It has been said that Irish people are boisterous and exuberant and have a zest for life and nowhere can that be seen as clearly than in watching an Irish dance. For centuries, music and dance have been an integral part of the Irish culture, however, it wasn't until the popular show "Riverdance" that the general public began to understand just how talented Irish dancers were and what skill it takes to perform the jigs, reels and other dances that are so much a part of the Irish lifestyle and character.

While many people enjoy the skills and the rapid movement of these dancers, few realize that it is the Irish dancing shoes that helps the dancer keep in step and perform those rapid and difficult moves. There are three types of shoes used predominately in Irish dancing. A hard dancing shoe worn by both male and females and two distinct types of soft Irish dancing shoes, one worn by the ladies and another style by the men. Here is a little bit about each style of Irish dancing shoe and what types of dances they are used for.

The Hard Irish Dancing Shoe

The hard Irish dancing shoe also sometimes called the jig shoe is a leather shoe that is used to dance the hornpipe, the treble jig and many other dances where a shoe that makes a tapping sound is needed. Thes e shoes are different than the shoes used by tap dancers in that instead of using metal taps, the taps on Jig shoes normally consist of fiberglass and occasionally of wood. In fact, the tap dance and the tap dance shoe is an offshoot of the hard Irish dancing shoe and the type of dances they are used for.

The Woman's soft Dancing Shoe

The soft Irish dancing shoe worn by women are commonly known as Pumps or Ghilles. These shoes resemble the ballet shoe minus the hard toe and the ribbon. The Pump does have laces that wrap around the ankle to help keep the shoe from sliding and add support. When choosing a pair of Ghilles or pumps most Irish dance instructors recommend that this Irish dancing shoe be a size smaller than the regular shoes used for street wear as the soft leather material stretches.

Men's Soft Irish Dancing Shoes

The men's soft Irish dancing shoe is often referred to as a Reel shoe, it resembles a black jazz shoe with a hard heel. The heels on the men's soft Irish dancing shoes are harder than on the women's soft shoes and the soles are firmer as well. Both the womens and mens soft Irish dancing shoes are used to dance Reels, the light jig and the single and slip jigs.

There are many manufacturers of Irish dancing shoes and if you are considering taking up Irish dancing it is advisable to wait and ask the instructor which style of shoe they recommend for beginners. While in most cases the soft shoe dances are learned first before moving on to the hard shoe dances, some manufacturers offer shoes that are better for beginner dancers while others make shoes more in keeping with those who are more skilled.

If you want to learn how to dance like the Irish having the proper Irish dancing shoe is paramount to achieving that goal.

With 40 years of experience and research, the Irish dancing shoes available through this site were created with the performer in mind.

They have been made from the very best materials to give comfort while giving a classy look.

Shipping is free unless you wish for the item to be registered which will have a £5.50 charge.