Went down to St Georges Market on Sunday. We had intended to go see the St Patricks celebration but we got delayed by one thing and another so when we got there all the music and dancing was over. In a way I was glad for on our way there we saw two of the dancers going home and what a site. They both were wearing these, what I can only describe as cardboard looking dresses. I thought for a minute that I was seeing a couple of competitors in an American kids pageant. To add insult to injury they had the seemingly obligatory fake tan. On top of it all they were wearing identical curly hair pieces neither of which matched their natural hair.
Are we so ashamed of our own idendity that we have to pander to the steriotypical view of who or what we are? An Irish dancer is not this doll-like creature that we see on the stages of halls throught the country, They are graceful individuals with beautifully designed outfits and hair that flows when they dance.
Some people still think that we live in thatched cottages, we don't and our dancers should not be made by parents or dance schools to fit into this cliched view.
I know people who teach Irish dancing and thankfully they allow, no, insist that their pupils be individuals so please bring the individuality back to the dance.
Lets face it, if it's good enough for Riverdance it's good enough for all those sons and daughters out there who just want to dance.
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