Steps from 1929

This week some intriguing videos surfaced online of dancing in the West of Ireland in 1929. Both videos start with singing and then feature lovely, loose, informal solo dancing that today we would call sean-nós dancing.

The lack of “proper” dance shoes is notable. When I teach in-person, people often ask about shoes. Many resist the idea that it was common to be shoeless or own one pair of shoes in Ireland in the past. In fact, dance shoes are a modern invention in our tradition. In the first video, the men are wearing pampooties, handmade leather shoes. People danced in their daily life in whatever shoes were available to them.

Do you dance these steps? Which movements would you incorporate into your own dancing?