Our first week in this course we were asked what came to mind when we
thought of Ireland? From leprechauns to Angela's Ashes, I listed every
stereotypical answer I could summon and Riverdance was definitely on it.
I admit, I knew little about Ireland and even less about Irish dance when I
began this program, but thanks to What the Folk!, Up and Over It, and a
few interesting lectures, I got a crash course on the subject. Riverdance
is a theatrical show that fuses traditional Irish dance with elements of
ballet, tap, and tango, in order to tell the story of the Irish immigration to
America. Although, there was a clear preservation of traditional Irish dance
within the performances, there were also many altered components to several
pieces that assisted in highlighting Irish-American dance. Traditional Irish
dance consists of rapid leg movements while the upper portion of the body
remains largely stationary and most of the performances stayed true to this blueprint.
However, there were two particular segments that utilized other types of dance,
which in turn emphasized some issues related to gender and class.
During one of our lectures someone asked a question regarding the lack of upper
body movement in traditional Irish dance, and although, there was no concrete
answer given there were many theories verbalized. One theory suggested that at
a time of puritanical Catholicism the church believed that the female body
posed too much of a temptation if it were to bounce and flail about. In an
effort to make dancing visually neutral and morally acceptable, dancers had to
keep their backs straight, as well as their arms stiff and to their sides.
Another theory, that was voiced by a performer in What
the Folk!, claimed that the clergy's disapproval of certain aspects of
dance forced the people to participate in secret. In order for those who wanted
to dance, without being tainted by the stigma associated with defying the
Catholic church, their upper bodies would remain rigid just in case a passing
priest looked through the window of their home.
In Riverdance, their was a piece where a woman
dressed in red appeared with her arms raised above her head and dancing flames
illuminating her figure. As she glided across the stage her arms moved
sensually through the air and over her body repeatedly, while her torso and
hips swayed to the beat. She was clearly imitating some essential features
found in Latin dance (I think it might have been tango, but I'm not entirely
certain), which not only indicated the modifications America elicited in Irish
dance, but the transformation it had on experiences of female sexuality
for Irish and other immigrants. Unlike most of the female dancers on stage that
night, this particular performer moved in a seductively fluid manner, which
punctuated her sexuality and called attention to every facet of her
shape. Even the costume she wore (a long red dress that prominently
displayed her feminine attributes) defied traditional attire, which
demonstrates the effect America had on Irish immigrants in relation gender
roles. Not only has this clash of cultures resulted in alterations of
traditional Irish dance, but it has readjusted the way females portray
themselves to the public. We have discussed the possibility that the reasoning
behind such a stationary upper body was due to the history of sexual repression
inflicted by the church. Furthermore, the church is notoriously known for
restricting and even controlling what is considered acceptable for females to
do with their bodies on and off the stage. Riverdance communicates
how these long standing rules and regulations disintegrate when surrounded by a
new environment that does not uphold the same doctrine.
Listening to the many theories introduced in and out of class regarding the
style of traditional Irish dance peaked my interest, and I soon found myself
doing a little research of my own to determine if there was a concrete
explanation. I discovered that there are limited
definite records of why this is, but there are an abundance of stories. Many
alleged reasons relate in some way to the English's occupation of Ireland, and
the subsequent suppression of Irish culture. One particular story is that a
group of Irish dancers were forced to perform for the Queen. These dancers
refused to raise their arms to her and kept them firmly by their sides out of
defiance, as well as to illustrate their displeasure at being reduced to
spectacles and utilized as a means of amusement. It is quite possible that this
event actually happened, and the Queen referenced is more than likely Elizabeth
I. She reportedly enjoyed Irish “jigs,” and there is an ample amount of
evidence that supports the notion that dances of Irish origin were performed in
her court. For instance, when royalty would visit Ireland they were greeted at
the shore by Irish dancers. In this case, defiance would be a natural response
after the oppression that was inflicted on the Irish for centuries (since Irish
culture was effectively outlawed by the Statute of Kilkenny in the 14th
century by forbidding interaction,
intermarriage or the passing down of Irish language and custom
between English colonists and
indigenous Irish residents).
In Riverdance the issue of class was touched upon when we were
introduced to the black tap dancer who performed a solo. The fact that tap and
traditional Irish dance are so similar illustrated the parallel between the
oppression faced by both parties in their respective countries. During lecture
we discussed how the Irish referred to themselves as the “blacks of Europe,”
due to the treatment they had endured by British hands. Although, this kinship
wasn't realized initially during the performance, it was obvious by the
conclusion. The black tap dancer and the three Irish-Americans in the piece
originally observed the differences in their style of dance, which escalated
into a sort of rivalry, and eventually, turned into mockery. The trio of
traditional Irish dancers would imitate the solo black dancers active upper
body movements with exaggeration, and the tap dancer would reply with his own
concoction of traditional Irish dance. It was not until they actual watched the
precise actions being executed that it dawned on all of them how their
similarities far outweighed their differences. After this there seemed to be an
automatic kinship that had formed, which led to a joint performance where both
genres of dance were incorporated. This merger expresses a bond felt by both parties
(at least in this performance) as second class citizens in America, as well as
in Ireland for those of Irish descent.
Riverdance is suppose to be a representation of traditional Irish dance,
but instead it is a melting pot of cultures that have been influenced by one
another. It tells the story of Irish culture in America, their journey as
immigrants, and how past decrees and injustices were addressed. When I was
leaving the theatre I heard many of the audience members praise the performance
and just as many ridicule it. I wasn't particularly moved or revolted, it was
an experience that allowed me to reflect on some of the things I've learned in
this course. I guess at the end that makes it worthwhile.
~Saba Bekele
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| Dancing with John Scott from Irish Modern Dance Theatre on July 4- definitely no "Riverdance" here! |
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