I couldn't for the life of me remember whether he'd said between 5 & 7pm or between 7 & 9pm! I decided that I would go at about quarter to 7, that way if the class was just finishing, I could watch a little bit and speak to the teacher and if the class only started at 7pm, then I wouldn't have long to wait before they arrived. Needless to say, I only got to watch a few minutes of practice and then I chatted to the teacher, Jackie. And no surprise, she's younger than I am. Fortunately (for me) I really don't have a problem taking instruction from younger people (as long as they know what they're doing). I found out the (correct) times and price and I started the next Wednesday - I've never looked back. I bought my soft shoes the next weekend, so I really was all set!

I now cannot imagine my life without my Irish Dancing, I love music, the "unusual" steps, the heritage, the everything! At work, if I've got a few moments, I'm surfing the Net trying to find more information; stretches; exercises and anything else interesting. And that is how I discovered the Irish Dancing Jewels page within the Celtic Caf� and since then, the even more exciting addition of the Irish Dancing Jewels website! What a pleasure.

Although I've never competed in Irish (yet), I have been in a few shows, which my studio has put on. Our biggest yet (well, since I've been dancing) is coming up on 27 July 2001, where we'll be dancing for a full hour! I've only been dancing Irish now for almost a year and am loving it more and more each day. I was lucky enough to go into hard shoes after a few months and absolutely adore hard shoe now!

I must admit though, dancing with youngsters is both interesting and challenging! The next youngest in my class is a 22-year old guy and the rest are between 14 and 18! The youthful "politics" are somewhat "strenuous" though! Our next challenge is to choreograph a new and original "Madiba Slip Jig"!

My Discovery of Irish Dance as an Adult.....

By Melyssa

The moment is vivid in my mind, I was still living out in the middle of nowhere (aka Oklahoma USA) and trying to get my baby to sleep. I watched a lot of late night TV back in those days, and it seemed like David Letterman was a close personal friend. I would watch the talk shows and fall asleep in the recliner; while rocking Ryan to sleep... usually I would doze off with him in my arms, and wander into my bed a few hours later.

I sat down to nurse the child that I had nicknamed "The little leech" and turned on the TV. After flipping through channels of farm reports and tornado warnings, I found myself back with my old friend David. I sat through an interview with some mindless celebrity, and then another
interview with another mindless celebrity. Not knowing that my life was about to change, I started to doze off when the musical act came on.

Out on the stage was a line of dancers, in total unity. I had taken years and years of tap class as a child, but this was nothing like I had ever seen or done before. These beautiful dancers were dressed in all black, and not moving their arms at all, and they held their feet funny. Then the line of dancers parted, and the most beautiful woman, and sexiest man to ever walk the planet came out and started dancing together. It built up into a spinning crescendo of music and dancing, and I had the strangest feeling inside me that I had to learn how to do that... Not that it was practical, I was living in a very backwards part of the country, and about 80 pounds overweight. Even thought it was not possible at the time, I promised myself that one day I would be able to dance like that.

3 years later, and 80 pounds lighter (280 pounds if you count the *ex* husband) I was living back in San Diego. I hadn't forgotten the promise I had made. I mentioned to a friend that I wanted to learn Irish dance, and she told me that the dance studio that her daughter danced at offered a lot of Irish dance classes. I didn't realize it, but I had stumbled onto an incredible school, run by an incredible dancer... My friend brought me a schedule, and 3 days later, I was taking my first class.

My first class was an experience in the surreal. I showed up at a dance studio, and proceeded to be tortured by a group of dancers called "The Kiwi's". They were a group of dancers from New Zealand, who were about to go on tour with Liam and the school troupe. A girl with a thick accent came over and taught the group of first timers how to do their 1 2 3's. We had no stretching or warm-ups, we just went at it. I was hooked! Even though I couldn't walk for 3 days, I couldn't wait to go back.

That was over 2 years ago, and so much has changed. I can barely remember life before Irish. My children both dance with me now, and my favorite dancers will always be Jean Butler, and Colin Dunne. I still look back at my first experiences with a smile, when I remember the magic that I first felt.

My Discovery of Irish Dance

By Tiffany

"But why mother?!" I screamed over the telephone.

"Because we do not have the money to give you." My mother said.

