Episode 6 Jigs and Wigs: The Extreme World of Irish Dancing

20 years ago with the Point Theatre in Dublin,

a seven-minute interval act at the Eurovision Song Contest changed

the face of Irish dancing for ever.

The show was Riverdance

and it propelled the local dance form onto the world stage.

Encouraging people of all ages, ethnicities

and backgrounds to don their dancing shoes.

With the global interest came global influence, mainly from the USA,

and a marked shift towards brightly coloured,

heavily embellished costumes, elaborate hair pieces

and pageant-style make-up.

For one family in the fashion conscious city of Londonderry,

the glamour of the Irish dance world has become a way of life.

MUSIC: "Fashion" by Lady Gaga

Appearance is very important for me, always has been.

And it's important for the business.

When you look your best, you feel your best and you perform the best.

If I'm coming in to design a dress and I'm wearing mismatched clothes

and shoes that are maybe ten years old, it doesn't look good.

Shauna and Tomasina have the significance of getting up

and looking good everyday, whether they were going to work

or the gym or the chapel, it doesn't matter.

Shauna is a stickler for style, and the services she's providing,

you couldn't run with a tracksuit on, it just wouldn't be an option.

We're quite a glamorous family, we love doing our hair

and make-up and nails when we're not working in the factory.

Ow! No pain, no gain, that's so true.

People think we're crazy, but I mean, it's Irish dancing.

MUSIC: "Gucci Gucci" by Kreayshawn

In the years since Riverdance,

Irish dancing costumes have come a long way

and the right dress is a must for any young dancer

keen to catch the judge's eye.

Irish dance is a performance art

and the nature of it is, the dancers come out in threes

and they stand for an eight-bar introduction

before they start to dance.

So a judge has a moment to

look at the three dancers on stage,

and I suppose in any performance art, aesthetics are important.

It's not that a costume is ever going to win you a world championships or get you a recall,

but when there's a competition of 200 kids and there's only 50 recalls,

a costume can make all the difference.

Irish dance, again, it's a subjective art form.

One person's too far is somebody else's not enough.

Shauna Shiels has a reputation for pushing boundaries,

and as a fashion-lover herself,

keeps a keen eye on what's on the catwalk as well as on stage.

When my customers come here,

it's important for them to feel that they're the most special person on that day,

that every child is treated like a princess or a prince when they come here.

You ready, Owen?

-What do you think?

-I love this.

-You like it?

-I absolutely love it.

-Good.

-It's the green and purple that he wanted.

-I love the green and purple.

You've got a really trendy hairdo. Oh, wow.

Fits perfectly.

This is the first one this week that fits perfectly.

The first boys' outfit.

-It's just wonderful, I love the waistcoat.

-Good.

Do you want to try just a wee bit of a dance,

just to make sure it doesn't manoeuvre too much?

Lovely. You're dancing beautiful.

-What age are you, you're under 13?

-Yeah.

How did you do last year at the Worlds?

-I came third.

-Wow.

-So we're going for...

-First.

-..first this time.

-Happy?

-Yeah.

-Brilliant.

-Perfect.

-OK.

Hoo-hoo!

Despite currently having a global client base,

Shauna's interest in dress designing started close to home.

And daughter Codie, a former world champion,

began dancing at a young age.

I started making costumes about ten years ago.

I started taking the interest in making costumes.

Codie was the guinea pig.

She was the first dress that we made from start to finish,

we done all the ... and the embroidery,

and that's where it started.

She came out of the Great Britain's with this new dress,

the red and white dress over in the factory, with the hearts

and the orders just started coming in from there.

Shauna started making dance dresses at home in

the evenings with her friend Katy.

The children were all still very young,

so a lot of the hours were getting done really early in the morning

before they woke up and then really late at night.

You were coming into your house for dinner

and there might have been somebody sitting at your kitchen table getting a dress

and Shauna might have had the dress lying on the table putting diamonds on,

but you just naturally get used to it after a period of time.

So after that, I started to employ other people

because the orders just kept coming.

So me and my husband then talked about it, this is maybe a year or so down the line,

it was just getting too big,

so he gave up his full-time job and he came on board with me.

But even then, it still wasn't enough, the orders just kept coming.

From then until now, we've grown much bigger,

we've expanded to making dresses all over the world, which is amazing.

We get to travel all over the world as well

and we're now working out a big factory with 14, 15 staff.

Shauna's workforce is a mixture of experienced family members

and former Derry shirt factory employees.

Creatively she often collaborates with Belfast-based dress designer

Gavin Doherty, who's also Codie's teacher.

