Celtic Crossroads: Crossing Barriers

The first thing that surprised me about Celtic Crossroads was that it was a group of young, lively, charismatic youth. They were very knowledgeable, seemingly, about American culture and they had a way of creating comfort and ease while trying to cross barriers that often stand in between American and Irish culture. The speakers, particularly the girl who played the bag pipe had a very laid back air about her, as if she was so comfortable with the culture that she was presently surrounded by and she had a way of making the audience feel at home and gain a sense of familiarity with the Irish culture.
The musicians in themselves were very, very talented. Even if one didn't like the style of music, you could not deny that mastery of skill that these musicians possessed. They played good music, and they seemed to have the basic knowledge of what creates a good show regardless of genre or audience. I was also surprised to see an older crowd packed into the small room to see this young, hip, Irish music playing group. The group seemed as though it would pull in a particular crowd, one that is younger and more appreciative of pop culture. However, I was impressed that they played songs that people of all ages and cultures could relate to. Not to mention their personalities were very down to earth and they were seemingly a bit mature for their age.
It surprised me a bit that the girl in particular seemed to embrace some of the most typical stereo types of the Irish culture, such as drinking, dancing on tables, and just knowing how to "have a good time". Because I always viewed these stereotypes as something that Americans ignorantly imposed on the Irish, I somewhat expected to see natives that tried to dispel the stereotypes and who genuinely did not fit them. I have a greater respect for the music aspect of Irish culture after seeing the band play such a wide array of music because I recognize the Irish influence in a wide variety of American music. I've always had a fascination with Irish dance, and now that I've seen it up close I have the impression that all Irish people dance really well. I suppose I just want a reason to believe that it's not as hard as it looks after all, if the entire people of a culture can do it!