# Lord of the Dance **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 26, 2005, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314 "2005-03-26T04:26:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/1 "2005-03-26T04:26:20Z")
MOVE YOUR FUCKING ARMS! … ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/2 "2005-03-26T04:29:18Z")
Heh! (I must say, that Pitting fell Flatley! ;)) ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/3 "2005-03-26T04:37:08Z")
Good pun, Poly. The current squeeze has a thing for this dance thingy and wants us to go see them. Fine. She’sa fun date, the show isn’t too bad overall (I saw it a few years back, same reason 🙂 ) as it has singing and other traditional dance stuff in it. But, when Lord Flatfoot and the Leggy Chicks are out there, it gets pretty monotonous. Their arms never move. Sure, it’s an integral part of that style, but it’s still a major creep out factor to me. Oh well, I’ll enjoy most of the show, I’m sure. It’ll unclog my sinuses, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Cerri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Cerri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cerri)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/4 "2005-03-26T04:37:45Z")
Er…that’s how Irish dancers are supposed to dance. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/5 "2005-03-26T04:41:15Z")
I know. It’s still weird looking. Especially for 98 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/6 "2005-03-26T04:59:33Z")
“I danced on the river, wet as it could be, But they would not move their arms, and they would not follow me…” ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/7 "2005-03-26T06:14:26Z")
Thanks, **Poly** , for that simple gift. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/8 "2005-03-26T06:38:16Z")
You know that sketch in Monty Python, ‘The Ministry of the Silly Walks’? Lord of the Dance reminds me of that. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/9 "2005-03-26T08:16:52Z")
Not to be odd man out but I love the “River Dance” stuff both visually and for listening pleasure. I get goose bumps at those. YMMV ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/10 "2005-03-26T08:41:39Z")
I saw a sample of that style of dance locally a couple of years back. Sent shivers down th’ spine, and made the neck hairs bristle. That their arms **don’t** move increases the power, IMO. Less chance of eyes being poked out for one thing, and they can pack 'em in on the stage just as tight as sardines … ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/11 "2005-03-26T08:56:50Z")
> [@Cerri](#): > > Er…that’s how Irish dancers are supposed to dance. Yeah, going clubbing in Ireland is a trip! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/12 "2005-03-26T11:40:06Z")
Man, if you’re going to pit Lord of the Dance, pit how much of a complete arrogant jerk Michael Flatley is. Because Celtic Dancing is really quite sexy. So there. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/13 "2005-03-26T13:37:42Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > MOVE YOUR FUCKING ARMS! > > … ONLY WHEN YOU STOP SHOUTING! ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/14 "2005-03-26T14:03:02Z")
Am I the only one who finds the video title “Feet of Fire” to be intrinsically hilarious? ---
**Author:** ![margin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@margin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/margin)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/15 "2005-03-26T14:08:54Z")
> [@Duck Duck Goose](#): > > Am I the only one who finds the video title “Feet of Fire” to be intrinsically hilarious? It sounds like it’s an advert for tragic athlete’s foot. And regarding the OP----dude, you’re bitching about the arms? There’s the leather, the bare chest, the bizarre body oil, the headband/tourniquette thing—and you pick on the guy’s arms? Man, that’s a luxury. Thank you for giving me a lord of the dunce flashback this early in the morning, man. I’m going to have to become a lesbian now. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/16 "2005-03-26T15:32:03Z")
I once heard an obviously apocryphal, not to mention stereotyping of the Irish story about Irish dance which nonetheless makes me giggle everytime I think about it: the arms don’t move because dancing is immoral. By keeping the upper body completely still, the Priest won’t know you’re dancing when he’s walking into the pub for a pint! Oh, and I’ll second the “hot” vote on Irish Dance. Nothing like repressed sexual tension to heat up a room. It’s total flirtation, as opposed to the coitus of tango. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/17 "2005-03-26T16:57:50Z")
Holy shit i hate Flatley. I fail to see what’s partiucularly Irish about a guy from Chicago dancing a flamengo wearing a bullfighters shirt. keeping his hands by his side is probably the ONLY Irish aspect of Michael Flatley dancing. Irish dancing done sober is a beautiful, skillful thing. done drunk it’s a safety hazard 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/18 "2005-03-26T17:29:05Z")
Michael Flatley isn’t talented enough to carry Colin Dunne’s jockstrap. The only decent thing Flatley ever did was put that “sports bra and tap pants” dance in “Lord of the Dance” for all the hetero guys in the audience who got dragged to the show by their girlfriends! 😃 I third the sexiness of Irish dance. Powerful, erotic,…stimulating. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/19 "2005-03-26T17:32:22Z")
**Poly** wins at the Internet today. 😃 Public note: I am of certifiable Irish descent and I have no desire, ever in my life, to see Michael Flatley or anybody dance like that. Bleeeeeh. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314/20 "2005-03-26T17:34:18Z")
No need to educate me on WHY the arms never move, see post #3. And ftr, I like real Irish clogging. It’s cool. Even a goodly portion of Lard of the Dense is pretty entertaining. But, like others have said, he ain’t doin no cloggin. He developed a program that is very close, but entirely unlike, true Irish dancing. You know what is really cool? The cloggers that toured with Shania Twain a few years back. Fiddles, clogs, and traditional dances. Done by a large family who were obviously in it for the sheer love of it. (And some fame and money, too.) Señor Flathead has taken the basic idea and woven it into his own production. For the most part. I’m sure there are a lot of traditional elements in it. And, yes, there are even some real, traditional dances in the show. And yes again, the show is fairly entertaining when seen live and not on TV. But still, whether wholly traditional or not, hours of stiff arms during energetic dance moves looks weird enough to start to bug me. So, tongue firmly in cheek, I take the Lord Himself into the Pit. I love traditional dances. Of many different ethnicities. Le Seigneur de la Danse tho, will drive me loco, given enough time. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must find my leather pants, baby oil, and braided headband, for I must go meet some freinds for brunch. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lord-of-the-dance/296314.md?page=2)