Shauna always had this self-belief that she could succeed in this

and she has overcome a lot of hurdles,

but she's stood tall and she's just come through every single one of

them to the point now where she's world recognised.

You could literally be walking through a feis,

it might be England, America, and they would be saying...

-AMERICAN ACCENT:

-Oh, my God! That's Shauna Shiels!

..and they would literally run over and be like...

-AMERICAN ACCENT:

-I gotta Shauna dress!

Shauna has had a last-minute order from a dance school in LA

and will deliver the dress in person.

With only measurements and photos to work on,

Shauna is anxious that the costume will suit nine-year-old Grace.

Grace is a little Chinese child

and she was adopted by an Irish-American family.

So I've decided to give her pinks and reds

and put a lotus flower at the front of her dress.

But they're not going to get to see the dress until I arrive with it.

And it is a lot of pressure, but I'm sure that we will handle it.

Irish dance dominates Shauna's business and family life

and poster girl Codie is fighting her way back from injury with

the help of her teacher Gavin.

In the four and a half years she's won the Ulster Championship,

she's won the Great Britain Championships,

she's won the All Scotland Championships last year.

She's fought her way back from injury after injury after injury.

Just before the World Championships last year,

when we really thought it could have been her year,

she fractured her foot and was unable to dance, so she's been

fighting her way back from that just to get the fitness and stamina up.

I've been dancing with Gavin for five years,

around five years,

and it is in Belfast, that's two hours away, nearly, most nights for me,

but dedication and hard work's the most important thing in dancing.

And if you want to be the best, you have to go to the best

and Gavin and his dance school are the best for me.

It's morning time in Derry

and the Shiels family are settling down to a variety of breakfasts

all of which have been prepared by dad JP.

You get up in the morning, you go to your work, it's Irish dancing,

I travel to Belfast for Codie to practise.

It's just your life.

Codie is competing in The Gates Of Derry feis tomorrow

and is on a controlled eating plan.

I've two separate diets, I alternate with them.

And tomorrow, I have, in the mornings, eggs,

which today I had porridge.

And I have a bit of more carbs tomorrow,

which today I had no carbs, so I don't.

And Codie's not the only one who's watching what she eats.

Mum Shauna believes that the whole family should eat healthily

and likes to led by example.

It's important that I eat healthy.

I feel if I'm eating healthy, I'm looking after myself.

I have more energy.

And when I go to the feises and the competitions I have more energy,

so I look fresher,

even though I'm trying to hide all these extra hours of work that I do.

Like the other women in the Shiels family,

Shauna's dog Queenie also likes to look her best.

Queenie is a wee Coton de Tulear and she's originally from

Madagascar where the breed is from and they were almost extinct.

It's very rare to get them.

And I love dressing her and changing her bows to match the kids

when they come down to work, to pick up their dress.

I'll put on a matching bow in her hair.

If there's a child coming for a yellow dress,

I'll put a yellow bow on. Red dress, red bow.

Oh! Thank you, Queenie.

Codie's coming to the age now where she's almost finished with her competition.

And I really think, "Queenie's going to be my next focus."

I would love to take her to the shows,

and I have looked up a few different dog shows there and puppy class and things,

but we just missed them, and she was a wee bit young.

But I really look forward to start taking her to some competitions.

I think we've got a winner here.

It's another busy day in the factory.

And 12-year-old Sinead has come all the way from Glasgow

with mum Cara to collect a new dress.

To complete the look, Sinead is getting her make-up

and hair styled by Tomasina.

You don't want to go up on stage

when everybody else is looking a million dollars and you go up

looking up like Scraggy Aggie, you want to look your best that you can.

It makes you feel better, it makes you want to dance better.

You just feel good.

-Who does your make-up usually at feises, Sinead?

-Maureen.

-Do you not let your mum do it?

-No.

Sinead just loves the make-up.

That's your base done.

-Once she's got the make-up, I think she feels more confident.

-Yeah.

She's very quiet, Sinead's a very quiet child.

She's very quiet.

Do you think she'll be able to get up

and do it without her costume and her wig and her make-up?

I think it gives her a lot more confidence...

-To be able to do it.

-Yeah.

When the make-up is on, the lovely dress and the bling

and that just makes it.

Young children wearing make-up for competitions has become a contentious issue

and a new ruling due to come in to effect at this year's

World Championships is not popular with the style setters.

I just recently have introduced a new ruling on make-up for under ten dancers.

And the reason we decided on under ten is that from under-11 up,

more advanced dancers and the cream of Irish dancing will get to

perform on really major stages such as the World Championships.

