Half Door Step Dancing - Dance Off
This is long standing Irish tradition. The top of a half-door would be taken down and placed on the ground should an accomplished step dancer visit a cottage.
In the UK canal narrowboat people would dance on an upright beer barrel or table top with beer in the glasses at the four corners.
Australian foklorist Banjo Patterson mentions a step dance competition on a half-door at the end of an Outback horse race meet in his tale the Outback Marriage.
And there is a reference to an Australian bullock drover in Queensland having his dancing board strapped to the side of his cart for dancing on at that night's camp entertainments.
Sent via WeTransfer is a clip from a recent Irish half-door dance off.
Download link
https://we.tl/DYvktLBj2l
RTÉ Archives Arts and Culture Door Dancing Dance Off.mp4
CJB
With the broad definition of a jig being a step dance in any rhythm here is the only clap dance filmed in Ireland. Veteran step dancer and flautist Michael Tubridy tells me that he remembers it in his youth, and is still known but rarely seen.
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https://we.tl/kKDkMEtT1S
Chris B.
