Have you ever been to a St. Patrick's Day parade? If so, you might remember the dancing. Irish dancers carry out lightning-fast heel clicks and high kicks. They make their craft look easy. But traditional Irish step dancing is hardly that. Difficult to master, it's a blend of art and sport. This dance reflects the history and culture of Ireland. In recent years, it's become popular worldwide. Now, Irish step dance is performed by people from all backgrounds.
In most forms of dance, performers move their entire bodies. But not Irish step dancers. They keep their upper bodies still while performing complicated footwork. This kind of dance demands skill and strength. New dancers usually start out by learning a dance called a reel. Then they learn more difficult dances, such as jigs. Some Irish dances are performed in soft shoes. These are called ghillies. Others are performed in hard shoes containing fiberglass. These shoes make loud tap-click-stomp sounds as they strike the floor.
Irish dance may be new to some. But its roots stretch all the way back to the Celts. They lived thousands of years ago in Ireland and other parts of Europe. How did the dance make its way to the United States? Irish immigrants came to America. They brought their traditions with them. Over the years, the dance continued to catch on in the U.S. Then, in 1994, the smash-hit stage show Riverdance opened. It launched Irish dancing into the spotlight all over the world.
Students of Irish dance often perform in parades and at cultural events. Some dancers also compete in judged events. These competitions are called feiseanna (pronounced "FESH-ah-na"). There, female dancers often wear sparkly dresses and curly hairpieces. Male dancers compete in black trousers and vests. Sometimes they wear colorful ties.
Today, Irish dance is performed by people of all backgrounds. Just ask Morgan Bullock. She was the first Black female dancer to join the cast of Riverdance. Bullock says that Irish dancing is for everyone. It doesn't matter where you come from or what you look like. That's part of what makes Irish dancing so special, she says. Bullock has shared that she is delighted to represent the Black community as an Irish dancer. She's also excited to help shine a light on Irish culture.
To be sure, Irish dance delights audiences with its striking sounds and footwork. So, if you ever get to see Irish dancers, think about giving them a shout-out. They're working really hard.
The article talks mainly about how __________.
A. some Irish dancers start out by learning a simple dance called a reel
B. Irish step dancing has been performed at cultural events across the world
C. some Irish dancers wear shoes that make loud noise against the floor
D. Irish step dancing has become popular with dancers of all backgrounds
D. Irish step dancing has become popular with dancers of all backgrounds
According to the article, why did Irish dancing become popular all over the world in 1994?
A. Immigrants brought Irish dance to the United States.
B. A smash-hit Irish dancing stage show opened.
C. People saw Irish dancing performed at a parade.
D. An Irish dance contest was held outside Ireland.
B. A smash-hit Irish dancing stage show opened.
The article states:
Just ask Morgan Bullock. She was the first Black female dancer to join the cast of Riverdance. Bullock says that Irish dancing is for everyone. It doesn't matter where you come from or what you look like. That's part of what makes Irish dancing so special, she says.
The author's purpose for writing this passage was to __________.
A. argue that the best Irish dancers are in Riverdance
B. describe how Irish dance first got started
C. show that Irish dance is open to all people
D. explain how Irish dancers get hired for Riverdance
C. show that Irish dance is open to all people
Suppose Aoife wants to find out about upcoming Irish dance shows in a city. Aoife would find the most information by __________.
A. studying a map of the city in a world atlas
B. checking an online calendar of cultural events
C. looking up the history of Irish dance in an encyclopedia
D. reading a biography of a world-famous Irish dancer
B. checking an online calendar of cultural events
Think about the article. Which happened first?
A. Irish dancing came to the United States.
B. The stage show Riverdance opened.
C. A Black female dancer joined Riverdance.
D. The Celts lived in some parts of Europe.