The World of Irish Dancing seems to be becoming like the World of the American Pre-Teen Beauty Pageant. I dropped in at the Waterfront Hall yesterday, where a friends daughter was competing in the World Championships.
“Riverdance” has a lot to answer for. Stalls selling shoes, make-up, WIGS!!!! and of course dresses. My friend who gave me the low down on the Irish Dancing scene told me that she had just bought a dress for ……….£750.!!!
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
Slightly disagree with you there FJH about Riverdance.
I still remember exactly where I was when Riverdance was first seen, in a pretty loud pub as it happens, with a predominantly young, very trendy crowd in Dublin. The type of crowd who wouldn’t normally be caught dead at an Irish dancing event.
It was Eurovision night. Everyone was mostly ignoring the various acts but when the interval act came on things changed.
Bit of a hush at first, a murmer through the crowd, then Silence. complete silence. Finally the place erupted about ten seconds after it ended.
Anyhow, not a wig, an emerald embroidered skirt or a rigid arm in sight !
It appears to me that the grassroots should maybe copy the example of what Riverdance achieved by expanding the “traditional” conventions and seeing what it is capable of.
Indeed, Riverdance is actually truer to Irish dancings original roots than these “pageants”
I’m with dangordub, what “Riverdance has a lot to answer for” is widening the audience and dragging Irish dancing into a commercialised world (Riverdance came about from Yankees pushing the boundaries of how Irish dancing was performed) as happended similalry with Irish music.
Re. £750 for a frock – if that keeps a cottage industry in Gweedore going then fair enough – suspect otherwise though.