| Books |
| The Story of Irish Dance by Helen Brennan ISBN 0 86322 244 7 This is a full account of the phenomenom of Irish Dance. Writing in a style that is authorative but very accessible to the general reader, Helen Brennan traces the story back to the early accounts of dance customs in medieval Ireland. She focuses on the developments of the 19th century (with the introduction of quadrilles, waltzes etc.) and explores how dance played a vital role in the formation of a new national culture. A wealth of colourful anecdotes bring alive the surprisingly strong conflicts which arose in relation to dance - conflicts with puritanical church leaders; between native dancers and bureauratic instructors; and over what constituted "real" Irish dancing In modern times there has been a revival of set-dancing, and there has been the enormous international success of Riverdance. Helen Brennan gives a lively and fascinating account of the many apsects of Irish dance today and yesterday |
| Listed below are some great Irish Dancing Books. |
| Dr John Cullinane |
| History Of Irish Dancing Costumes This book tracks the origin and evolution of Irish Dancing Costumes and is illustrated with 100 years of photographs,1892 - 1992. The author of this book is Dr. John Cullinane,he has also written two other books on different aspect of Irish Dancing. |
| History Of Irish Dancing In North America This book looks at the history of Irish Dancing in North America and when Irish Dancing was probably first performed or taught in America. The author first became involved with Irish dancing in America in 1972 when he was invited to conduct a workshop in San Francisco. Since then he has conducted workshops in New York, Boston, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton to name a few. He has been actively pursuing his interest in the history of Irish dancing in America for some 30 years. |
| History Of Irish C�il� Dancing C�il� dancing came into prominence early in the 20th century and appears to have reached the height of its popularity in the 1930s-70s, after which it went into decline. During that period the "C�il�" phenomenon was widespread throughout every corner of Ireland and England and as far afield as New Zealand, Australia and America. It was very much part of the social and cultural life of both rural and urban Ireland, but especially of the small rural communities |
| Aspects of the History of Irish Dancing in Ireland, England, New Zealand, North America and Australia First look at world history of Irish Dancing. Includes excellent gallery of photographs, plus sections on the history of the Ceili dancing, the dancing masters, costumes, the Cork contribution, feiseanna, competition, dancing around the world. |
| Toss the Feathers Fifty-five set dances are laid out in conventional set terminology and can be easily followed by anyone with an acquaintance with the art of set dancing. |
| The Flowing Tide: More Irish Set Dancing The sequel to the highly successful Toss the Feathers provides a selection of set dances, including some danced in the US and Canada, to complement the previous volume. It includes dances that have been revived since the publication of Toss the Feathers, including the Ballyroan Half Set, the Drumgarriff half Set and the Kildownet Half Set. There are also two waltz sets and two Canadian sets. |
| PAT MURPHY |
| Valentine O'Byrne....Irish Dancer Valentine wanted to be an Irish Dancer. But when the lady came to school to pick dancers, she hardly even noticed Valentine. She was very disappointed. That day she walked back home. No twirls or spins. But then she had an idea Suitable for young Irish dancers ages 4-6 years. Heartwarming story of Valentine, complete with beautiful colour illustrations. |
| The Complete Guide to Irish Dance By Frank Whelan. This book offers a comprehensive history of all aspects of Irish Dance, from its ancient origins to the present day. Gives detailed information about Irish dancing from the day a dancer enrolls in a school right through the different levels of competition. Special attention is paid to music, costume, embroidery, and shoes. Also includes instructions and diagrams for 30 popular Irish dances. |
| Irish Dance Arthur Flynn, Anne Farrall (Illustrator) This book traces the history of dance in Ireland and reveals how Irish dance has survived centuries of emigration, invasion, and persecution. It is more than the history of dance, however, with chapters on music, dance costumes, competitions, and the phenomenal revival. The book also defines the social and cultural significance of dance in Ireland and among the Irish Diaspora. For the smitten fan of Irish dance, there are instructions and illustrated steps to two elementary dances. Irish dance, which probably dates back to the Druids, is today on the universal stage and may be seen in the movie Titanic as well as in the mesmerizing stage shows Riverdance and Lord of the Dance. Much more than mere entertainment or spectator sport, Irish dance attracts more than 1,000 international competitors annually to the World Championships. |
| Folk Music and Dances of Ireland A Comprehensive Study Examining the Basic Elements of Irish Folk Music and Dance Traditions - Breandan Breathnach A study of the history, development, and present condition of Irish traditional music, song, and dance. The techniques and styles of traditional playing are fully and expertly treated with special reference to the fiddle, the Irish pipes, and the whistle. |
| My First Book of Irish Songs and Celtic Dances 20 Favorite Pieces in Easy Piano Arrangements - Bergerac (Editor) Marty Noble (Illustrator) |
| Exploring Irish Music and Dance Dianna Boullier Derek Bell Irish music is played by young people all over the world. Here for the first time is a book especially for them that describes the different styles of playing, how songs were named and who composed them, and famous events and musicians. A complete historical background is provided about this popular folk music and the instruments that define it the fiddle, tin whistle, flute, harp, concertina, and bodhran. |