I ended the conversation and hung up the phone. I was five hundred miles away at college and disheartened.

My late grandfather had saved for my tuition to college since I was born. However, the Will stated I could only use the money for tuition so my parent's sent me a monthly check for my daily necessities. Appealing on campus jobs were unavailable to me because I did not need loans or grants to pay for my tuition. What was worse is that I had no car so I could not obtain an off campus job. I was dependant on my parent's for monetary support and friend's for rides.

I was deep into my first semester at college and exceptionally bored. The dorm brick walls seemed to be like a jail cell at times. I desired something to do besides reading textbooks. I yearned to get off the campus and have an interest to look forward to every week. That yearning and interest was to dance. Particularly, I wanted to do ballet. That is where my conversation ended with my mother.

I never discussed with my mother about dancing after that phone conversation. There was nothing I could do. She could not afford the extra money for ballet lessons. But deep inside myself I knew I would find a way to fulfill my aspiration.

Christmas break soon came and I went home for the holiday break. I could not wait to see my family. It would be nice to arrive home and be away from the college campus.

I recall the first words my sister said when she welcomed me home in Kentucky. "Sis," she shrieked ecstatically. "You have got to see this video we rented! It's amazing!" My mother agreed and after I unpacked I sat down to view it.

My mother and sister's exhilaration filled the room as the video played. What was it? You can easily deduce. Riverdance. My mouth was wide open in admiration and wonder as I watched the thunderous rhythms, meticulous timing, and intricate steps. The tapping sent chills up my spine and the softshoe dancing was so elegant and refined that no words could illustrate it. "So this is what Irish Dancing is." I thought out loud. "How perfect. This dance form is exactly my style that I have always wanted to do. And to think I would have settled for ballet."

At the end of the video I got to my feet and said, "I am going to do this!"

My mother immediately protested and said she did not have the money and worried about my grades dropping. I did not are I would find a way. I made a plan that night.

I recalled that there was an uncertified Irish Dance school in my college town from the phone book. Understanding that sacrifices needed to be made I was prepared to work at the college cafeteria to pay for my dance lessons. The only predicament was a ride. If I had to take a bus then I would. "I'll do anything to be able to dance." I proclaimed. As a religious person I prayed to God that He would bless me and help me find a way to fulfill my heart's desire to do Irish dancing.

I arrived back to college from my holiday break and commenced my plan. I took a job at the college cafeteria and by a blessing my suitemate drove me to class for $5 every week. I scrimped and saved for Irish dancing tap and ballet like shoes called ghillies and hardshoes. But it was all worth it. The sacrifices made Irish dancing more special to me.

Three years later I am dancing at two schools. I am still sacrificing for the deep passion I possess for Irish dancing. I drive 2.5 hours one way to Arkansas to dance with a certified Irish dance teacher and help teach at the first Irish dancing school I went to in my college town of Springfield, Missouri. Presently, I am scrimping for a $600 school costume and saving every penny for Irish dance competitions. Stranger still is that I did not know that I am Irish in the beginning and now I find myself dancing to my contentment the dancing form that is the heritage of my great-great grandfather.

My discovery of Irish dance from a rental video of Riverdance has given me self-esteem, a deep-rooted craving realization, and embracement of Irish heritage that I never knew I possessed until I found my roots through Irish dancing.

Irish Dancing Rocks

By Sally in Sydney

Ever since that amazing '7 minute' as yet unknown Riverdance phenomenom - during the interval of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994 - Irish Dancing has captured the hearts of millions of people around the world.

In the year 2001 - we now have a myriad of extremely professional Irish Dancing shows touring and performing around the globe. Irish Dancers can now make a living out of doing what they are passionate about - Irish Dancing.

Those 7 minutes took Irish Dancing out to the people, some of them seeing Irish Dancing for the first time in their lives, one of those people was me...... I remember as a child a friend of mine told me that she was attending Irish Dancing classes locally. I had no idea what she was talking about and just assumed that she did some kind of dancing over swords etc.

Now I am in my 30's and I am attending Irish Dancing classes with THE SAME teacher and school that my friend had talked about - only 20 years later!!!

It took me a long time - but I got there in the end.

