Irish stepdance

Rigid upper-body jig

Irish stepdance is a traditional dance form characterized by rapid, precise footwork while the upper body remains relatively still, arms held rigidly at the sides.

Dancers perform intricate steps—shuffles, clicks, and stamps—often in hard shoes that produce percussive sounds, or soft shoes for lighter movements.

Competitions called feiseanna showcase elaborate costumes and increasingly athletic choreography.

She started Irish stepdance lessons at age five.

Celtic

jig

Spirited folk dance

reelWinding cylinder or dance
hornpipeSailor's traditional dance
GaelicCeltic linguistic tradition

ceilidh · bodhrán · Riverdance · Eire · Connemara · Claddagh

technique

softshoe

Quiet stage dancing

trebleHigh frequency range
clickBrief sharp noise
shuffleRandomize by mixing

hop · skip · cut · toe stand · battering · drumming · stamps · taps · ghillies · slip jig

performance

competition

Struggle for supremacy

stageRaised performance platform
soloPerformance by one
costumeClothing for portrayal

wig · tiara · embroidery · recall · podium · placement · champion · world championships · grade levels · adjudicator

athletic

footwork

Skilled lower-limb movement

agilityQuickness and ease
coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
enduranceSustained effort capacity

strength · stamina · flexibility · balance · precision · posture · leap · jump · turnout · elevation

rhythm

beat

Rhythmic pulse or strike

tempoRate of musical performance
syncopationStressed unexpected beats
timingArt of choosing moments

count · meter · pulse · downbeat · upbeat · musical phrasing · accent · lift · drive · swing

Irish stepdance

jig

softshoe

competition

footwork

beat

Irish stepdance

Opposites

Categories

Family