Irish dance is the type of dancing that is usually associated with the world-famous "Riverdance" or "Lord of the Dance." It is generally characterized by the stiff upper-body and the quick and precise movements of the feet.
Irish dance was originated when dance was forbidden in Ireland. When people wanted to dance, they would just move their feet and if anyone happened to look in the window, they would see only the motionless upper-body and think nothing of it.
There are two types of shoes generally worn in Irish dance: hard shoe and soft shoe. The hard shoe is often mistaken for a tap shoe, but in fact, there are no taps on the bottom of the shoe. (Although Michael Flatley did attach taps to his shoes to make them louder.) There are usually pieces of wood or fiberglass attached, depending on the desired sound. The soft shoe is like a soft jazz shoe, with soft bottoms and a flexible body. This shoe does not make sounds.
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