Bringing Ireland to Scotland was the wonderful Absolutely Legless in their show of Irish music and dance. Performing to the stunning sound of a live traditional band, Absolutely Legless charmed their audience with a repertoire of traditional dance and original choreography.
It was great to see such a healthy age range of performers and every one of them seemed to love what they were doing. Complete with traditional dress for dances such as ‘Phoenix’, they captured the spirit of Ireland in a balance of tradition and innovation. Clearly catering for all levels of skill, it wasn’t always perfect but it was near enough. This was impressive with a group as large as theirs. Some of the more obviously competent dancers treated us to incredible solos, showcasing the speed and talent it takes to perform Irish dancing in routines where their feet practically didn’t touch the ground.
Although the rhythmic steps of the unaccompanied dances were fantastic, the live band was a joy and made it impossible not to tap along to the lively beat, bringing to life the traditional essence of the dance. Adding some variation to the show were musical inserts by the band leader Sean, as he sang ‘Water is White’ and ‘Hardtimes’ which, although not Irish, brought their own sense of soul to the stage. The singing was fine, but it was the instrumentals which made these songs and I was a little disappointed not to hear more from just the band. It was a great show which made you smile as you couldn’t help but dance and sing along. Thank you Absolutely Legless for showing how important it is to keep traditions alive in a superb group effort.