And on those major stages the lights are incredibly bright,

so we felt that from under-11 up some stage make-up may be necessary.

And I do feel that with less make-up on their face

there may be a move towards maybe less in the hair and maybe

less on the legs and potentially less bling on the dresses.

It's not just about their steps and their dancing,

it's about their costume, their hair,

their make-up, how they feel on the day.

I mean, there's kids that could not just go up in their ordinary clothes,

they just couldn't do it.

I mean, Sinead, she practices all the time, she's so dedicated

and she deserves the dress, I think.

And she practices for the dress, she says,

"I'm going to get a new dress out of this.

"If I'm really good I'm going to get an extra special dress."

-Does that feel OK?

-Yeah.

-Here she comes now.

-Oh, my goodness!

-Oh, Shauna.

-It's gorgeous.

You happy?

Oh, it's definitely Sinead, all right.

-Now you need to dance your wee socks off.

-I know.

Codie is also preparing for today's feis

and despite a prolonged period of injury, she's feeling optimistic.

Well, I've done as much as I can.

I've been working really hard the past few weeks trying to get

stamina up and coming back from an injury.

And just trying to get my dances perfected.

I'm just hoping to go up and dance my best

and just show everyone that I'm back and that I'm dancing well and I want

to keep it that way the rest of the year and I'm ready for the Worlds.

It's competition time and Shauna has some last-minute advice for Codie.

Use the stage as much as you can.

Stretch on all the bits that you can stretch.

Stretch out them legs. Bye.

Good luck.

You just know you're saying something to her,

and it's like, "Yeah right, Mammy. What do you know?"

MUSIC: "To Build A Home" by The Cinematic Orchestra

When you're watching your child dance, me anyway,

I just want her to stay on her two feet

and manage the dance from start to finish without any problems.

Half the time I don't even hear the music when she's dancing,

I just see her dancing.

And I understand how that feels for every parent.

-How do you feel that went?

-Good.

-That's the one you were a wee bit worried about?

-I was, yeah.

-The ankle OK?

-Yeah, it's fine.

That's good, you don't have to worry about it any more then.

So that's done and dusted.

New year, new start.

Although Codie's current dress has only had three outings,

Shauna and Gavin have decided it's time to reinvent her look

and discuss ideas for a new costume.

I feel like she just needs... She needs it just.

-I think we just need to change the dress to...

-Give her a wee boost.

-Do you know what I mean?

-Aye. I agree. I fully agree with you.

New year, fresh start, fresh everything.

Fresh start, fresh everything.

Cos I think she just wants to get rid of everything

-that was to do with 2013.

-Totally.

Mum and Gavin's relationship, they're really good.

When it comes to my dresses they always work together on it

and they come up with the most outstanding dresses.

I think everyone just waits for my next dress and be like, "Wow."

See here, I would...

nearly not use any stones on this bit and hardly any on here

-and just maybe even do...

-Red on red.

Yeah, and do all this red on red so that it's really bold looking

and do all the stones up on this bit, so that that bit actually stands out.

It's not just about the glitz and the glamour for Codie,

it's about the hard work and everything that has to go in.

She's not getting to go out on a Saturday night with her friends

to go out and buy new outfits to go out,

so the costume and getting dressed up and getting her wig on,

her make-up, it's very important for them.

They feel that this is the payback for the hard work that they've done.

All the hours of practice seem to have paid off today

as Codie scoops some more silverware for her collection.

In third place, number 501.

I'm on first in my age group and then I got fourth overall,

so yeah, I'm happy.

First feis back in three months, so yeah, went all well.

Back at the factory and with feis season well under way,

it's been a busy time of year for the Shiels family.

Shauna has been working on Grace's dress

and it's finally time to head to California to meet with

the family and show them the finished product.

We're the Reynolds family, we're a small family.

It's Chris, myself and our daughter Grace.

And Grace is nine years old.

She started taking Irish dance classes

and it has just continued as has her passion for it.

This whole Irish dance experience has been a great one for Grace, me

and Chris to do as a family.

She's made so many friends and they feel like family now.

And I think the addition of the solo dress is, you know,

it's a personal milestone for her.

Shauna and Tomasina have arrived in California and are making

their way to Sacramento to unveil Grace's new dress.

To get the full effect, Grace has her make-up done by Tomasiina.

Last but not least.

We'll get on your dress and you can see your overall look.

And the make over's completed just in time for Grace

to perform at the US Western Region Oireachtas.

APPLAUSE

-Terrific. That was wonderful.

-Yeah.

It's prize giving time in Sacramento

and Grace finds herself in the top two,

nervously awaiting the judges verdict.

