BBC DocumentariesSteps of Freedom: The Story of Irish Dance
2022 • E37 Mar 13, 2022 60m
A major entertainment documentary that tells, for the first time, the extraordinary story of how Irish dance developed over centuries, from a traditional dance of the Irish people, to become the global phenomenon it is today, attracting millions of viewers and dancers throughout the world.
The documentary features stunning original performances by some of the greatest practitioners of Irish dance of the present day and a wealth of archive materials including films, photographs and witness accounts revealing the history of Irish dance and its evolution. There is a strong American current running throughout the story as we show how the Irish diaspora played a pivotal part in shaping the form, particularly during the last century. Gene Kelly was among those in the Irish diaspora whose style, though strongly American, also drew heavily on his Irish roots.
In the worst and best of times, the Irish danced. And as it grew and changed, the Irish dance form was shaped by political and social
The documentary features stunning original performances by some of the greatest practitioners of Irish dance of the present day and a wealth of archive materials including films, photographs and witness accounts revealing the history of Irish dance and its evolution. There is a strong American current running throughout the story as we show how the Irish diaspora played a pivotal part in shaping the form, particularly during the last century. Gene Kelly was among those in the Irish diaspora whose style, though strongly American, also drew heavily on his Irish roots.
In the worst and best of times, the Irish danced. And as it grew and changed, the Irish dance form was shaped by political and social