The Irish dance world was abuzz when Beyoncé shared the names of the songs that were going to be on her album "Cowboy Carter," which was released in 2024.
Beyoncé teased a song called "Riiverdance," in March 2024, which plenty of people (understandably) thought might have had some Irish influence given the smash-hit stage production "Riverdance."
However, the song, written by Beyoncé, Mark Spears, Rachel Keen, and Terius "The-Dream" Gesteelde-Diamant, does not have any immediate Irish influence.
(Some people did joke on Reddit that the "no hands" lyrics in the song might be a nod to the traditional Irish dance form of keeping your arms at your sides.)
That didn't stop some top Irish dancers from choreographing their own original routines to Beyoncé's song.
Donning cowboy hats, Irish dancers Morgan Bullock and Kaitlyn Sardin wasted no time crafting their routine to "Riiverdance," which they shared on social media, on the same day the song and album were released.
Bullock and Sardin's duet was particularly poignant as the two Irish dancers have faced criticism on social media for sharing their interpretations of Irish dance. The Atlantic, meanwhile, notes that by naming her song "Riiverdance," Beyoncé hints at what she’s doing: inserting herself into a stereotypically white folk style."
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Elsewhere, Tyler Schwartz and Maddie Russo added a certain romantic flair to their Irish dance duet, which, of course, also featured a cowboy hat:
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While "Riiverdance" doesn't have the Irish influence some people anticipated, Beyoncé's album "Cowboy Carter" isn't without an interesting Irish connection.
Grammy winner Rhiannon Giddens plays the banjo and viola on the album's single "Texas Hold 'Em." She currently lives in Co Limerick, where she is an Artist-in-Residence at the Irish World Academy of Music & Dance.
In February, Giddens gave The Gardiner Brothers her stamp of approval when they shared their Irish dance routine to the song:
This limerick based girl’s worlds are colliding!
— Rhiannon Giddens (@RhiannonGiddens) February 16, 2024
* This article was originally published in 2024 and updated in 2026.
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