Rise and Grind

A step that shows up in jigs for both step and ceili dancing is the Rise and Grind. If you master this step, you will have mastered the most difficult footwork in all of ceili dancing.

Here is a basic, all-purpose version of the Rise and Grind:

(Count the step "Hop up, hop back, hop back 2-3-4")

Hop up: Hop on the left foot and bring your right foot up to you left knee at the same time.
Hop back: Skip* backwards landing your right foot behind.
Hop back: Skip backwards landing your left foot behind.
2-3-4: Step right, left, right.

Start over on the left foot.

*To skip backwards, hop on your left foot THEN put your right foot on the floor behind the left foot. It's a hop followed by a step.

Welcome

Welcome to Heidi's Irish Dance Page. I'm Heidi.

I started learning Irish dance in 1993 in St. Paul, Minnesota. I started with ceili, added sets and a little step too. Hopefully, through this blog I'll be able to put down some of the things I've learned in writing so that others can learn something and so that I don't forget what I've learned myself.