Next week we’ll commemorate the Feast of St. Patrick, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It’s a celebration chiefly hallmarked by parades, wearing green, shamrocks and Céilís—a traditional Irish folk dance performed by large groups. And with all the merriment surrounding the holiday, it’s easy to be inspired! Are your toes tapping already? Read on for a complete guide to Irish Step Dance, and find out why Turning Pointe Dance is the best place to learn Irish Step Dance in Colorado Springs.
What is Irish Step Dance?
Irish Step Dance is a fun and fast-paced dance style that emphasizes the rhythms of beautiful celtic music with a unique technique all its own. Dancers execute intricate footwork while holding their upper bodies stiff and still in order to highlight the challenging precision of the steps. Originally developed as social dance in Ireland, today it can be enjoyed through formal performance and worldwide competitions as a solo or in groups of up to twenty or more trained dancers.
The corpus of Irish Step Dance contains both soft shoe dances (the reel, the light-jig, and the slip-jig) as well as hard shoe dances which are percussive (the hornpipe, the treble-jig, and the traditional set dances). And while the origins are traced back to the mid 1800s, the traditional style saw a massive global renaissance after the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest catapulted Riverdance into a hugely successful theater production.
Why take Irish classes?
The quickness of this unique style packs a punch for improving stamina, core stability, balance, posture and coordination. Plus, with a style so rich in tradition, there’s something to learn from the history of every step and nuance of technique. By learning Irish Step, you’re contributing to the preservation of Irish heritage and cultivating an appreciation for culture, music and dance around the world.
Even if you’re already thriving in classes for other dance styles, dropping in on an Irish class or two (or enrolling in a six-week summer class!) can be a fun and challenging way to work on precision, footwork, quickness of movement and fine motor skills that will translate to improved quality in dance classes across the board.
Why Turning Pointe?
Students in a Turning Pointe Irish Step Class will learn traditional Irish technique through warm up exercises, across the floor work, and traditional folk dances including the jig, reel and hornpipe, which all focus on very specific footwork. They’ll participate in group Ceilis, which develops teamwork skills and coordination. Students will also learn choreographed work that combines all the elements they learn within the class for our annual Spring recital each May.
More than that, as a faith based center for the arts in Colorado Springs, Turning Pointe students are empowered with grit, grace, and gratitude for the arts and for His Kingdom. Students will learn from professional instructors and Godly role models who are YPAD certified and background checked. Our Irish Step students will learn from Ms. Lauren Shinnick, a regional champion in solo Irish Step competition, and a World champion in group. She has a passion for sharing the love of Christ, and the grace that is so graciously given to us through dance and teaching.
How to Get Started
Ready to get started? Turning Pointe offers a six-week Summer Class Session from June 12-July 21, and registration is NOW OPEN! Click HERE for more information on our Summer Session, Mini Camps and Discover Dance Days, and stay tuned for information on Irish Step Dance classes during the 2023-24 school year.
Need some more inspiration? Come support Turning Pointe’s Irish Step students at the City of Colorado Springs St. Patrick’s Day Parade THIS SATURDAY, March 11, from 11:45-12:15 at the corner of Pikes Peak and Tejon!