Category: Irish Set

Description:

This set is described as danced by the Kells Set Dancers.
Dance description from Toss the Feathers by Pat Murphy. Reproduced with permission.

The following step description is borrowed from Set Dancing News

Due very likely to the strength of the ceili dancing tradition in this part of the country, both ladies and gents start the step on the Right foot throughout. In the following description of the steps the underlined foot bears the weight and the absence of an underline shows that that foot simply strikes the floor and is immediately raised again, one strike being referred to as a brush and a double strike, once out and once back, as a shuffle. An ‘h’ indicates that only the heel of that foot strikes the floor.
Basic step - brush hop 123

4,	1	2	3		4,	1	2	3
RhopL	R	L	R		LhopR	L	R	L

Competition step - shuffle, jump, jump, brushstep:

4,	1	2	3		4,	1	2	3
RR	RL	LR	RR		LL	LR	RL	LL

An alternative step - heel hop 12 heelstep:

4,	1	2	3		4,	1	2	3
hRhopL	R	L	hRR		hLhopR	L	R	hLL

The ‘hop’ used in both the first and third steps above is no more than a ‘hint of a hop’, only the heel being raised and lowered while the ball of the foot remains in contact with the floor.

Links:

Music on Set Music Database
Search on YouTube
Old style battering video - Note that they do-se-do in the Dance around movement rather than dancing as described here.
Battering video lesson by Maldon Meehan.
Spa Set Dancers 2008 video - Note that the dancers skip movements 4-7 in the first figure and movements 3-6 in the second figure. They also do-se-do in the Dance around movement rather than dancing as described here.
Wedding dancers video
Additonal written notes from Kent and Set Dancing News.
Notes for the currently danced variation.

Figure 1: Figure 1 (Reel)

224 Bars + 8 bar lead-in

Find some music for this figure.

1	Everyone Advance and retire All couples take crossed hands in front. Top couples advance and retire (4b) then side couples advance and retire (4b)	8
2	Advance and retire Top couples advance and retire (4b) then side couples advance and retire (4b)	8
3	Swing in ceili hold. Most videos online show swinging in waltz hold. Many of the written instructions are not specific.	8
4	Top Couples Cross over Top couples advance and retire, right hand in right, then cross over with top couple making an arch and second couple passing under the arch. Second lady turns counter-clockwise twice as she crosses in front of him to opposite position. The second time she turns under her partner's arm into the opposite position. Top couple cross right shoulder to right into opposite positions with the lady turning counter-clockwise once under her partner's arm.	8
5	Repeat cross over to home This time the second couple make the arch an first couple pass under it.	8
6	Swing	8
7	Side Couples Dance 4 to 6 First side couples are to the left of first tops.	24
8	Top Couples Ladies chain Ladies turn under the opposite gent's left arm while he faces in without turning. There are a variety of styles found on the net for this movement. Some have the ladies take hands at the beginning of the chain and again at the end, some 'snub' at the end with the ladies not taking hands as they dance past each other.	8
9	House	8
10	Side Couples Dance 8 and 9	16
11	1st Tops Drop the lady off Both tops advance and retire once, the gent's right arm over the lady's shoulder, holding right hand in right (4b). Advance again (2b) and leading gent takes second lady's left hand as she turns in beside him (2b). He now has an arm over each lady's shoulder. Second gent takes the ladies' hands as all dance to first top position (2b). Several examples on the net (including the videos linked above) have the opposite gent dropping off his lady and retiring back to place in the last 2b.	8
12	Dance across The ladies turn to stand beside the second gent and dance across to second position with him, while the leading gent dances in place (4b) then all dance to the center (2b) and form a circle, ladies hands on the gents shoulders gents taking hands behind the ladies (2b). An alternate form has the trio and opposite gent advancing to the center, opposite gent takes the ladies inside hands and they fall in next to him on the retire. All advance again and form a ring of four.	8
13	Top Couples Swing in four Swing in four (6b) then reverse to place (2b)	8
14	1st Sides Dance 11 to 13	24
15	2nd Tops Dance 11 to 13	24
16	2nd Sides Dance 11 to 13	24
17	Everyone Advance and retire All couples take crossed hands in front. Top couples advance and retire (4b) then side couples advance and retire (4b)	8
18	Advance and retire Top couples advance and retire (4b) then side couples advance and retire (4b)	8
19	Swing	8

Figure 2: Figure 2 (Reel)

160 Bars + 8 bar lead-in

Find some music for this figure.

1	Everyone Advance and retire twice in a circle	8
2	Swing	8
3	Top Couples Advance, retire and cross over With the gent's right arm over the lady's shoulder, holding right hands, couples advance and retire once then cross counter-clockwise to face in on the other side.	8
4	Advance, retire and cross home Repeat to go back home	8
5	Swing	8
6	Side Couples Dance 3 to 5	24
7	1st top gent Dance around Leading gent and opposite lady cross right shoulder to right, turn counter-clockwise to face back, cross back right shoulder to right, turn counter-clockwise and reverse to place. Some dancers (Spa and Old-Style in the videos above) do-se-do and turn instead of crossing over and back.	8
8	2nd top gent Dance around Leading gent and opposite lady cross right shoulder to right, turn counter-clockwise to face back, cross back right shoulder to right, turn counter-clockwise and reverse to place.	8
9	Top Couples House around If you do the do-se-do movement instead of the crossover, skip this movement and go straight to the side couple do-se-do.	8
10	1st side gent Dance around Leading gent and opposite lady cross right shoulder to right, turn counter-clockwise to face back, cross back right shoulder to right, turn counter-clockwise and reverse to place.	8
11	2nd side gent Dance around Leading gent and opposite lady cross right shoulder to right, turn counter-clockwise to face back, cross back right shoulder to right, turn counter-clockwise and reverse to place.	8
12	Side Couples House around If you do the do-se-do movement instead of the crossover, skip this movement and go straight to the next movement.	8
13	Top Couples Pass through each lady passing between the opposite couple and all turn clockwise to face back. Pass back with each gent passing between the opposite lady and gent.	8
14	Side Couples Pass through each lady passing between the opposite couple and all turn clockwise to face back. Pass back with each gent passing between the opposite lady and gent.	8
15	Everyone Dance corners All turn from their partners and dance facing the person on the other side (4b) then dance facing their own partners (4b)	8
16	Swing	8
17	Advance and retire twice in a circle	8
18	Swing	8

Added on 2011-12-20 18:16:33.
Modified on 2016-06-07 21:35:16.
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