I remember my first dance costume very fondly. It was a blue, embroidered dress, lined with bright yellow fabric. It was the school costume for O’Donnell’s Irish dance school in the early 1980s. I loved that it twirled out. I loved the embroidery. And the style remains to this day my favourite style of all the Irish dance costumes I’ve seen. Even so, we do not use costumes at Kaleidoscope Studio, for a few reasons. But before we explore them, let’s look at some of the history of Irish dance costumes.
What I didn’t know then, but I’ve come to learn since then is that the origins of Irish dancing costumes derived from turn-of-the-twentieth-century desire to create a national Irish dress; to create a visible declaration of an increasing Irish national consciousness. The earliest costumes were designed based on research into historical Irish dress; literally, they sought representations of native Irish dress forms, looking as far back as the sixteenth century, and the bans of indigenous clothing by Henry VIII, about which he declared, “no man, or man child should wear no mantle in the streets, but cloths or gowns shaped after the English fashion.”[1] The de-anglicising of clothing was part of reclaiming Irish identity. As dance was part of that identity-defining project, so too did these clothing choices influence dancing attire.
Previously, dancers wore costumes inspired by medieval and ancient Irish dress styles, as recorded in the early Irish period. These were tunics, made from linen. The lengths of which reflected economic status; long for the wealthy and short for the poor or those involved in physical labour. A brat, or cloak, would be attached with a brooch on the shoulder. What mattered most was the materials be of Irish origin: wool, linen, poplin. Lace and embroidery gained new traction as part of costuming because they were historically important Irish craft industries. And the most recognizable aspect of all, the embroidery was based on ornamentation from the Book of Kells. The association of Irish identity and costuming became entrenched with competition to the extent that in 1901 the Gaelic League determined that a dancer was not qualified to win a prize of they weren’t wearing clothing of Irish manufacture. In 1903 this rule was applied to all competitions.
The shift from wearing your “Sunday best” for dancing to a formal Irish dancing costume became a canvas for the expression of Irish identity. Initially, dancers would wear a green skirt, but over time, costume styles became more uniform and defined, often reflecting the political climate. For example, in the 1920s, it became fashionable to wear a kilt, a previously unknown fashion element in Ireland prior to Peader O’Rafferty 1911. The dance teacher Lily Comerford of Dublin was the first to use them as a dance costume for both boys and girls.[2] This wearing of kilt and jacket is akin to donning a revolutionary uniform. The kilts were similar to military uniforms of the time and so dancers, through these costumes, adopted a Republican identity.[3] The military style lost popularity as Revolutionary fervor subsided and Ireland settled into its own nationhood. Worthy of note, to me, is that the military-style dance costumes didn’t make it to North America. When Mae Butler immigrated to Canada in 1953, she brought with her the contemporary costuming styles in Ireland and helped to eradicate the long white dresses with green sashes that dancers in Ohio were still wearing.[4] By the 1950s, lightly embroidered circular skirts came into style.[5] As with all things, changing textile technologies, changing fashion sensibilities, and the desire to stand out from the competition has driven many of the costume changes since the inception of Irish dancing costumes. A quick survey of the images in Martha Robb’s book Irish Dancing Costume reveals the shift from simplicity to complexity and back again, with changes in accessories, lace collars, brats, headgear, wigs, shoes, and even socks taking on their own stylistic demands. Dancers who competed in the 1980s will reminisce about “the dress” of a particular competitor. Dresses would become associated with champions, but then over time, it has become vogue to acquire a new dress every competitive season, sometimes spending upward of $3000 for a custom-made dress, weighed down with Swarovski crystals. Income in the costume industry vastly surpasses that of the dancing teachers. Modern costuming practices have travelled a great distance from their origins as markers of Irish identity.
This is the climate of costuming which has driven the decision at Kaleidoscope Studio to forgo costumes. First and foremost, dance costumes come with a cost, which frequently creates a barrier for accessing dance. Secondly, folk dancing traditions are part of community and in community, you get to show up as you are. Whatever you are wearing is what you dance in. And while I firmly believe that dancing is special, no one should ever need special circumstances to dance. Creating a mental framework that requires specific attire to dance in blocks many opportunities to dance. And my goal is to have dancers dance whenever and wherever they are. As much as I have loved the various costumes I’ve worn over the years, none of them will every be as comfortable as my every-day clothes.
If you would like to experience the rhythm and music of Irish dance without wigs or costumes, join our classes at Kaleidoscope Irish Dance & Movement Studio in Kitchener. In our community, you will discover connection and community, all while you find your feet! Sign up now! [Registration Link]