A proud man of Irish descent, my dad has always boasted about Ireland’s outsized cultural impact. He thought it was amazing how a tiny island’s culture has spread across the world and become cherished by so many: Irish pubs, U2, Samuel Beckett and “Normal People” are just some Irish exports I personally love. However, none may be as important as Irish dance, which is alive and well here on our campus: The Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s Irish Dance Team will be performing their annual showcase in Washington Hall this Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The team is divided into two halves — the Gold Team and the Blue Team — each with its own president and dance style. Their showcase this year is titled “Echoes of Eire” — a phrase that, according to Gold Team president Kate Rafford, captures the diverse forms Irish dance can take. The showcase more than lives up to the name: It’s a sweeping excavation of Ireland that excites at every turn.
The winning contrast between the two teams is quickly established at the beginning of the showcase. The Gold Team’s “Heartland” opens with the dancers shrouded in striking shadows as they dance with militant ferocity. The piece eventually explodes into color as they ramp up the pace of their meticulous footwork. Following that is the Blue Team’s “Mischief,” a free-flowing and playful piece, with the dancers joining and breaking with spirited energy. “Irish Echoes” is an a cappella piece in which each dancer serves as a musical instrument, carrying a different part of the beat through their tapping.
“Distant Thunder,” a piece drawn from the world-renowned Irish dance show “Riverdance”, opens with a cacophony of storm sounds that transition into thunderous dancing; spirited stomp-clapping adds to the wild atmosphere. “Stolen Kisses” is a slip jig dance featuring graceful leaps and acrobatic composure. Next, the ceili team, competing at the Collegiate Irish Dance Nationals this year, performed dances full of fluid geometry and elegant movement across the stage. Finally, Act 1 closes with “Warriors” from “Lord of the Dance.” The atmosphere in this piece almost feels like a horror movie — tense, fearsome and with minimal lighting. The aggressive strikes to the floor evoke gunfire. Yet, amid this dangerous atmosphere, the dancers stand out as fearless.
Act 2 opens with “American Wake,” a piece that stands out with its thematic depth. According to Rafford, it depicts an Irish village throwing a party to celebrate a villager’s last night before their departure to America amid the Great Famine. They cheerfully dance to the promise of a better life across the ocean, yet it’s tinged with sorrow as their community fractures. But it’s the birth of this diaspora that allows for celebrations of Irish culture in America like this very showcase — fascinating stuff! On a much lighter note, the following “Shake Down the Thunder” is a fun ode to Notre Dame, featuring a melody of iconic songs from our community. “Countess Cathleen” references the W.B. Yeats poem in which the title character sells her soul to the devil to feed her community during the Great Famine. Thus, the dance features red and black costumes and ominous music. “Anna Livia” is another dance inspired by Irish literature — specifically, the character from James Joyce’s “Finnegans Wake” of the same name. The dance has some very exciting breakdowns with ballistic footwork that never relents. The show then ends with a trip to the present day with “Without You” and “Fuego” — who said Irish dance can’t be performed to modern club bangers from Usher and Pitbull?
“Echoes of Eire” is a remarkable survey of both the rich history of Irish dance and Ireland as a whole. The ND-SMC Irish Dance Team takes you on a diverse tour of Irish culture, ranging from the haunted days of the Great Famine to the rollicking stands of Notre Dame Stadium. Some dances convey a striking ferocity, others an infectious joy. But throughout it all, “Echoes of Eire” is always a delight to watch. Don’t miss out on some incredible dancing this weekend.
