Irish Dance and Pop Culture

Riverdance fiddler has a hip-hop side - VIDEOS

Riverdance musicians aren't all about traditional tunes all the time. Just take a look at Riverdance fiddler Pat Mangan's YouTube page, and you'll soon see what I mean.

Rihanna, Usher, Swizz Beatz, Calvin Harris, Antoine Dodson -- those aren't names often referenced around the trad music scene, but they are definitely artists and popular culture icons who have influenced Mangan, a 27-year-old Brooklyn native.

Irish dance music duo Anton and Sully bust fresh feis beats

Hate to admit it, but Irish dancers are inevitably bored by the same traditional dance tunes, and it turns out feis musicians are, too.

Anthony Davis and Liam O'Sullivan -- better known as musical duo Anton & Sully -- provide the perfect antidote to musical monotony. Known for jazzing up slip jigs and infusing whimsical romance into heavy jigs, the two musicians aim to create a sound that gets step dancers pumped up and performing energetically -- oh, and it's fun for them, too!

Anton & Sully released two popular Irish dance CDs, "The Feis Album" and "The Feis Album, Volume II," along with side project "The Bootleg," an album they recorded with fellow musician Steve Byrnes (together, they form trad group Kayna). The duo also plays at major dance competitions, so they know exactly what gets a dancer jumping high and feeling the beat, and they also understand what uplifts the audience.

TapTronic talks Irish dance, dubstep, fast feet in first official interview - VIDEO

Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Can't wait!