Full Description
Dancing at the crossroads used to be young people's opportunity to meet and enjoy themselves on mild summer evenings in the countryside in Ireland until this practice was banned by law, the Public Dance Halls Act in 1935. Now a key metaphor in Irish cultural and political life, "dancing at the crossroads" also crystallizes the argument of this book: Irish dance, from Riverdance (the commercial show) and competitive dancing to dance theatre, conveys that Ireland is to be found in a crossroads situation with a firm base in a distinctly Irish tradition which is also becoming a prominent part of European modernity.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1. Into the Rhythm of the Dance
Chapter 2. Tradition Reinvented
Chapter 3. Memories in Motion
Chapter 4. The Link to the Land
Chapter 5. Storytelling Dance
Chapter 6. Winning the World
Chapter 7. The Riverdance Moment
Chapter 8. Rooted Cosmopolitanism
Afterword: Yo-yo Fieldwork
Bibliography
Index
