Category: Irish Set
Description:
This set dance was composed by John Chambers, who lives in the Camp area of West Kerry. John is originally from County Monaghan but he has lived in Kerry and taught dancing there for many years.
Original notes by Pat Murphy, reproduced from Set Dancing News Feb/Mar 2014, edited since with additional details.
Videos:
Full Set
Figure 1: Christmas (Reel)
184 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
Music at 125bpm is suitable for this figure.
 |
 |
| 1 | Everyone Lead around Lead around anticlockwise, gents right arm over the lady’s shoulder, right hand in right and left hand in left, turning clockwise on the spot without turning the lady during the last two bars. |
8 |
| 2 | Lead back Lead back clockwise and the gent brings his left hand over the lady’s head as she turns clockwise to take waltz hold. | 8 |
| 3 | House House around the set in waltz hold. | 8 |
| 4 | Top Ladies Ladies chain into christmas in threes Top ladies take right arm in right in the centre to dance a full turn around each other, (some may find it easier to think of it as 1 1/2 turns) then take left arm in left with the opposite gent and turn anticlockwise around him to finish in a group of three, arms around the waist, with the side couple left of their own original positions. |
8 |
| 5 | Swing in three The groups of three swing in a little Christmas and finish facing in with the gent in the centre and the visiting lady on his left. During the swing, top gents take right arm in right in the centre, turn one and a half times around each other, then reverse into opposite positions. At the end of the movement the threes open up into a line at the swinging position with the visiting lady to the left of the gent. |
8 |
| 6 | Everyone Advance and retire Releasing all hands, all advance and retire twice, top ladies moving to retire with their own partners in opposite positions the second time. |
8 |
| 7 | Dance at home Dance in place in waltz hold, turning clockwise twice. | 8 |
| 8 | House House around the set. | 8 |
| 9 | Top Ladies Ladies chain into christmas in threes Take right arm in right in the centre to dance a full turn around each other, then take left arm in left with the opposite gent and turn anticlockwise around him to finish in a group of three, arms around the waist, with the side couple right of their own original positions. |
8 |
| 10 | Swing in three The groups of three swing in a little Christmas and finish facing in with the gent in the centre and the visiting (top) lady on his left. During the swing, top gents take right arm in right in the centre, turn one and a half times around each other, then reverse into their own original positions. |
8 |
| 11 | Everyone Advance and retire Releasing all hands, all advance and retire twice, top ladies moving to retire with their own partners in place the second time. |
8 |
| 12 | Dance at home All couples dance in place in waltz hold, turning clockwise twice. | 8 |
| 13 | House All couples house around the set. | 8 |
| 14 | Repeat 4 to 13 Side couples leading. | 80 |
Figure 2: Ladies chain and cross over (Reel)
184 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
Music at 125bpm is suitable for this figure.
|
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| 1 | Everyone Advance and retire 2x in a circle Holding hands in a circle, all advance and retire twice in a circle. |
8 |
| 2 | Dance at home All couples dance at home, turning clockwise twice. | 8 |
| 3 | Top Ladies Ladies chain, R L R L, end in shoulder hold Top ladies chain with right hands in the centre, turn left hand in left around the opposite gent, then chain back with right hands, take their own partner’s left hand in left and turn anticlockwise around him to finish facing in, with the gent’s right arm over the lady’s shoulder holding both hands. |
8 |
| 4 | Tops Advance and retire, ladies cross over Top couples advance and retire with the gent’s right arm over the lady’s shoulder holding both hands (4b), then advance again and ladies change places, giving their right hand to the opposite gent’s left as they cross to take waltz hold (4b). |
8 |
| 5 | House Top couples house with their new partners. | 8 |
| 6 | Repeat 3 to 5 Ladies crossing back home to house with their own partners. | 24 |
| 7 | Sides Dance 3 to 5 Ladies crossing over. |
24 |
| 8 | Repeat 3 to 5 Ladies crossing back. | 24 |
| 9 | Everyone Advance and retire, ladies move on All advance and retire in a circle (4b), then advance again (2b) and ladies move one place to the right, taking waltz hold with the next gent (2b). |
8 |
| 10 | Dance at home All dance at home with their new partners, turning clockwise twice. | 8 |
| 11 | Repeat 9 and 10 Repeat three times, so that all are dancing at home with their own partners again. | 48 |
| 12 | House All couples house around the set to finish the figure. | 8 |
Figure 3: Ladies star and move on (Polka)
184 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
Music at 142bpm is suitable for this figure.
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| 1 | Everyone Quarter House In waltz hold, all couples dance one step to the centre and back (2b) then dance one position to the right turning clock wise (2b). They now repeat the movements three times as they dance around the set to home (12b). |
16 |
| 2 | House All couples house around the set. | 8 |
| 3 | Ladies Ladies star chain and move on The four ladies chain with right hands in a star in the centre and turn with left hand in left around the opposite gent (4b). They then take right hand in right with the gent now on their left (on the right of the lady’s original position) and turn anticlockwise under his right hand to face him in waltz hold. All ladies have now moved one position to the right. |
8 |
| 4 | Everyone Swing All swing their new partners. |
8 |
| 5 | Repeat 1 to 4 Repeat until ladies have moved around the set and everyone is swinging their original partners again. | 120 |
| 6 | Quarter House In waltz hold, all couples dance one step to the centre and back (2b) then dance one position to the right turning clock wise (2b). They now repeat the movements three times as they dance around the set to home (12b). | 16 |
| 7 | House All couples house around the set. | 8 |
Figure 4: Sevens and threes (Hornpipe)
104 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
Music at 100bpm is suitable for this figure.
|
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| 1 | Everyone Quarter House In waltz hold, all couples dance one step to the centre and back (2b) then dance one position to the right turning clock wise (2b). They now repeat the movements three times as they dance around the set to home (12b). |
16 |
| 2 | House All couples house around the set. | 8 |
| 3 | Sevens (tops L & sides R) and threes across Still in waltz hold facing their partners, top couples turn to the side couple on their left while side couples turn to the top couple on their right. Starting with a hop, all dance “sevens” towards the other couple and back (4b), then dance “threes” in and back (2b) and double anti-clockwise to the other couples position to face them again from the other side (2b). Tops are now in side positions and sides are in top positions, all facing back towards their own places. | 8 |
| 4 | Sevens and threes back home Repeat from the other side, finishing back in their own places. | 8 |
| 5 | Quarter House In waltz hold, all couples dance one step to the centre and back (2b) then dance one position to the right turning clock wise (2b). They now repeat the movements three times as they dance around the set to home (12b). | 16 |
| 6 | House All couples house around the set. | 8 |
| 7 | Sevens (tops R and sides R) and threes across Still in waltz hold facing their partners, top couples turn to the side couple on their right while side couples turn to the top couple on their left. Starting with a hop, all dance “sevens” towards the other couple and back (4b), then dance “threes” in and back (2b) and double anti-clockwise to the other couples position to face them again from the other side (2b). Tops are now in side positions and sides are in top positions, all facing back towards their own places. | 8 |
| 8 | Sevens and threes back home Repeat from the other side, finishing back in their own places. | 8 |
| 9 | Quarter House In waltz hold, all couples dance one step to the centre and back (2b) then dance one position to the right turning clock wise (2b). They now repeat the movements three times as they dance around the set to home (12b). | 16 |
| 10 | House All couples house around the set. | 8 |
Added on 2014-02-10 20:07:02.
Modified on 2015-10-14 23:49:09.
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Modified on 2015-10-14 23:49:09.
Sign in to see who added or last modified this dance.