Klarinet Archive - Posting 000051.txt from 2003/04

From: b1rite@-----. Rite)
Subj: Re: [kl] Help in finding good Celtic music for Katie
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 14:42:17 -0500

Anne, the stiff-backed step dancing that the Riverdance show made famous
is fun to watch, and it is definitely a worthwhile art form, but it is
a modern adaptation of traditional Irish dancing. It is copied by
young dance students and even encouraged by Irish cultural
organizations, but it's not how farmers and townfolk aspired to dance
even a generation ago.

I attended the All-Ireland Competition in Listowel a few years ago,
which is more oriented towards instruments than towards dancing, but
there was plenty of dancing. At one point, a group of locals in their
50's and 60's decided to offer an impromptu demonstration of how they
learned to dance and play when they were young and wanted to court the
ladies, to 'let loose' and enjoy themselves, etc etc etc. Throughout
their presentation, their attitude and commentary was: "This is how
young folk would do it today if they _really_ wanted to maintain the old
ways."

Their performances --- commentary in Gaelic, but a lady and her children
sitting next to me took turns giving me a running translation because
Mom wanted me, as an American, to understand what the gentlemen were
saying --- their performances were only remotely related to what
Riverdance does.

At one point (the audience was encouraged to ask questions), a German
fellow asked specifically "Is Riverdance genuine?" The dancer, a
retired slightly overweight farmer in his 60's, but still in excellent
physical shape, and dripping sweat --- he had just demonstrated 2-3
minutes of full motions with pliant torso and graceful limb extensions,
all of his body moving in fully extended arcs, at footwork tempos and
covering distances that I would never attempt even in my dreams, and
with impeccable rhythm --- anyway, his reply was a forceful grunt filled
with derision, and then he said (translation by the mother): "A _real_
Irish dancer signs his name with his feet!" Then he swept his body to
stage left, while simultaneously spinning and doing footwork at a
45-degree angle and completing a circle. You could truly imagine that
his steps had spelled out his name, and every microsecond was graceful.

....none of "hammer a hole in the floor" stuff.

As for "Lord of the Dance", it is Michael Flattely's (sp?) show, and
(imo) it is positively insulting because of its chauvinism. He thinks
that it's macho and flashy, of course. But it's disgusting. Lots of
bright, colorful lights, but nothing else to recommend it (imo). I'm
not sure if it's still playing anywhere -- so perhaps I should be saying
"was" rather than "is".

While I don't remember all the details, and perhaps the history is
unclear even to those who do, Flattely (sp?) was either asked to leave
or decided to leave Riverdance because he wasn't (allegedly) given
enough 'artistic freedom'.

....sorry to rant....

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