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Music for Irish Step Dance generally falls into two categories, jigs and reels.
Jigs are danced in six-eight time, which means there are six eighth notes for each bar of
the music. That gives the dance a sort of swinging feel. One, two, three, four, five,
six. Two, two, three, four, five, six. Three, two, three, four, five, six. And so on.
The reel, on the other hand, stands in four-four time which means there are four quarter notes
for each measure of the music. That gives the reel a more driving feel. One, two, three,
four. Two, two, three, four. Three, two, three, four. Four, two, three, four. And so on.
Common instruments for Irish Dance include fiddle, accordion, flute, tin whistle and
bodhran, or goat skinned drum.
While the jig and the reel are the most typical forms of Irish Dance music other variations
include dances such as the hornpipe, typically an English folk dance that made its way into
Irish Dance lexicons.
The slip jib is another variant. Slip jigs are unusual in that they are danced in nine-eight
time. Which means there are nine eighth notes for each measure of the music. Slip jigs are
also only performed by female dancers.
A final style of Irish Dance music is called a set dance. A set dance is sort of a party
piece for a championship level Irish dancer. Typical to most Irish Dance styles, the right
foot and left foot repeat in symmetry in the set dance.
But the third piece is a longer section of a specific choreographed tune where the dancer
has the opportunity to display technical virtuosity.
Reels, jigs, slip jigs, horn pipes and set dances are all common kinds of Irish Dance
music.