Rigid arms, fast moving feet, curly hair. These are the images that might come to mind when one thinks about Irish dancing. Yet, the world of Irish dancing is vast, including varieties of solo and social dancing, a myriad of contexts for performance, and a wide range of stylistic and aesthetic norms. This talk will survey the many styles of Irish dancing, giving special attention to specific historical, political, and cultural circumstances that contributed to moments of rupture and trends of innovation.