About this Book

'Dancing at the crossroads' used to be an opportunity for young people to meet and enjoy themselves on mild summer evenings in the Irish countryside until this practice was banned by the Public Dance Halls Act of 1935. Now a key metaphor in Irish cultural and political life, 'dancing at the crossorads' also crystallizes the argument of this book: Irish dance, from Riverdance (the commerical show) to competitive dancing, and dance theatre, conveys that Ireland is in a crossroads situation. Irish dance, with a firm base in a distinctly Irish tradition, is becoming a permanent part of European modernity. While this book highlights the captivating tensions and ties surrounding debates on Irish dance, it also aims to extend broader understandings of place, mobility and rooted cosmpolitanism.