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Irish Dance Slang

Click-clack to you
Fooey, fiddle-dee-dee. (Can be done with your hard shoes.)
“I’m stupid? Well, click-clack to you.”
By Taylor, 17 January 2005
Done the lead-around
The equivalent of “been around the block”; has a lot of experience; is well-worn
“Aine thought her school dress was brand new, but by the looks of it, I knew it had done the lead-around.”
By Taylor, 17 January 2005
Don’t get your bloomers in a bunch!
Relax, “chill out”
“Don’t get your bloomers in a bunch — we'll make it on time!”
Reelgirl, 17 December 2005
If you can’t take the treble reel, get off the floor.
The equivalent of “if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen”
“He was kidding himself when he said he could keep up with this. If you can’t take the treble reel, get off the floor.”
Anonymous, 16 November 2005
Kick all the way up in the back
Having all your brains; being sane
“My Spanish teacher just doesn’t kick all the way up in the back.”
Leia, 26 November 2005
Kick your butt or I'll kick it for you
If you don’t get this important part of Irish Dance Technique, I’m going to beat you up.
“And then Glenn Simpson told me, 'Kick yer butt or I'll kick it for ye!'”
EireLibra, quoted from the “Times of the Ancient Dance Masters“
Make like a curl and split
The equivalent of “make like a tree and leave (leaf)” or “make like a bun truck and haul buns”; to make a hasty getaway
“If my old TCRG sees me here, I have to make like a curl and split!”
Ashe, 17 March 2009
Not the brightest solo in the line-up
Equivalent to “not the brightest crayon in the box”
“Josh tripped over a 'microphone cord' that wasn’t even there; he’s not the brightest solo in the lineup.”
Anonymous, 10 December 2005
Reel
Infinite variations of “real”
“I’m not a Riverdancer — I’m a reel Irish dancer.”
Around since time began, it seems
Slip my jig
Lose my cool, get upset
“If you spill grape juice on your white solo dress, I'll slip my jig on you.”
Maureen, 2005
Sock glue and sequins
The equivalent of “tarred and feathered”
“If they find out I switched Meghan’s wig with an abnormally fuzzy chihuahua, it’s sock glue and sequins for me.”
Sandra, 4 August 2005
Split curl
Nothing, “squat”
“I paid split curl for these dance shorts compared to what you did.”
Leia, 5 November 2005
Two click-step forwards and and three batter-hops back
The equivalent of “two steps forward, three steps back”
“I can’t see you any more. It’s two click-steps forward and and three batter-hops back with us.”
Anonymous, 06 September 2005
Two skips short of a jig
Equivalent to “two sandwiches short of a picnic”, “not playing with a full deck”. Also see “Not the brightest solo in the line-up”
“I swear that girl is two skips short of a jig if she thinks she'll get away with a quadruple wig.”
Anonymous, 10 December 2005

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