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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

Irish culture, history, Irish dance, cultural identity

College

Fine Arts and Communications

Department

Dance

Abstract

I spent three weeks in Ireland this summer studying the culture, history, and especially the dance of that country. I wanted to show that Irish dance has played a pivotal role in preserving Ireland’s cultural identity since before the spread of Christianity. I focused my time on studying the historical climate of Ireland from its roots to current times, learning how dance evolved from its early communal roots to its current status, and researching the role of costumes and their development. I attended Blas Iomlan, an intensive two-week program designed to give dancers a taste of Irish dance from its early roots to current styles. The instruction given at this workshop, in addition to interviews and library research, allowed me to see the parallels in Irish history and dance. Irish dance offers a wealth of information about Ireland, and as Catherine Foley said in our interview, “If you find any treasure, it needs to be shared.”

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