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Learning Objectives 

Students will: 

• Analyze and discuss Irish dance performances.
• Locate Ireland on a world map.
• Research and gather information on Ireland and Irish dance.
• Describe the rhythm, beat, and instruments in Irish dance music.
• Interpret and visualize a poem about dance.
• Examine and discuss Irish dance attire.
• Choreograph an Irish folk dance in a collaborative group.
• Perform an Irish folk dance for an audience.

Standards Alignment

National Core Arts StandardsNational Core Arts Standards

Common Core State StandardsCommon Core State Standards

Recommended Student Materials

Editable Documents: Before sharing these resources with students, you must first save them to your Google account by opening them, and selecting “Make a copy” from the File menu. Check out Sharing Tips or Instructional Benefits when implementing Google Docs and Google Slides with students.

Videos

Music

Websites

Teacher Background

Teachers should have a general understanding of , Irish culture, and traditional .

Student Prerequisites 

Students should be familiar with Ireland and understand that many cultures express their identity through dance and other art forms.

Accessibility Notes

Modify movements, handouts, text, and utilize assistive technologies as needed. Allow extra time and space for dance movements.

Engage

1. Ask students: What do you know about Ireland and Irish culture? Record student responses.

2. Show students where Ireland is located on a world map. Utilize an atlas, globe, , , or take students on a virtual reality trip to Ireland using Google Expeditions: (requires an android, iOS, or Chromebook device).

3. Display or share , , , and the video, . Have students explore photos, facts, and the history of Ireland using the .

4. Show students examples of Irish Dance by the Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance: , , . Ask students to watch closely and make detailed observations.

5. Write the words “Irish Dance” on the board. Ask students to brainstorm words that describe the performance (body form, hand movements,  positions, leg or feet movement/position, and individual or group movements /patterns they observe). Record the student responses. Tell students they will continue to add information to this list as they learn more about Irish dance.

6. Play or share samples of the Irish dance songs, , , , . Ask students to brainstorm words that describe the mood and feel of the music. Add their responses to the “Irish Dance” list.

7. Show students the . Ask students to brainstorm words that describe the attire and add their responses to the “Irish Dance” list.

Build

1. Display or share , a poem by W.B. Yeats. Share the poem with the class or ask a student to read the poem aloud.

2. Have students write down or draw images they visualize when reading the poem. Ask students: What do you see when you visualize the Irish dancers? What does the author mean by the phrase “…and chase the frothy bubbles?” Encourage students to freely interpret the meaning of the poem. 

Apply

1. Tell students they are going to learn an Irish dance in order to stage a festive dance celebration called a céilí (pronounced Kay-Lee, see for audio pronunciation). Starting at the 26:25 mark, show students a clip from . 

2. Select an instructional video to review with students. Model for students how to do the steps. , , , or .

3. Divide students into groups to choreograph a dance. Have students select and stream a song from the  playlist. Tell students to use the instructional videos to help choreograph a dance with the music of their choice. Allow time for students to create their dance movements and patterns. 

Reflect 

1. Stage a performance for each group's Irish dance. Invite others in the school to view the performance or film the performance to share with families.

2. Assess students’ knowledge with a written reflection. Display the following writing prompts: What do you know now about Irish culture that you didn’t know before? In what ways is Irish culture the same or different from ours? Why is it important to preserve and pass on traditional cultural dances?

Irish Music Samples

Ciarán Ó Maonaigh and Dermot McLaughlin - “Loughisle Castle“

Hughie Travers, Séamus Creagh and Aidan Coffey - “The Cat in the Corner”

 Paul Moran and Fergal Scahill - “The Cúil Aodha Slide / Dan Patsy’s Slide / The Toormore Slide”

Paul McGrattan - “The Lark on the Strand / The Geese in the Bog / The Eavesdropper”

Instructional Dance Videos

MGOSDance - Beginner Reel Step

The Gathering Island - Irish dance tutorial for Riverdance

Howcast - How do Do a Beginner Routine

Time Out New York - How to dance the irish Reel with Trinity Irish Dancers