This set is from an area which includes parts of counties Donegal, Fermanagh and Tyrone. It is thought to originate from Donegal as there are resemblances to a set danced on Tory Island. The Donegal influence was probably due to migrant farm workers who came to Fermanagh and Tyrone after obtaining employment at hiring fairs, the largest of which was in Strabane. In the late 1980s and 1990s older people of the area danced “The Sets”, as they referred to this set, in the Blacktown Arms, a Tyrone pub between the market town of Castlederg and the Fermanagh village of Ederney, and just two miles from the Donegal border. It was here that the set acquired its name.
Danny Gorrnley was instrumental in the revival of the set. He conducted his research with the help of Barney Byrne of Lettercran, Co Donegal, close to ninety and in possession of good health and a good memory. After several practice runs and some dispute about the figures, they agreed on this version of the set. Danny hosted an event in June 2010, organised by his sister Anne McMenamin, where a team of local dancers presented the Blacktown Set to Pat Murphy.
In the final figure couples “jazz” around the set freely. For the demo they danced this by moving forward to the next place and then turning into place, repeating this around the set.
Notes by Pat Murphy from October/November 2011 issue of Set Dancing News. Reproduced with permission.
Figure 1: Chain & swing (Jig)
128 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
1 | Tops Pass Through Pass through, turn in towards their partners, pass back and face their partners in place. |
8 |
2 | Swing Swing in the old céilí hold. | 8 |
3 | Ladies Chain Right hands in the centre, left to the opposite gent to turn under his arm as the lady dances around the gent, and dance back to place. The gent turns with the lady, facing her all the time. | 8 |
4 | Swing Swing in the old céilí hold. | 8 |
5 | Sides Dance 1 to 4 |
32 |
6 | Tops Dance 1 to 4 |
32 |
7 | Sides Dance 1 to 4 All swinging the last time. |
32 |
Figure 2: Advance & square back (Jig)
96 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
1 | Tops Advance and square over Advance and retire holding right hand in right (4 bars), then square to the left and reverse into opposite positions (4 bars). |
8 |
2 | Advance and square back Advance and retire holding right hand in right again, then (still holding only right hands) square to the left and reverse back into their own positions (4 bars). | 8 |
3 | Swing Swing in the old céilí hold, holding right hands up high with left hands on partner's elbow. | 8 |
4 | Sides Dance 1 to 3 |
24 |
5 | Tops Dance 1 to 3 |
24 |
6 | Sides Dance 1 to 3 All swinging the last time. |
24 |
Figure 3: Dance into centre (Jig)
160 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
1 | 1st top gent Dance into centre Top gent and opposite lady dance into the centre, passing right shoulder to right as they both turn anticlockwise to face each other from the other side (4 bars) and swing (4 bars) |
8 |
2 | Tops Advance and square advance and retire holding right hand in right, then square to the left and reverse into opposite positions ( bars). |
8 |
3 | 1st top lady Dance into centre Starting in opposite positions, top lady and opposite gent dance into the centre, passing right shoulder to right as they both turn anticlockwise to face each other from the other side ( bars) and swing (4 bars) |
8 |
4 | Tops Advance and retire Advance and retire holding right hand in right, then square to the left and reverse back into their own positions (4 bars). |
8 |
5 | Swing Swing in the old céilí hold. | 8 |
6 | Sides Dance 1 to 5 First sides are on the left of first tops. |
40 |
7 | Tops Dance 1 to 5 |
40 |
8 | Sides Dance 1 to 5 All swinging the last time. |
40 |
Figure 4: Advance in three (Reel)
168 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
1 | Tops Ladies Chain Ladies chain as in figure 1. |
8 |
2 | Swing Swing in the old céilí hold. As the first couple swing, they move across the set to leave the lady on the left hand side of the opposite gent. The second couple swing for 4 bars, then stop and dance on the spot to wait for the top lady to arrive. | 8 |
3 | 2nd top gent Advance in three The second gent and both ladies advance and retire with the gent’s arms around the waist of each lady, as the two ladies hold hands behind his back. The top gent retires and advances by himself (4 bars). Then the line of three advances again and the ladies move over to stand beside the top gent, who again puts an arm round each lady’s waist. |
8 |
4 | 1st top gent Advance in three top gent and both ladies advance and retire, then advance again and the ladies turn in to face each other in the centre as all link arms behind to form a basket or Christmas. |
8 |
5 | Tops Little Christmas Swing in four in the centre, all with arms around each other from the back. |
8 |
6 | Ladies Chain Ladies chain as in figure i. | 8 |
7 | Swing Swing in the old céilí hold. As the second couple swing, they move across the set to leave the lady on the left hand side of the top gent. The top couple swing for bars, then stop and dance on the spot to wait for the opposite lady to arrive. | 8 |
8 | 1st top gent Advance in three top gent and both ladies advance and retire with the gent’s arms around the waist of each lady, as the two ladies hold hands behind his back. The opposite gent retires and advances by himself ( bars). Then the line of three advances again and the ladies move over to stand beside the second gent, who again puts an arm around each lady’s waist. |
8 |
9 | 2nd top gent Advance in three second gent and both ladies advance and retire, then advance again and the ladies turn in to face each other in the centre as all link arms behind to form a basket or Christmas. |
8 |
10 | Tops Little Christmas Swing in four in the centre, all with arms around each other from the back. |
8 |
11 | Sides Dance 1 to 10 |
80 |
12 | Everyone Swing All couples swing in place. |
8 |
Figure 5: Jazz mixer (March)
128 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
1 | Everyone Advance and retire Twice in a circle. |
8 |
2 | Jazz around Jazz around the set with their own partners. Gents dance forward to the next place on the right and then turning into place (4b), repeating this around the set. | 16 |
3 | Advance and retire, ladies move on Circle again, advance and retire, then advance and ladies move on to the right as the gents retire to their own places. | 8 |
4 | Repeat 2 and 3 | 24 |
5 | Repeat 2 and 3 | 24 |
6 | Repeat 2 and 3 | 24 |
7 | Jazz around Jazz around the set with their own partners. | 16 |
8 | Advance and retire Advance and retire twice in a circle to finish. | 8 |
Modified on 2013-01-12 09:34:30.
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