KIERAN JORDAN: SECRETS OF THE SOLE (DVD)
Kieran Jordan, Kevin Doyle, Aidan Vaughn: step dancing
George Keith: fiddle
Sean Gannon: accordion
Originally from Philadelphia and now residing in Boston, Kieran Jordan is a young dancer who has been performing as a solo step dancer since high school and who specializes in sean-nós dancing, the older, less formal style of Irish step dancing. She has just produced this fascinating 66-minute DVD which features her dancing alongside that of two of her favorite Irish step dancers, Kevin Doyle, from Providence R.I., and Aidan Vaughn, from Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare. The solo, duet, and trio dance segments, filmed in an informal setting with a small but enthusiastic audience, reveal the great diversity of styles of step dancing—some of Doyle’s dancing is in fact adapted from American tap. A significant portion of the DVD is devoted to in-depth interviews of Doyle and Vaughn in which they are asked about their distinct backgrounds and approaches to dancing. Although there is no instruction per se (Kieran promises to release an instructional DVD soon), the dancing is brilliant, the conversation is illuminating, and the music, performed by George Keith (fiddle) and Sean Gannon (accordion), two of the best players in Boston today, is lovely. A thoroughly enjoyable viewing experience, entertaining as well as informative.
Rating: ****
Price: $20.00
