Glossary

We understand that there's a lot of new lingo to pick up on when you are introduced to Irish Dance. The following is a list of terms and their meanings to get you started.

• dance - a set pattern and organization of steps
• step - a choregraphed movement of the feet. Steps come in two flavors: soft shoe and hard shoe
• soft shoe - a steps or dances performed in a soft shoe, or ghilie. Soft shoe dances are usually more graceful and elegant than hard shoe dances. There are various types of soft shoe dances, including the reel, light jig, single jig, and slip jig. See below for more information on these dances. Each type of dance can become progressively more challenging for the dancer as they progress in their training.
• reel - the first learned dance of every irish dancer. It is a soft-shoe dance. Reels become increasingly more complex as a dancer progresses. A reel is usually compatible with lots of non-Irish music because of its four-count rhythm
• light jig - a soft-shoe dance normally light, simple, and very elegant
• single jig - a soft-shoe dance similar to the light jig, but more difficult since the steps used normally target the dancer's technique more specifically
• slip jig - an intricate, intermediate-to-advanced-level soft-shoe dance. It is known for its more complicated steps and odd time signature of 9/8
• hard shoe - a steps or dances performed in a hard shoe, or heavy shoe. Hard shoe dances are usually more percussive and powerful than soft shoe dances. There are various types of hard shoe dances, including the treble jig/double jig and hornpipe. See below for more information on these dances. Each type of dance can become progressively more challenging for the dancer as they progress in their training.
• treble jig/double jig - the first learned hard shoe dance. It is named after the first learned hard shoe step, the treble. This jig has two speeds, one with faster music and one with slower. Naturally, the faster jig is for a more advanced dancer.
• hornpipe - a hard shoe dance typically learned around the same time as a slip jig. This dance is made up of patterns and sections of repeated steps, and has a different count and music from the treble jigs.
• traditional dances - set in stone, globally known dances which every irish dancer, company, and studio learns. Examples include "St. Patricks Day", "Blackbird", "Garden of Daisies", "Jockey to the Fair", etc. The last three listed are all in hard shoe.
• team dancing - typically performed in soft shoes, this is one of the few times that dancers will raise their arms and hands. The normal set up of a team dance is either two hands (two people), three hands (three people) or four hands (four people). On rare occasions eight people or sixteen people will dance together.
• feis - pronounced "fesh", an Irish dance competition. They are held regularly throughout the year and are a great way to meet other dancers and see how you are progressing in your training.