And in second place...

..127.

First place goes to Grace Reynolds.

It's been a successful day with Grace taking first place

in one of her competitions

and Shauna's dress design is also a resounding hit.

But there's no time to rest on her laurels

and once back in Derry, Shauna sets to work on Codie's new dress.

And after a year plagued by injury and disappointment,

Shauna is keen to create a head-turning look for her.

This is what I'm planning on doing with Codie's skirt -

to give it like a feller look.

A few years ago, Codie and a couple of other dancers

came out in fellers at the Worlds and then after that they were banned.

So I want the feller look and I want people look at it and go,

"Is that fellers, is that not fellers?"

But I know it's not fellers.

We want the effect that this dress, when she's dancing,

that the dress and the fabric is dancing with her.

It's nice to do it a wee bit different

and have something different and have people looking at it.

Today is the morning of the All Scotland Championships in Glasgow

and it's not just the girls who are keen to look their best.

The boys' costumes have really swung wildly in the last number of years.

And we saw a move from the kilt, which was very much in vogue,

until probably the mid-'90s and then in the mid-'90s the

first boy came out wearing trousers.

And from that we saw the move then from a simple shirt and tie

into more elaborate costumes, waistcoats,

jackets and then they became to be embroidered

and then came the diamonds.

You get a lot of abuse sometimes for doing Irish dancing,

and all the sparkle and all, they don't help it.

All the boys now are wearing these...

Like, if you were wearing a plain costume

and everybody else is all shiny, you look like a spare thumb.

A local dressmaker called Celtic Yarns designed my dress.

My mum designed my dress... My dress!

Oh, my God, man, this is terrible!

I see a lot of jackets that are covered in embroidery

and covered in stones.

Personally, it wouldn't be what I like.

I like the boys when they go on stage to look like boys

and not to look like the bodice of a girl's costume.

If I had my choice I would probably wear something plain,

no sparkle or anything on it, just nice and plain.

With the men, yeah, it's different

because we have to be a lot louder cos if there's three of us

on stage and everyone's trying to make as much noise as possible,

then you've got to be try and louder than them.

So they're not going to just watch you

because you're wearing a nice costume.

But with girls, someone walks in with a nice costume,

everyone's going to be watching them.

Meanwhile Codie and Shauna are at their hotel

preparing to debut the new design.

But disaster has struck and Codie may not dance.

It's Friday, and we have an hour and a half before Codie's competition,

the All Scotland, and it's not looking very good at the minute.

We travelled over yesterday and she had a bit of a sore throat, sore ear,

but the whole night long she's been up with a really high

temperature and crying in her sleep with the pain in her ear.

She has come round a bit, but she's still in a lot of pain.

So I've been texting her dance teachers to see what should I do

and they think bring her over and see where we go from there.

It's going to be harder than usual being sick.

I've had injuries as well with dancing,

it's just having to get up and get on with things, so you do.

So I'll be fine.

Will the prospect of turning heads in a new dress be enough

to bolster Codie's confidence?

Nobody knows now at this stage whether she's going to dance or not.

It's her decision.

MUSIC: "Young And Beautiful" by Lana Del Ray

Hoping for a miracle, Codie tries her best to warm up.

But even her new dress can't make her feel better.

-Just take it off her.

-That's it done.

I'll make the decision for you, it's done.

Until you're watching your child giving four,

five hours a day some days, it is hard and their dreams are shattered.

And she wanted to come back and defend her wee title this year,

but it just wasn't meant to be.

And it's heartbreaking and I'm trying to put a brave face on for her.

Like, inside, I feel my whole inside's just pulling apart.

It's breaking for her, and I don't want to get upset in front of her.

It isn't very nice.

Heartbroken, Codie withdraws from the competition

and swiftly removes the dress before it can be copied.

Back home, life at the factory resumes as normal

and Shauna contemplates how far the business has come.

I haven't had time to really think back over the last couple of years.

But when I actually go back and think back, I get the goose pimples,

I really do, it's like the hairs stand on me back.

Just thinking that I was a wee nobody that really never thought that

I was ever going to have me own business.

And as my husband keeps saying, "Shauna, you're an entrepreneur.

"You're a designer,

"you're travelling all throughout the world, you're doing amazing."

And when I think of it like that, I really do, I feel like,

oh, God, I have to pinch myself.

And despite the disappointment of Glasgow,

Shauna has found a silver lining and a new product line -

a miniature version of their own dress for every client.

And like the rest of the Shiels' girls,

Queenie is only too happy to model the latest Shauna creation.

MUSIC: "Happy" by Pharrell Williams