7/14/2021 Damhsa ar an Sean-nós: Vernacular Dance
The sean-nós style of dancing is a vernacular tradition meaning that while it’s rarely ‘taught’ within the community, there is enough community participation with the art form that folx are able to ‘learn’ it. In this way it has maintained the qualifying traits of the form but allows for variation as music, the individual body, and family styles allow. I caution folx doing a simple Wikipedia search about the tradition as the narrative there has been greatly reduced and convoluted by viewing this form through the lens of step dancing and the consumerist/colonized baggage it brings to a study of this vernacular style of dance. There are plenty of videos out there demonstrating the sean-nós style–some good and some bad. The information that I shared in class should at least give you a foundation to approach further exploration of materials below.
My presentation at the American Conference for Irish Studies sought to create a framework of history, context, and evolving narratives (sometimes problematic) around this dance form.
Helen Brennan’s thesis concerning damhsa ar an sean-nós was the first academic study of this vernacular dance form.
Johnny Connolly is a celebrated accordion/melodeon player. This documentary showcases his work as a dancer’s musician as well as showcasing a few elder dancers from the community. Part two. (parts 3 & 4 can be found online as well).
Some of the first ‘teachers’ (they are all under the age of 45 and point to generational shift in attitudes of teaching) of this tradition from whom I personally learned were: