Irish Dancing Classes: Learn Irish Dancing

Considering Irish Dancing Classes? 

Irish dancing is a great hobby to have and it is very easy to learn by doing Irish dancing classes. It is a great workout that has many benefits for your physical and mental health. In addition, it allows you to meet new people and make new friends. Not to mention, Irish dancing classes could be your first steps to becoming a professional Irish dancer. The good news is there are so many Irish dancing classes currently available.

What Is Irish Dancing? 

Irish dancing is a very important part of the culture and heritage of Ireland; just like the Irish language, native sports such as Gaelic Football or Hurling and traditional Irish music. In the past few decades, Irish dancing has seen a massive revival. This is partially due to the worldwide success of Riverdance. However, Irish dancing was around long before Riverdance and Michael Flatley. Learning Irish dancing is a regular extra-curricular activity of many Irish children and it always features prominently at Irish themed events such as St Patrick’s Day. It’s not exactly comparable to modern dancing, however, that is what makes it so special. Irish dancing is either performed individually and referred to as step dancing or in a team which is referred to as ceili and set dancing.  

The Origins of Irish Dancing 

The roots of Irish dancing come from the druids and the celts who roamed the island before the onset of Christianity and outside influences came along. Many of the druids’ religious rituals involved dancing and the celts has their own folk dances with similar formations. This kind of dancing was common around much of the European mainland at the time and although it was not really anything like what traditional Irish dancing is today, remnants of the formations and patterns can still be seen. The ‘feis’ was a big local celebration held by celtic communities also. It was also about their art, culture and music in addition to being an opportunity for discussions and storytelling. Dancing was an important part of the feis. Today, Irish dancing thrives as being both a popular hobby and profession.  

The Benefits of Irish Dancing 

Irish dancing provides physical benefits such as increased stamina, core strength and overall fitness. It also works to improve balance, posture and coordination in addition to promoting flexibility and boosting muscle strength. There are mental benefits to Irish dancing also. These include learning to listen, follow directions and memory building. In addition, promoting self-confidence and self-esteem. 

What Will I Learn? 

You can expect to learn the traditional Irish steps, how to move your body for Irish dancing and you may learn certain styles of Irish dancing such as set dancing, two hand dance, old style Irish step dancing, modern Irish step dancing, traditional Irish folk dances and Sean Nos dance. All in all, you will learn a full set of Irish dance steps to music and come out of your classes with confidence in your ability to do Irish dancing. 

If you’re serious about doing Irish dancing classes, check out classes near you in the Nightcourses.co.uk national course finder.