This workshop is appropriate for beginners to advanced dancers. Each day we will learn steps to accompany a tune and work on dancing them up to speed. We will also work on exercises that improve movement and fluidity while dancing. Many of the steps learned in this workshop can be used both as sean-nós dance steps, and as set dance steps.
Sean-nós literally means old-style, and is a highly improvisational, low to the ground, rhythmic dance form. Unlike Irish step dancers, sean-nós dancers swing their hips and use their arms to express the music. Traditionally a dancer danced solo on the hardwood of a half door or the round top of a barrel; as a result the steps are confined to a small space. In sean-nós dance, the dancer is tied closely with the musician and the music. The dancer interprets the music.