Finally saw this -- cheers to Danny for the heads up that it would be playing on the BBC.
I thought the film was good but the subject matter, ugh. Poking yourself in the eye with a sharpened pencil looks like more fun than competing at that level of Irish dance. I guess those kids were really into it (although in the case of one, it seemed more important to her mother than to her), into the competitive aspect of it as well, and more power to them, but I felt a sense of loss in the whole thing -- the music and the connection between the dance and the music was non-existent. I don't know. Those dancers were brilliant, but when I've seen Irish dance in real life, it's usually within the context of the music, whether it's somebody doing a few steps spontaneously at a session, or someone dancing at a gig, and it gels -- it's as it should be. Sure, the competition drives those kids to get better and take it to higher levels but it has lost something as well.
My favourite bit was when the parents of the wee lad were saying, "We went to our first dance competition, and there were all these girls there with these hideous dresses, and the wigs, and all we could think was, 'Aren't we glad we have a boy!'"
jig
jig
a quk heads up - Irish Dance film on the Beeb 2mro
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0146g5p/hd/Jig_The_Great_Irish_DanceOff/
# Posted on August 31st 2011 by Rudall the time
Re: jig
Thanks for the heads-up!
# Posted on August 31st 2011 by Rick Payman
Re: jig
ye're welcome!
# Posted on August 31st 2011 by Rudall the time
Re: jig
Well, I thought it was pretty good in the end.
# Posted on September 1st 2011 by Rudall the time
Re: jig
Finally saw this -- cheers to Danny for the heads up that it would be playing on the BBC.
I thought the film was good but the subject matter, ugh. Poking yourself in the eye with a sharpened pencil looks like more fun than competing at that level of Irish dance. I guess those kids were really into it (although in the case of one, it seemed more important to her mother than to her), into the competitive aspect of it as well, and more power to them, but I felt a sense of loss in the whole thing -- the music and the connection between the dance and the music was non-existent. I don't know. Those dancers were brilliant, but when I've seen Irish dance in real life, it's usually within the context of the music, whether it's somebody doing a few steps spontaneously at a session, or someone dancing at a gig, and it gels -- it's as it should be. Sure, the competition drives those kids to get better and take it to higher levels but it has lost something as well.
My favourite bit was when the parents of the wee lad were saying, "We went to our first dance competition, and there were all these girls there with these hideous dresses, and the wigs, and all we could think was, 'Aren't we glad we have a boy!'"
# Posted on September 10th 2011 by DrSilverSpear