Irish step dancing is a conglomeration of several dance forms from various peoples, both native and migratory. Its history can be traced through ancient, religious practices of the Druids thousands of years ago and their religious ring dances. In the fourth century, the migrating Celts from central Europe brought their own native dance styles with them, influencing the dance culture. Another important influence was the Anglo-Norman people who conquered Ireland in the 12th century.
During the 18th century, a new phenomena began to occur that solidified Irish step dancing in modern times: the presence of Dance Masters. These colorfully dressed men went from town to town, teaching their dances to any peasant willing to learn. As late as the early 20th century, these migratory men could still be found wandering Ireland, teaching their craft. The colorful costumes of many step dancers today are homage to the vibrantly garbed Dance Masters of the past.
Today, step dancing is very common in Ireland, and its dancers use either a soft shoe or hard shoe. Soft shoes are commonly made with leather and often resemble ballet slippers. Hard shoes possess a raised heel made of either fiberglass or resin to create the “tapping” sound. Many young students begin with soft shoes and graduate to hard shoes as they become more agile and gain skill.
The most famous example of modern-day Irish step dancing is "Riverdance." This wildly popular show has been performed in 32 countries and seen by an estimated 21 million people. An early version of "Riverdance," called "Timedance," was composed for the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest. The more recognizable "Riverdance" had its first performance on April 30, 1994, at the Eurovision Song Contest.
Step dancing involves keeping the upper body rigid and the arms relatively stationary, while the legs make rapid and dramatic movements. This stems from the 18 century and the traveling Dance Masters. Oftentimes, there were few hard surfaces to dance upon, and so the dancers would unhinge doors and set them upon the ground. Because a door constituted a small area, it provided little room for movement of the arms.
All dances are either soft shoe or hard shoe dances, though the movements are very similar for both. Common forms of step dances include reels, slip jigs, hornpipes and jigs. "Riverdance" makes use of each of these as well as other forms throughout its program of songs.