Sean-nós Dance
Also known as: Old-style step, Sean-nos
- Origin
- Western Ireland (Gaeltacht)
- Era
- 1750–Present
- Rhythm
- Reels and jigs (improvised)
- Tempo
- Moderate
- Character
- Loose, improvised, personal
History & Cultural Context
Sean-nós ('old style') is the traditional, improvised form of Irish solo step dance, associated above all with the western Gaeltacht. In contrast to the competitive style, it is danced low to the floor with relaxed arms, loose posture, and a strong sense of individual personality and rhythmic 'battering.' It has seen a revival as a looser, community-rooted counterpoint to standardized competitive Irish dance.
Cultural Significance
Sean-nós preserves an older, pre-standardization Irish dance aesthetic rooted in local community and the Irish-speaking west.
Characteristic Movement & Technique
Low-to-the-floor footwork, relaxed arms and posture, improvised battering rhythms, and a personal, grounded groove.
Common Misconceptions
Not all Irish dance uses the rigid, arms-down posture; sean-nós is loose, improvised, and low to the ground.
Dance Lineage
Sean-nós Dance Playlists
Curated collections on the LODance YouTube channel — performances to watch, lessons to learn from, and the right music to practice with. Tap a collection to play.
▶ Performances · Open on YouTube →
Sean-nós Dance Music & Tempo
Drawn from 20 Sean-nós Dance tracks in the LODance music library.
Example tracks at practice tempo
- The Garden of Daisies — Seán Clohessy, Sean McComiskey & Kieran Jordan
- The Flowing Tide / The Humours of Tullycrine — Rebecca McGowan, Jackie O'Riley, Chris Stevens & Nathan Gourley
- Maggie Pickins — Seán Clohessy, Sean McComiskey & Kieran Jordan
- Madame Bonaparte — Seán Clohessy, Sean McComiskey & Kieran Jordan
- The Priest and His Boots — Seán Clohessy, Sean McComiskey & Kieran Jordan
- The Walls of Liscarroll / The New York Jig — Jackie O'Riley & Chris Stevens
Who governs Sean-nós Dance
Federations, councils and examining bodies with a recorded role in this style. No single organization can tell you this — each one knows only itself.
Sources & Further Reading
Cultural & Historical Context
Sean-nós Dance emerged from Western Ireland (Gaeltacht) during the 1750s—present day. Understanding the cultural roots, musical traditions, and social circumstances of this era enriches appreciation for the dance's characteristics and significance.
Primary Source Documents
The Library of Dance contains public-domain primary sources for dance history. Copyrighted modern syllabi are indexed with purchase links to their respective copyright owners. Search by dance name or codifier to discover primary source documents.
Last reviewed: November 2026 — This dance profile synthesizes historical research, cultural documentation, and contemporary practice knowledge to provide authoritative context.
More in Irish Step Dance
Competitive Irish Step Dance
The standardized, rigid-armed solo style codified through the Gaelic League and An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha (1927), competed in the global feis system in soft and hard shoes.
Theatrical Irish Step (Riverdance era)
The theatrical hard-shoe spectacle—line ensembles, amplified rhythm, and staged production—popularized worldwide by Riverdance from 1994 and its successors.
Hornpipe
A solo percussive dance in duple time, closely tied to a tune type of the same name and strongly associated with sailors through its long life on the theatrical stage. It is one of the three principal hard-shoe dances in Irish step dancing and the rhythmic basis of English clog. Its dotted, swung rhythm gives it a distinctly heavier and more deliberate feel than a reel.
Jig
A lively step dance in compound time, the central solo form of Irish dancing and a staple of Scottish and English fiddle repertoire. It exists in several distinct meters and shoe types, from the light 6/8 double jig to the slow, heavily percussive treble jig in hard shoes. The word has also served, in England and America, as a loose and sometimes derogatory label for percussive dance generally.
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