The Reel
This is a soft shoe dance. The reel originated in Scotland around 1750 and the Irish dance masters brought it to full development. The music is 4/4 time and it is danced at a relatively fast tempo. Both men and women dance the reel. For women, it is a light, rapid, soft shoe dance that allows for plenty of leaping and demands an energetic performance from the dancer. Men often dance the reel in hard shoes without tips.
Beginners reel 122 beats per minute
Primary Reel 116
Open Reel 113
The Slip Jig
Slip jigs are danced in 9/8 time. They are also danced in soft shoes. It has a really soft and floating quality to the dance and it is a ladies dance. It is avery graceful dance with light hopping and skipping. Boys over 12 do not dance slip jigs.
Beginners Slip Jig 122 Beats per minute
Primary Slip Jig 120
Open Slip Jig 113
Jigs
Jigs are danced in 6/8 time. It is a hard shoe dance but beginners start in soft shoes. Beginners learn "Hop and Hop" as their first jig in soft shoes; it is also called a light jig. Another beginner jig is the single jig, which has the same tempo as the song "pop goes the weasel." In your first competition you will enter the Extra Jig. This is the same dance as the light jig, but if you've curled and dressed you should get to dance twice even if it is the same dance.
Later when they get their hard shoes they will learn the treble jig which has a slower tempo, but dancers triple the beats with their hard shoes. |