Irish dance is a form of traditional performance and social dancing that originated in Ireland and has spread worldwide through Irish diaspora communities and competitive dance schools. It is best known internationally for its distinctive upright posture, rapid footwork, and rigid upper body — a combination that makes it instantly recognisable, and quite unlike any other dance tradition.
What Is Irish Dance?
Irish dance encompasses several related forms — from the social céilí dances performed at community gatherings to the solo step dancing seen in Riverdance and in An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha (CLRG) competitions worldwide. What most people picture when they think of Irish dancing is competitive Irish step dancing: a solo or figure form characterised by fast, intricate footwork; arms held straight down at the sides; and an upright, controlled upper body.
This posture has a commonly told (if historically contested) origin story: that Irish dancers once performed in doorways or on table tops, where there was no room to extend the arms. While this explanation is likely apocryphal, the upright style is very real and very demanding — holding the upper body completely still while the feet execute complex rhythmic sequences requires significant core strength and balance.
Main Forms of Irish Dance
Solo Step Dancing
Solo step dancing is the competitive form most associated with Irish dance. Dances are performed to specific musical forms — the reel, jig, hornpipe, and slip jig — each with its own time signature and character. At competition level (called a “feis”), dancers are judged on timing, timing, posture, rhythm, turnout, and difficulty of steps. CLRG is the largest governing body for competitive Irish step dancing worldwide.
Céilí Dancing
Céilí (pronounced “kay-lee”) dancing refers to group or partner dances performed at social gatherings. These are more accessible than solo step dancing — they are designed to be danced socially by people of all ages and skill levels. Common céilí dances include the Walls of Limerick, the Siege of Ennis, and the Haymakers Jig. They follow set figures (like a square dance) and are danced in lines or circles.
Riverdance-Style Performance Dance
The 1994 Eurovision interval performance of Riverdance brought Irish dancing to a global audience and triggered an enormous surge in interest worldwide. The show blended traditional Irish step dancing with theatrical production values, flamenco, tap and other influences. Riverdance-style performance dance is closely related to but distinct from traditional competitive Irish dance — it is designed for spectacle and large venues, with more theatrical upper body use and ensemble effects than traditional competition forms.
Sean-nós Dancing
Sean-nós (old style) is an older, freer form of Irish dancing from the Connemara region of western Ireland. It is danced in a more improvised, low-to-the-ground style with the arms often used expressively — quite different from the rigid arms-at-sides posture of competition step dancing. Sean-nós is experiencing a revival and is appreciated for its spontaneity and connection to traditional music sessions.
Irish Dance Music
Irish dance is inseparable from traditional Irish music. The main dance forms correspond to musical structures:
- Reel — 4/4 time, the most common form. Quick and even. Both light shoe and hard shoe versions
- Jig — 6/8 time. The light jig is upbeat; the slip jig (9/8) is considered the most graceful form and is danced only by females in traditional competition
- Hornpipe — 4/4 but heavier and slower than a reel, emphasising the rhythm. Danced exclusively in hard shoes
- Treble jig — 6/8 in hard shoes, emphasising the treble sounds made by the shoe
Irish Dance Shoes
Irish dancing uses two completely different types of shoe, each for different dance forms:
Soft Shoes (Ghillies)
Soft shoes, called ghillies (or gillies), are worn for light shoe dances — reels, jigs, and slip jigs. They look similar to ballet slippers but have a distinctive long lacing pattern that wraps around the ankle. They are made from soft leather with a suede sole and are designed for the light, precise footwork of soft shoe dances. Female dancers wear soft ghillies; male dancers wear a different soft shoe called a reel shoe, which has a small heel and a flat sole similar to a jazz shoe.
Hard Shoes
Hard shoes are worn for treble jigs and hornpipes. They look like a sturdy lace-up jazz shoe with a fibre or resin tip on the toe and a heel with a small metal or fibre plate. These create the characteristic percussive clicking sounds of hard shoe dancing. The tip and heel sounds together — trebles, clicks, stamps — are the rhythmic vocabulary of hard shoe work.
At competition level, both shoes must be of a specified type and standard. Beginners typically start in soft shoes, moving to hard shoes once the basic footwork is established.
Irish Dance Costumes
At competition level, Irish dance costumes are elaborate and immediately recognisable: embroidered or printed dresses (for females) in bright colours with Celtic knotwork patterns, often with layers of tiered skirts that swirl during spins. These are not traditional folk costumes — they developed as competition dress and have become increasingly elaborate and expensive over the decades.
Male competitors wear dress shirts, waistcoats, ties, and trousers, usually in complementary school colours. For class rather than competition, standard dancewear — fitted clothing that allows free movement — is appropriate. Ghillies can be worn to class from the beginning.
How to Start Learning Irish Dance
Irish dance is taught through dance schools (called “academies” or “schools”), most of which are affiliated with one of the governing bodies — CLRG, WIDA, CRN, or NAIRD depending on location. Classes are typically offered by age group from toddlers upward. Adult beginner classes exist in many areas, particularly in cities with significant Irish communities.
Irish dance is known for being highly disciplined and structured — there is a clear progression from beginner to championship level, and competitive dancers often train multiple times a week. If you are looking for a purely social, recreational experience rather than competitive training, céilí classes or sean-nós workshops are a less intense entry point into the tradition.
Irish Dance vs Tap Dance
Irish hard shoe dancing and tap dance are both percussive forms with strong rhythmic footwork, and they are often compared. The main differences:
- Posture — Irish dance keeps the upper body rigidly upright; tap uses a relaxed, often expressive upper body
- Sound production — tap uses metal taps on heel and toe to create a wider range of metallic sounds; Irish hard shoes use fibre or resin and produce a sharper, more percussive click
- Footwork character — Irish hard shoe work is closely tied to its musical forms (jig, hornpipe); tap improvisation is central to jazz tap tradition
- Lower body — Irish dance keeps the knees together and the turnout controlled; tap allows a wider stance and more varied foot positions