Mastering Irish Dance: Essential Tips for Intermediate Dancers
You've mastered the basics of Irish dance—now it's time to elevate your skills to the next level. As an intermediate dancer, you're ready to refine your technique, build stamina, and develop the precision that sets competitive dancers apart. This guide covers essential techniques, targeted drills, and practice routines to help you progress confidently.
Refining Your Technique
At the intermediate level, small adjustments make a big difference in your overall performance. Focus on these key areas:
- Posture perfection: Maintain that iconic straight back with shoulders relaxed and down—imagine a string pulling you up from the crown of your head.
- Foot placement: Every toe point, heel click, and brush should be deliberate. Work on achieving clean 45-degree angles with your pointed feet.
- Arm control: While traditional Irish dance keeps arms at your sides, controlled movement is crucial—no flapping or tension in the shoulders.
- Turnout: Develop consistent turnout from the hips (not just the feet) for cleaner lines in your jumps and crosses.
Pro Tip: Record yourself dancing regularly. Video analysis helps identify subtle technique issues you might not feel while dancing.
Essential Drills for Intermediate Dancers
Incorporate these targeted drills into your practice sessions to build strength and precision:
1. The Click Drill
Perfect your heel clicks with this progression:
- Start with basic clicks in place (8 counts)
- Add traveling clicks forward (8 counts)
- Alternate between front clicks and back clicks (16 counts)
- Finish with click jumps (8 counts)
Focus on getting equal height from both feet and clean, audible clicks every time.
2. Cross Control Sequence
Develop precision in your over-crosses and under-crosses:
- Practice slow-motion crosses, holding each position for 2 counts
- Alternate over-cross right/left (8 counts each)
- Add under-crosses with toe taps (16 counts)
- Combine with quarter turns while maintaining perfect cross form
Building Stamina and Speed
Intermediate dancers need endurance to maintain technique through entire competition sets. Try this pyramid routine:
- Round 1: Perform your reel step at 50% speed (focus on form)
- Round 2: 75% speed (add expression)
- Round 3: Full competition speed
- Round 4: 110% speed (push your limits)
- Round 5: Return to competition speed (should feel controlled)
Repeat this sequence 2-3 times per practice session, resting 60 seconds between rounds.
Breathing Technique: Many dancers hold their breath during challenging sequences. Practice exhaling during jumps and inhaling during preparations to maintain stamina.
Practice Routine for Intermediate Dancers
Follow this 60-minute practice structure 4-5 times per week:
| Segment | Duration | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamic Warm-up | 10 min | Ankles, calves, hip flexors |
| Technique Drills | 15 min | Choose 2-3 from above |
| Step Practice | 20 min | Slow breakdown then full speed |
| Cool-down & Stretch | 15 min | Hamstrings, IT band, feet |
Taking Your Musicality to the Next Level
Intermediate dancers should develop deeper musical interpretation skills:
- Practice counting aloud while dancing to internalize timing
- Experiment with slight phrasing variations (e.g., delaying a beat for dramatic effect)
- Listen to traditional music daily to develop instinctive responses
- Work with different musicians to adapt to varying tempos
Musicality Drill: Dance your reel step to three different tempo recordings (slow, medium, competition speed) back-to-back without stopping.
Common Intermediate Challenges & Solutions
Problem: "My trebles aren't crisp enough"
Solution: Isolate the treble motion—practice just the foot action sitting in a chair before adding jumps.
Problem: "I lose my turnout during traveling steps"
Solution: Strengthen hip rotators with targeted exercises and practice steps at half-speed with a theraband around your thighs.
Problem: "My jumps don't get consistent height"
Solution: Plyometric training 2x/week and focus on fully extending through the ankles at takeoff.
Remember, progress at the intermediate level comes from consistent, focused practice rather than dramatic changes. Celebrate small improvements—that perfectly executed click, the first time you nail a challenging sequence, or when your teacher notices your cleaner lines. These incremental gains lead to championship-level dancing.
Now lace up those ghillies and hard shoes—your breakthrough awaits on the dance floor!
