Irish dance
Fast, upright step dancing with crisp footwork, in soft shoes or hard shoes.
Irish dance
- To start
- $40
- Each month
- $50
- Time
- 3 hours a week
- Sessions
- 1 hour or more
- Where
- A specialist venue
- Who with
- On your own
Is it for you?
- It gets your body properly working.
- It rewards care and fine detail.
- It's made to be shared with an audience.
- It keeps you off screens.
You’ll like it if
- You want to get moving
- You want to get really good at something
- You want to meet people
Maybe not if
- There is no specialist venue near you
- You want something gentle on your body
- You want something calm
What it feels like
Irish danceAverage performance hobbyCalm
Company
Physical effort
Creative freedom
Brainwork
Hands-on
Outdoors
Quick wins
$40Costs more to start than 54% of hobbies
$50Over a year, more than the kit
$640About $4 an hour at 3 hours a week
Before you buy
Rent or borrow gear at the venue for your first few sessions, before you buy anything.
Your first session
Learn the basic reel steps and the sevens sidestep in soft shoes at an adult beginners' class.
1 hour or moreA specialist venueFairly easy to start
Questions
How much does irish dance cost to start?
About $40 if you rent or borrow where people usually do, then about $50 a month once you are going.
How much time does irish dance take?
About 3 hours a week to enjoy it and get better, in sessions of 1 hour or more.
Where do people do irish dance?
At a specialist venue, mostly found in cities.
Is irish dance good for beginners?
It takes a bit more setting up than most hobbies. A good first session: Learn the basic reel steps and the sevens sidestep in soft shoes at an adult beginners' class.
Do I need other people for irish dance?
No. It works fine on your own, though plenty of people do it together.