Irish jig & reel

1. Irish jig & reel

2. Connector Where does it come from? • Watch the video • Write down as many facts about Ireland as you can • http://www.discoverireland.com/gb/about-ireland/

3. Irish Jig & Reel Where does it come from? • Folk dance has been present in Ireland for centuries (influenced by Celtic, Viking & Norman invaders). Dances would be social and performed in groups. • Today's Irish social dances are called céilí dances. The term céilí is used to describe a social gathering with dance and music. • Performance dance in Ireland is different to social dance in that it is performed to an audience and can be danced solo. Developed in Ireland, mid-18th century by the dance masters - highly respected dancers who travelled from village to village, teaching dances to local people. • The tradition lasted until the early 20th century – by then the dance masters had embellished, refined and standardised many dance steps and dances. During this period the dance masters created the performance dance known today as step dance.

4. Irish Jig & Reel Where does it come from? • Step dance was greatly popularised by the theatrical show Riverdance. This was first performed during the interval of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, which drew international attention to Irish dancing. • In 1995 the Riverdance show opened in Dublin and has since travelled throughout Europe and to New York. • The reel & jig are both types of traditional Irish dance. In step dance, the reel is usually danced with soft shoes (like ballet shoes). • There are different forms of the jig: the slip jig, light jig and single jig are danced in soft shoes, while the hard jig is danced in hard shoes (like tap shoes).

5. Irish Jig & Reel In step dance the most important aspect is the intricate footwork. Movement from the upper body is limited. Dance steps include step, hop, kick, jump and crossing of the legs. Dancers keep their upper body straight and unmoving – arms hang down either side. Features of the Dance Dancers often stand in a line, all facing the audience. Fast, energetic steps.

6. Irish Jig & Reel What is the difference between a jig and a reel? Both are lively dance styles, with the main difference between them being the metre: The reel is in simple time The jig is in compound time

7. Irish Jig & Reel Light, bouncy feel to the music, reflected in leaps, hops & jumps in the dance. Fast, constant quaver movement. Some longer or shorter notes do get thrown in (crotchets, triplets, semiquavers, etc.) Lively rhythm of the music reflected in the lively dance steps. Melody mostly moves in small intervals –lots of 2nds & 3rds. Unaccompanied solo melody (some ensembles perform the music with an accompaniment). Features of the Music in the Jig & the Reel Other commonly used intervals are 4ths & 5ths which give the music a traditional Irish feel. Major or minor key (some modal & pentatonic pieces). Binary form (AB) – each section lasts for 8 bars. Both sections usually repeated (AABB). Fast tempo. Almost all reels have a feel of 2 in a bar (in 4/4, 1st & 3rd beats accented. The same is true of all jigs in 6/8. Ornamentation in the melody (added by the performer rather than the composer).

8. Irish Jig & Reel Flute Tin whistle Uilleann pipes Violin (fiddle) Bodhran Accordion Instruments used in both the Jig & Reel:

9. Irish Jig & Reel Listen to this traditional Irish reel and then annotate your own score, identifying key features of an Irish reel.

10. Review • Test Yourself! • What is a céilí dance? • Which international TV event made Riverdance famous? • What are features of the Irish step dance? • How are the steps reflected in the music? • What is the difference between a reel and a jig? • What musical features do the reel and the jig share? • What instruments are used in traditional Irish music?

11. Irish Jig & Reel More videos demonstrating Irish Jigs & Reels: Trinity Irish Dance Company Winning Set Dance – Europeans Wida Dance Championships River Dance