Irish Step Dancing Costumes: Globelization


Figure 1.--Through the 1980s, most boy particiapting in Feises and Irish dance performance performed in kilt costumes.

The subject of globelization of Irish and other dance forms is an important topic to consider. The 2001 Congress on Research in Dance Conference is being held in New York City. One of the papers to be presented is one on Irish dance, "Inventing Tradition: Global Development of Irish Dance". The conference will explore the ways in which dance forms circulate across communities, regions and nations, acquiring new meanings as they travel. While the term "globalization" has gained currency in scholarly debatesof recent years, the dispersion of performance practices is hardly a new phenomenon. Thus, the conference will include both historical and contemporary analyses of dances' migrations. The commercialization of folk styles in shows such as "River Dance" is one aspect of this.

2001 Conference

The 2001 Congress on Research in Dance Conference will explore the ways in which dance forms circulate across communities, regions and nations, acquiring new meanings as they travel. While the term "globalization" has gained currency in scholarly debates of recent years, the dispersion of performance practices is hardly a new phenomenon. Thus, the conference will include both historical and contemporary analyses of dances' migrations. What happens when dances migrate? It is common knowledge that founding figures in European and Euro-American modern dance appropriated Asian movement vocabularies in their choreographies. But scholars are only beginning to examine the ways in which Latin American, African, and Asian "folkloric" dance convention has been inflected by European concert dance training and stage practice--as well as MTV choreographies. By focusing on the circulation of movement styles, pedagogies and performance conventions, we hope to trouble some of the categoric distinctions which have tended to divide dance research: between "Western" and "non-Western," "classical" and "folkloric," and "ritual," "social" and "theatrical" genres. Arguably, the histories of many contemporary dance forms are more complex than such restrictive categories would admit...

Irish Dance Paper

Elizabeth Venable is presenting a paper on Irish Dance. Her initial abstract is: Many attributes of Irish dance commonly considered "traditional" originated within the last 70 years; they have simply been propagated to such an extent that they seem to be the only historical standard. Movements presently considered commonplace or antiquated may have only developed in the past 30 years. Many techniques have been discarded in the search for one global and more strenuous style. Regional variability has been destroyed in favor of a common aesthetic and standard; globalization has solidified the chosen standards. Innovation may now also be a result of the world-wide commercialization of Irish dance, and the never before existing pressure for Irish dance to retain economic viability.

Questions

Elizabeth poses a series of questions on which she is collecting information.

1.) What is your impression of the effects of popularization upon: dancing style, Irish dance culture, ethnicity of participants, weakening or strengthening ties to the Irish community, costume, etc.?

2.) What are movements which are obsolete today, but were popular 10, 20, 30 years ago? What are movements which have been recently invented? Please provide descriptions.

3.) Do you think that Riverdance was an anomoly that helped push Irish dance to its current popularity, or do you see a pattern in which the popularity was inevitable?

4.) Do you think that popularization and globalization has helped to decentralize skill? What is your perception of the level of prominance that American/Australian teachers have achieved recently? Do you see any increases in the performance of "foreign"-born Irish dancers on a world level, and do you think that this is in part an effect of media induced popularity, or do you see it as a phenomenon which has been building for a while?

5.) Do you think there is more regional variation now or in the past, in terms of style, steps, skill, etc? Explain.

6.) Do you think that the popularity of shows and Irish dance in media has been positive for the form? Explain.

7.) Does Irish culture become diluted during the processes of translocation and popularization?

8.) Do you think that Irish dance has become prohibatively expensive? What effect might the expense have on Irish dance culture?

9.) Do you feel that shows have influenced: the style of the dance, the intensity of competition, body image, costumes, local performances, etc.?

10.) How have IDTANA, NAFC, etc. rules changed in direct response to the increased popularity of Irish dance?

11.) How has the fact that one can now look forward to making a carrer out of performing Irish dance influenced the students' perceptions?

12.) Has the tone of Irish dance changed as a result of popularization, commercialization, globalization, etc.?

Contact Information

Elizabeth Venable is preparing her paper fpr the 2001 Congress on Research in Dance Conference in New York City. She writes, "I am looking for anecdotal and factual help, and would like to have as large a sample of information as is possible. A description of the paper (entitled "Inventing Tradition: Global Development of Irish Dance"), and of the Conference's theme.

Elizabeth Venable
1825 N. 16th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
USA
Tel: (480) 966-2652
E-mail: preenqueen@hotmail.com, elzia@asu.edu

HBC Comments

I believe that commercialization and globalization has affected the costumes boys wear at Feises and step dancing performance. Through the 1980s, most boys in Ireland, England, America, Australia, and New Zealand wore kilts, especially for championship competitions. Since "River Dance" and the more main-stream popularity of Irish dance, most American boys want to dance in long black pants. I'm not sure if the same trend has taken place in Ireland itself or the other countries that have large Irish populations where step dancing is popular, but suspect that there is a similar trend. I note that there has been no similar shift in Scottish Highland dancing.






Christopher Wagner






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Created: July 28, 2001
Last updated: July 28, 2001