“The World at Their Feet” Irish Dancing Championship

[@raedog68]

I wish Irish dancing would go back to this!! So traditional! This is coming from someone that has done Irish dance for 15 years, and whose daughter was an Open champ. I just think that today’s Irish dance has strayed from what it started as. The dresses with the Book of Kells…..rather than the blinged out $4K dresses (which Ive bought quite a few of). Maybe Im just nostalgic. The steps that these ladies are doing and the talent is equal to the modern day dancers….honestly even better. It’s pure Irish. ☘️

[@claddagh1981]

This was absolutely amazing, brought back so many memories. As a dancer who is now older, and long retired, this was my life, my childhood, and young adult life. Feis every weekend, curling your hair each time (no wigs or easy outs then!) Watching all the older girls, and living for the day I could have a solo costume of my own, spending months waiting for it to be made (all hand embroidered) . Ugh the memories are so fresh watching this. Thank you so much for sharing. Its amazing to see how far the sport has come, and today's athletic abilities. Fab x

[@savvy2358]

Ditto to ALL of this! ♥️

[@jinniroe5002]

I am the same. I did not curl my hair. I never thought of it as a sport, just dancing.

[@lizvalentine9223]

costummss were lovely in those days when I use to dance in irish dancing , no wigs

[@ghillies4life]

Natural hair is coming back into vogue.

[@PS_testing321...]

I love this, back in the day before the wigs and makeup. Their dresses are so beautiful, and I love the men in kilts. I am American, but have 2 friends that have been to worlds back in the 80's.

[@janettedavis6627]

Those two little girls dancing are excellent. The dance steps were more intricate than to days modern stuff.

[@tomreilly515]

Thank you for the behind the scenes picture of Irish dance competition. I better understand why Irish dance survives as a popular art form.

[@bebhinnlombard8379]

When you could have a normal turnout and rythm was a must

[@KatieLHall-fy1hw]

Normal turnout is gone now

[@scoutz0rs]

Dancing with today’s turnout is physically impossible for me (I’m turned in at the hip), so I love to watch videos from the years before/around when I started learning. Makes me feel better, haha.

[@KatieLHall-fy1hw]

Same, my hips cause my feet to be completely parallel. At least they don’t turn in

[@ramywiles]

Thanks for this! As someone who's 25 and is only just getting to prelim, it's pretty cool to see an Irish dance documentary that highlights women who are simultaneously entrenched in Real Life TM and deeply committed to their competitive lives. There are worlds of difference between the competitive scenes of then and now, and I started my dance career MUCH later than these women did, but their stories as told here are still ones I think I can take a lot of inspiration from.

[@ramywiles]

Side note, it's so funny to me to hear anyone implying that it's common sense NOT to smile during competition!

[@truskiz]

I was thinking the same thing! So cool to see how adults managed their work and competition. I feel like now is really targeted to kids when there is a huge market for adults.

[@KatieLHall-fy1hw]

I started dancing at 23!

[@deliajoyce2460]

⁠@@truskiz😊

[@tomreilly515]

Thank you for sharing the beauty of their dance

[@weeardguy]

Well, those nearly-40 minutes flew by before I knew it! That was a nice breath of fresh air, such an older documentary without all the slow-motion footage and unnecessary music ALL the time and people that actually get the time to tell something instead of being cut short.

[@conradmccann4457]

God it was just wonderful. I was all Ireland 3 times. It inspired me so much. And now in Amsterdam I think about the dance steps.

[@Lovedove61119]

Oh nice! I went to worlds 4 times but never recalled there 🥲

[@redroseofsummer2979]

Takes me back, remember when our dresses were knee length, and no wigs or false tan☘️

[@conradmccann4457]

I used to watch this alot as a child!!! Glad I found it after all these years..

[@marieoconnell580]

This is so much more skilled and traditional than today’s style. Better dancing than all the high kicking, and prancing around that is in today’s routines.Bring this true style back !!!

[@philhyland9889]

I remember denise sherlock gurteen co sligo win world dancinga some years ago she was outstanding famous

[@lizvalentine9223]

I LOVED IRISH DANCING WHEN I WAS A CHILD DANCING I DID

[@staciforrest5656]

I wish dresses had remained similar to what you see here. I love the traditional patterns.

[@eugenequinn4578]

Having watched it again, apologies, the musicians in Newcastle were from Dundalk, and yes it was Mai Keogh- O’Brien playing the violin in Galway. Incidentally, the MC doing the announcements of the results was yours truly. Late apologies for saying Scoil Rince Ní Rodaigh were from Baile Atha Cliath. They were of course Dundalk. Eoghan

[@yvettejones5323]

OMG, COLIN DUNN?!?! LOOK HOW YOUNG HE IS?!?!

