Bringing sexy back to sean nós

A TALENTED young dancer from Connemara is planning to take the world by storm, reviving one of Ireland’s oldest dance forms and transforming it into the next big thing.
Twenty four-year-old Brian Cunningham, who regularly performs alongside De Danann, The Chieftains, Sharon Shannon and Altan, is on a mission to show sean nós as it really is today – fresh, sexy, skilful and loose Irish dancing.
Local audiences will have an opportunity to judge for themselves when Brian, who has already performed to huge acclaim in Korea while accompanying President Mary McAleese on a State tour, dances at the Micho Russell Music Festival in Doolin this Saturday.
A three-time winner of the Irish Oireachtas and a world fleadh champion, Brian, along with his four siblings Irene, Ashline, Michael and Lorraine, make up the award-winning Sean Nós dancers, Clann Uí Chuinneagáin.
Their show, Fuaim Chonamara, also features Riverdance stars Siobhán Manson and Doireann Carney with guest appearances by singing favourites Dessie O’Halloran and Caitríona Ní Cheannabháin. Champion musicians also in the line-up include Johnny O’Halloran, Tommy Doherty, Lisa Canny, Colm O’Neachtain, Yvonne Flynn and Jimmy Higgins.
Sean nós, which started as a pastime for the Cunningham siblings after being handed down as tradition from their grandparents in the days of house to house dancing, is now their number one passion.
“Sean nós is simply loose dancing, where you react to the music but not in a fixed way. You make up your own steps as the music is playing, all the time interchanging and incorporating old dance steps. It comes from the heart and the soul,” explains Brian.
Unlike productions such as Riverdance where steps are co-ordinated according to the beat, Sean nós is more about rhythm and music. Arms aren’t totally free to do as they wish but at certain times can be lifted to perform jumps.
“We’ve done away with the ‘Cailín Deas’”, adds Brian, who delights in taking centre stage as the ‘buachaill álainn’ in the lead role.  The lead dancer fits the part too, being tall, slim, dark and moving with natural grace and ease. “For me it’s the most natural thing to be a performer, a showman.”
“I always had a dream that I wanted to put a show together and dance full time. Sean nós was dead 10 years ago until we started reviving it. What we are doing is unique and fresh; something no one has done before. It’s about what’s inside you; it’s your DNA. The goal is to lead the way with sean nós and make it popular world-wide,” he says.