Whenever I tell someone that I am an Irish dancer, they always say something along the lines of, “Oh, like leprechauns?” and put their hands on their hips and kick their feet wildly in the air. Outside of the dance world, large numbers of people believe that that’s all Irish dancing is, but it’s actually the exact opposite. Imagine this: you are standing on stage, the rush of excitement and anticipation pumping adrenaline through your body like a race car speeding down a track. The harsh lights wash out all the faces in the audience. All you can see are the judges, ready to critique your every move. The music washed over you like a wave at the beach. Every jump, kick, spin, and turn coming naturally. Suddenly, it’s over, as quick as it began. At the end, you point your foot, bow, and return to your place in line, next to the other dancers who want to win just as much as you do. Irish dancing requires immense speed, power, and stamina to be able to complete all the complex moves in a single dance. Do you think you have what it takes to be an Irish dancer? Read on to find out. …show more content…
There, we complete drill after drill after drill to perfect technique. We practice all of our dances multiple times, and at the end, we drill all of our jumps, spins, and turns. Classes last hours, all with little time to rest in between dances. This is to build stamina. Dancers are required to keep the appearance of energy up on stage, so that they can complete the dance well without seeming tired. Additionally, Irish dancers also exercise a lot, to build up the strength that is needed to complete the numerous moves in a single