Irish step dancing is a workout; I know for a fact. My aunt had lessons as a girl, and she taught me the basics of the jig and the reel in my grandparents' basement when I was nine or ten. I, in turn, taught my younger sister and my daughter. Irish dance music seems to go on forever, and so do the dozens of lively, repetitive steps that accompany it. By the time you finish a full jig, you've more than compensated for the extra calories a St. Patrick's Day dinner brings.
The best part of Irish step dancing, for me, is that it's so exhilarating. It's non-stop motion, almost like flying on earth. When you're really caught up in an Irish dance, you do feel as though you can spread your wings and take off.
Maybe that's why an Irish step dancer's arms are kept still, close to the sides. Happy St. Pat's Day to all.
