Class Review - Irish Set Dance

Image of Innis Free Set Dance group from The Buffalo News

Trying something different can be nerve wracking, or even just straight up frightening.  Externally you may be afraid to look silly, or incompetent.  Internally, you may be afraid that you'll feel like a failure.  So many people let this fear dictate what they will try, limiting themselves to things that they know they will succeed at, or things that are familiar.

Usually I am the person in this blog who is stepping outside of my comfort zone - putting my pride on the line, and risking looking silly - I am very familiar with these feelings.  This week, however, I got to introduce a friend to a completely unfamiliar way to get active (one that I, on the other hand, am extremely familiar with).

Joanne and I as dance partners

Every Tuesday night, the Innis Free group meets to learn and perform Irish Set dances at the Buffalo Irish Center in South Buffalo.  This group primarily consists of 40-70 year olds, with the odd exception of a younger person (myself included), proving that activity is certainly not just for the young.  They are extremely welcoming, and very graciously allow new-comers to jump in and learn these centuries-old dances.

Irish Set dancing is different than the Irish Dance you probably think of - depending on who you have seen perform, you may either be thinking of young girls in giant curly wigs with crazy, sparkly dresses and beauty pageant makeup (the kind of dance that I did), or you may be thinking of the graceful, flowing dresses and hair of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance.  That is Irish Step dance, which is more regimented, and has morphed over the years to become very different than Irish Set dance, which has stayed very traditional.

Irish Set dance came from Quadrille court dances performed primarily at the French court in the 1700's and 1800's.  These forms were adopted by the Irish and adapted to fit their music.  The forms themselves usually start out as a square with two people on each side of the square - traditionally, a man on the left, and a woman on the right.  They then perform a set routine, depending on which dance they are performing.

An outdoor dance in the early 20th century

These dances were performed all over Ireland, and many towns across the country had their own specific dance that was native to those people.  A dance master would travel across the country, collecting new dances, and teaching them to people in exchange for food and board.  This is how popular set dances like the Skibbereen, the Caledonian, and the East Galway set came to be known by dancers all over Ireland.  Now, these sets are written down, and taught all over the world to groups still eager to learn traditional Irish dances.

Now, unlike Irish Step dance, which is very regimented in its steps, and takes many years of lessons to become very proficient, Irish Set dance is much more easy-going, and the steps are more loose and casual. Mostly consisting of stepping, swinging, and some low skipping, it's not as exhausting as running through a 2min Step dance. In fact, the goal is to get through the entire dance without breathing too hard, allowing you to be able to dance through the night without exhausting yourself. Now, don't get me wrong - it's a workout, and you'll sweat - it's just not going to knock you on your butt after a few moments.

Very patiently, the dancers in the Inis Free organization walk through the sets, teaching the different forms, and explaining the terminology. Even as a brand-new, never set foot on the floor, complete beginner, Joanne picked the steps up quickly and surely, even able to match the footing on the skips as she circled the floor with her partner.  Picking up the pattern of the dance, she looked like a natural, even as her face betrayed the fact that she was feeling a bit self-conscious (she shouldn't have been - she did great!).

In a Waltz hold

If you're an American of Irish descent looking to connect to your Irish roots, a non-Irish American interested in learning more about the culture of the Éire, or just someone looking for a new way to get active, check out the Innis Free group - they are wonderful and welcoming, and will take you under their wing.