This paper examines the relationship between Irish dance and Irish culture, arguing that the two share a bidirectional influence on each other. Beginning with a historical overview that traces Irish dance from early Celtic and Druidic traditions through the Norman invasion and into the standardization of the early 20th century, the paper then describes the three main forms of Irish dance: step dancing, ceili, and set dancing. The analysis focuses on two cultural dimensions—belief systems and cultural artifacts—to demonstrate how Irish dance has reinforced Irish values, expressed religious devotion, preserved heritage amid repression, and ultimately become one of Ireland's most celebrated cultural exports.
The paper demonstrates effective use of a narrowing strategy: it begins with a broad claim about dance and culture, introduces a specific subject (Irish dance), subdivides culture into two analytical lenses (beliefs and artifacts), and applies each lens systematically. This funnel structure keeps the argument focused while allowing multiple lines of evidence to converge on the central thesis.
The paper opens with a general introduction establishing the thesis, followed by a historical survey from Celtic origins through the 20th century. A typology section defines the three forms of Irish dance. Two analytical sections then examine cultural beliefs and cultural artifacts respectively, drawing on the historical examples introduced earlier. The conclusion synthesizes findings with a brief quotation affirming Irish dance as a major cultural export. Total structure: introduction → history → typology → analysis (×2) → conclusion.
Many of us know about the role dance plays in our society and culture. Dance is not only limited to physical movements but goes far beyond the dictates of the body — it seeps into every society's history and culture. When understood as a social variable, dance can be seen as having a bidirectional relationship with culture: not only does dance influence culture, but culture influences dance in return.
The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the relationship between Irish dance and Irish culture, with particular emphasis on the ways Irish dance influences the culture of the Irish people. Before building and eventually strengthening this idea, it is fitting to first provide a brief understanding of Irish dance so that we may better appreciate the intersection of dance, culture, and society among the Irish people.
According to King, the history of Irish dance can be traced to the early centuries of modern history, when the Celts' arrival in Ireland brought with them various kinds of folk dances that were then incorporated into the ritual activities of the Druids. The Druids' ritualistic activities are known to be occultist in nature. They danced as part of their ritual ceremonies to honor the oak tree and the sun (Arthur Flynn, "The History of Irish Dance").
The Norman invasion during the 12th century marked another hallmark in the history of Irish dancing. This era brought new cultural components to Ireland and laid the foundation of modern Irish dancing. This emerging modern dance became an avenue through which Irish people were able to express their natural love for fun and entertainment. The "cake dance," for example, is perhaps what was then known as the "Irish Dance Competition" — usually performed after Sunday services, where men and women competed by demonstrating complex dance steps and maneuvers, the prize being a freshly baked cake (hence the name of the dance).
Moving into the 18th and 19th centuries, one can observe the proliferation of "Dance Masters" who traveled to different parts of the land, staying in a particular community for approximately six to eight weeks to teach the basic forms of modern dance. By the early 20th century, Irish dance had become standardized through preset forms and movements.
Now that we have an understanding of where Irish dance came from and the factors that shaped it, we can examine what Irish dance actually is. According to Kingsland, Irish dancing is generally divided into three main types.
The first is step dancing, which grew out of the 17th-century repression of education for Catholic children. Dance Masters continued by secretly teaching students "steps" — defined as eight measures or bars of music. These Dance Masters each had their own set of steps, and they sometimes competed against one another; those who knew the most steps were declared the winners.
The second type is known as ceili dancing, which has its origins in informal traditions that evolved over time. Numerous forms have been recorded, including round dances, line dances, and progressive dances. The word ceili refers to "a gathering with music, song, and dancing participation by all those attending."
The third type, set dancing, took shape from the combination of step and ceili dances. As Kingsland describes it, "[The set] is social dancing usually in the form of square 'sets' comprised of four couples, one on each side of the square."
Having discussed the fundamentals of Irish dance, we can now examine the influence of Irish dance on Irish culture more closely. The following analysis focuses on two cultural elements: (1) the belief systems that comprise a people's values and ideas, and (2) culture as reflected in the artifacts a people produce, such as art.
The many invasions and happenings in Irish history have had concrete influences on how Irish dance developed into what it is today. We have seen how dances during the early periods of history, which can already be considered cultural artifacts, were incorporated into modern dance. The many variations of Irish dance that people have created tell us that it is an ever-growing form of art — one that its people are committed to building upon and preserving, and one of which they are justly proud. Irish dance and Irish culture have become, together, one of Ireland's greatest exports.
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