IACI presents Shannon Dunne to discuss "Sean-nós Irish Dancing"

Shannon Dunne, dance teacher, renowned international performer and principal of Shannon Dunne Dance, an intergenerational dance company in Washington D.C., will be guest speaker at the Irish American Cultural Institute’s program on Monday, September 9th at the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh in Belmar and her topic for the evening will be “Sean-nós Irish Dancing.”

Ms. Dunne grew up in New Jersey where she studied tap dancing which eventually led her to Irish dancing. “I’m thrilled to be returning home to my roots in New Jersey to talk about one of the earliest forms of Irish dance. The reason that I opened my dance school is that I am committed to performing and preserving sean-nós. I’m so pleased that it has recently experienced a resurgence. It’s wonderful that there’s a growing interest in this authentic form of musical expression.”

Whereas Irish step-dancing, popularized by Riverdance, is easily recognized by its decorative costumes, arms held to the side of the body and choreographed steps, sean-nós dancers generally wear regular clothing, move their arms with the natural rhythm of the music and improvise their dance steps. Personal style is highly valued and each dancer develops their own unique, interpretive style. The dance is traditionally performed solo and if performed in groups, dancers usually take turns dancing, rather than perform in synchronization like in step-dancing.

The main difference between sean-nós dance and the more formal Irish step-dancing is that it is free-form in its expression. The elements of the dance combine battering footwork with loose, engaged movements of the arms. The steps are improvised and are often performed accompanied by a single musician. The dancer follows the nuances in the musical tempo and the battering step emulates the beat of the music. Both musician and dancer use rhythmic components as building blocks to create spontaneously in the moment to convey a connection between music and dance.

Ms. Dunne explained the roots of this lesser-known Irish dance style saying, “The phrase sean-nós literally mean 'old style' in the Irish language. This dance-form and has been kept alive in the remote areas of the Connemara Gaeltacht in the west of Ireland and passed along through family and community connections. As people emigrated from Ireland, they took sean-nós dance with them to America, ultimately having an influence on tap-dancing and American folk dancing.”

“We’re thrilled to have Shannon as our guest for our September program. She has performed all over the globe and is a world class performer who is passionate about expanding awareness of this early Irish dance form,” said Dr. Peter Halas, Chairman of the IACI.

All are welcome to attend Ms. Dunne’s program on Monday, September 9th at the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, 815 16th Avenue, Belmar at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free for IACI and FSOS-Belmar members and $10 for guests. Annual membership is available for only $50 which includes 12 monthly programs a year, discounts on special events, and other benefits. For additional information about the meeting or IACI membership, contact Barbara at 732-280-7439.

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