[@janettedavis6627]

Blue and White The Dublin and Israeli colours. Some of the costumes are class very elegant

[@jinniroe5002]

Love to read the comments lamenting the traditional steps, dresses, and hair. I so agree! I hope there is a return to tradition, and less emphasis on glam and showiness!

[@eugenequinn4578]

It has just come to me now, the accordionists name was Rory Kennedy. Eoghan

[@robertgabriell7690]

Cheek how young they all are 😍

[@eugenequinn4578]

No, the musicians were from Dundalk and were always brilliant. Noticed Mona in the wings as Carol was dancing. Judged all of those dancers many a time over the years. Eoghan O Cuinn now living in Western Australia.

[@denig2000able]

Who will be the lad that wears a kilt again and brings it back on the dance floor.

[@robertgabriell7690]

My lads do

[@denig2000able]

@@robertgabriell7690 Brilliant.

[@sarahbgln]

Where is Paula Mccullough now, anyone know?

[@ЗорницаГъркова-в1з]

I watched it twice and I'm also curious if she is still in the irish dancing as a teacher or as an adjudicator.

[@francesmcgloin9743]

Keep it Natural, nothing worse than nice young girls wearing wigs, people come to see them Dance not to look at their Hair. These kids train like they were getting ready for the Olympic Games, they also make a lot of sacrifices & work hard with no help from anyone, not too mention the injuries. I often wondered who is making the profits from all this, lm not speaking about Michael Flatley his shows were Brilliant, it should have been someone in Eire doing this, it did highlight the Irish Dance & gave a lot of our Dancers a chance to make some financial gain. Appreciate your natural Heritage, be proud of who and what you are, also the joy your Dancing has brought to the World☘️ 🇮🇪☘️🇱🇷🇮🇪☘️🇱🇷🇮🇪☘️🇱🇷☘️🇮🇪🇱🇷☘️🇮🇪☘️☘️

[@sarahbarrett1247]

Some of the more modern costumes, wigs, tans, sock glue and fake eyelashes would be more suited to Tiaras and Tantrums showing kids in pageants. Absolutely horrible. The only thing is that a lot of the girls do genuinely enjoy the dancing aspect. It's a shame it's been allowed to become so fake and unnatural.

[@dvaliker]

Back when your turnouts didn't have to be perfect to win.

[@Lovedove61119]

My turnout is naturally perfect 😩

[@KatieLHall-fy1hw]

@@Lovedove61119 booooo (want to share some of that natural turnout with me? My feet are completely straight naturally and I struggled with turnout so bad when i was dancing!)

[@Epiphannie1]

Paula's voice sounds like Luna Lovegood!

[@jinniroe5002]

Even in the nineties this ballet stuff was seeping in. Maybe that is why all the injuries. I never had an injury.

[@marikafasola8771]

hello, I have been looking for something . Do you have other old videos of irish dancing? I saw once banish misfortune video when three girls danced to their music. 2000s performance, not 90s.

[@normaturner327]

At least they haven't got wigs or false tan

[@letitiakearney2423]

They had false tan then it had just become the fashion.

[@normaturner327]

@@letitiakearney2423 it's very false

[@redroseofsummer2979]

@@letitiakearney2423 oh wow, surprised to hear this, i used to dance back then and nobody I knew was wearing false tan .

[@sarahbarrett1247]

My mum used to be horrified when the teacher put a LOT of hairspray on my curls. I know she would never agree to tan or any of the other additions 🤣

[@lizvalentine9223]

was that may o briean playing

[@denig2000able]

I couldn't make out either. Gosh I remember May. She was famous playing the music. My mum RIP used to say it'll be good for you today, May is playing for you. You like her rhythme. Memories.

[@lizvalentine9223]

@@denig2000able MAY WAS VERY GOOD PLAYING MUSIC FOR THE IRISH DANCERS

[@carolined5929]

So lovely to see the traditional costumes, it's all gone so horrible now with the fake hair, tan, the dresses are horrific, can we go back to the proper traditional costumes and dance.

[@gracebraun7698]

What year is this from

[@actualeyes1]

1989

[@NoliMeTangere1163]

So this was 1990. Some of these dancers may have been part of the Celtic explosion of the 1990s. There are future RD and LOTD dancers here, like Colin Dunne.

[@brookeleonardo8194]

I’m an amazing Irish dancer and I’m in all championship I went to worlds in 2015

[@sarahbgln]

Dont brag.

[@patchthecat]

Prove it then lol post a video where they actually say YOUR NAME and show u dancing. Bet u cant

[@tomjohnston1220]

Hate the American style costumes.

[@jinniroe5002]

Are they American though?