I am an Adult learner and have been dancing with the Ann Derwent School of Irish Dancing for over 6 years. I can simply say that I love learning Irish Dancing - it is great fun, extemely social and keeps you incredibly fit. There is nothing more 'soul stirring' than Irish Music and it is such a pleasure to be able to dance to these magical rhythms.

I go to 2 classes a week which normally last 2-3 hours each class. Fortunately, Ann has quite a few adult students in the school and she enjoys teaching us. We have a great time together and Ann does not treat Adult learners any differently from the younger students.

We are taught the same dances relative to the level we are in, we perform with the school, sit the Irish Dancing Grade Exams and we also compete. Not all adults choose to compete - but Ann gives you this option and respects your decision if you choose not to.

I competed quite a bit during my first 2 - 3 years of dancing and have a large 'stash' of medals and a couple of trophies to show for the experience. This was the first time in my life that I have ever been on stage and I have found the competitions an incredible experience - overcoming one's nerves and stage fright is a little daunting, but it is possible!!!

For me - it is such a pleasure to go to a dancing class after a hard day at work, you can really tap away the stresses of the day in your hard shoes!!! I look forward to my lessons very much and are constantly tapping out the rhythm of a dance throughout my working day.

Sadly, I have been caught many a time "prancing around" the photocopier *lol* This girl is an addict..... The people in my office are used to me and don't even batt an eyelid when I tap out the steps to my hornpipe whilst waiting for the downwards lift on my way home.

To quote a younger student in my school "Irish Dancing Rocks" - pardon the pun!!!

Go on - give it a try :o))

IRISH DANCING IN AUSTRIA - My experiences, written by Manuela

I was really late in getting involved in Irish Dance, it was in 1998 when my boyfriend showed me the Lord of the Dance Video. I was in Love with that dance form from that day on, but then I never imagined doing it by myself. A few months later I saw LOTD live, an old classmate invited me to go there.

About 8 Months later I saw the message of a dance school providing Irish dance classes, I went there as soon as possible, I was so lucky. But not for long.

The most of the Austrian dance schools providing Irish dance do only Hardshoe classes, and created several new steps to dance to the Irish music, just because the classes have been sold out.

I had just bought the Celtic Feet Video from Colin Dunne, so I was able to compare the Irish dance lessons in Vienna with the real steps. And there are great differences, and with some schools they're until today. Imagine people dancing Colin' s Light Reel choreography in Hardshoes!!!! Or tapping anything to Cry of the Celts, where you can hear the original steps at the same time.

It was really awful, until the day I found CELTIC SPIRIT VIENNA. A half year after my first "Irish Dance" lesson in 1999 in a Viennese dance school in the Neubaugasse. I was shopping with a friend of mine, she wanted to buy American tap shoes, and in the same shop I found a message of an Irish dance group searching for new members.

A few days later I was member of this group and very happy. The girls who founded the group in 1999, started with the instructional videos from Colin Dunne and Olive Hurley, and they have been in Ireland, too, for a workshop. They did all the dances from the videos and a few I did not know.

I was really surprised to see people dancing a Heavy Reel at the right speed.

Since that time we got many new members and also lost a lot of them. It is always hard for a private group here, because all the dance schools offer workshops, where you could learn the "original Choreographies of Lord of the Dance or Riverdance " on one weekend. A few other groups started to do traditional Irish dance a year ago, but they still mean to be very advanced dancers doing a beginners hornpipe.

Meanwhile we had a few lessons with Maria McAteer, a really lovely young woman with the temporary TCRG Status living in Cologne, Germany, and Gigi, our best dancer and choreographer, flys over to Boston for the Gaelic Roots every year. There she had teachers like Danny Doherty, the MacGuires, Olive Burns, Michael Ryan....

Last year in May she was at a non-commissioned Feis in Luxembourg adjudicated by Tony Nolan, and won alot of prizes in her age group, including the primary championships.

Last year we had a lovely guest dancer, Julie, an English girl whose father is Irish. Julie was in Austria for two semesters studying German, and has been dancing since she was six or seven years old, but had left her class with 16. Then she met us and began to enjoy Irish dance again. After she went home to England she decided to do her TCRG and is now learning for the exams she is going to do following May.

I'm sure she'll come back and teach us a while, until that we're still looking for a TCRG who would come over to Austria and starting weekly classes here in Vienna, and we will move on and do the best we can.