Dance
Four Girls Stand In A Line - As They Turn Around, Keep An Eye On Their Feet
These four girls are seriously talented!
Ryan Aliapoulios
10.18.17

Are you good at dancing?

Not everybody is blessed with the rhythm and timing necessary to truly cut a rug. When most people think of dancing, you might picture some smooth R&B moves that you might pull out in a club. You might think of disco moves, tango, hip-hop dancing and any other number of styles. One that doesn’t often come to mind is Irish dancing—and if it does, it’s limited to the stereotype of Riverdance. Still, Irish dancing is a unique style which is much more than that.

In a recent video, four little girls are showing off their Irish dancing chops—and are taking the world by storm.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

The girls in the video are dressed in traditional Irish costumes and begin in a line.

As the music starts, they break out of their formation and and rearrange into an open file. While the style of dance can take some getting used to, the precision and speed of the girls’ foot movements is hypnotic! While it shares some features in common with ballet and tap dancing, Irish dancing is a form all its own.

Though the movement is mostly below the knee, the dance gets more complex and interesting throughout.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

Though it isn’t often seen today, Irish dancing has a long heritage dating back to the 18th century.

Unlike much American music that has four quarter notes per measure (and is said to be in 4:4 time), Irish step dancing sometimes follows different rhythms that are measured in sixes. As viewers can see in the performance, the girls in the video have a bit of a “hop” which plays inside and outside the main rhythm of the song.

After some paired dance moves, the girls finish their performance.

YouTube Screenshot
Source:
YouTube Screenshot

So far, the short dance has earned itself more than a million views on the internet.

After watching, it’s not hard to see why people are fascinated by this performance. In addition to the girls enthusiasm and precise moves, it also exposes us to a style of dancing that we don’t often see anymore. Even so, Irish dancing has a rich heritage and a distinctive style that is all its own. Though most of the dancing styles we’re familiar with may be hip-hop oriented or else modern and American, this performance gives us a glimpse into an older world.

Watch as many times as you need—but keep your eyes on their feet!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Article Sources:
To learn more read our Editorial Standards.
Advertisement