Category: Irish Set
Description:
This set was written by Julia Smith of the Newcastle Irish Set Dancers, who dance in Charlestown, near Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. It is dedicated to these dancers. While this set is composed mainly of traditional elements, newer elements reflect some of the diversity of dancing enjoyed in Australia in the 21st century. First side couple are on the left of first top couple and all swings are in waltz hold. Original notes from Pat Murphy. Reproduced with permission.
Figure 1: Greet your opposite (Reel)
184 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
 |
 |
| 1 | Everyone Lead around All couples lead around anticlockwise holding crossed hands and ladies turn clockwise under both hands. |
8 |
| 2 | Swing Swing in place. | 8 |
| 3 | 1st Tops House inside House inside. |
8 |
| 4 | Tops Greet your opposite Dancers advance to the opposite person, right shoulder to right with ladies in the centre and retire to place, then advance left shoulder to left, gents in the centre and retire again, keeping eye contact all the time. |
8 |
| 5 | Pass through Couples pass through with ladies dancing between the opposite couple, then face their partners (2 bars). Partners now dance back to back, passing forward left shoulder to left, then reversing right shoulder to right, taking right hands (4b). They then change places, gents on the outside as ladies turn anticlockwise under their right arms to face each other again. Top gents and ladies are now in opposite top positions holding hands (2b). During this last two bars, side couples face their partners holding right hand in right and dance in place. | 8 |
| 6 | Everyone Quarter chain Still holding right hands with their own partners, all chain. They take left hands with the next person, then turn right arm in right around the third person (holding the other person's elbow in the palm of the hand) to face back. Ladies are now facing anticlockwise and gents are now facing clockwise (4b). All chain back, taking the first person's left hand and then, as they meet their own partners, ladies turn anticlockwise under the gent's right arm as the gent moves outside to the gent's position (4b). Side couples are now back in their own positions, while top couples finish back in opposite top positions. |
8 |
| 7 | Dance at home Turning clockwise twice. | 8 |
| 8 | 1st Sides House inside |
8 |
| 9 | Everyone Dance 4 to 7 Side couples leading and finishing in opposite side positions. |
32 |
| 10 | 2nd Tops House inside |
8 |
| 11 | Everyone Dance 4 to 7 Top couples leading so that top couples finish back at home. |
32 |
| 12 | 2nd Sides House inside |
8 |
| 13 | Everyone Dance 4 to 7 Side couples leading so that side couples finish back at home. |
32 |
| 14 | Full house | 8 |
Figure 2: Square (Jig)
184 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
 |
|
| 1 | Everyone Lead around The 'up' or 'skip' step is danced for this figure. All couples lead around anticlockwise holding two hands and ladies turn clockwise under their partners hands. |
8 |
| 2 | Swing | 8 |
| 3 | 1st Tops House inside |
8 |
| 4 | Tops Square With the gent's arm around the lady's waist and her hand on his shoulder top couples square to the left and reverse into opposite positions (4b), then square left again and reverse back into their own places (4b). |
8 |
| 5 | 7's and house to opposite In waltz hold, couples dance skip sevens to the centre and back, then house to opposite positions. | 8 |
| 6 | Ladies chain Ladies chain with right hands in the centre, turn under the opposite gent's left hand while dancing anticlockwise around him as he stays facing into the set, then chain back with right hands in the centre and turn in to face their own partners. | 8 |
| 7 | Swing In opposite positions. | 8 |
| 8 | Sides Dance 3 to 7 First side couple leading, to finish in opposite positions. |
40 |
| 9 | Tops Dance 3 to 7 Second top couple leading, to finish back home. |
40 |
| 10 | Sides Dance 3 to 7 Second side couple leading, to finish back home. |
40 |
| 11 | Everyone Full house |
8 |
Figure 3: Circle in (Polka)
152 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
|
|
| 1 | Everyone Advance and retire twice Holding hands in a circle. |
8 |
| 2 | Swing | 8 |
| 3 | Tops Back to back Face to the centre. All dancers dance back to back with the opposite lady or gent. They pass right shoulder to right as they dance forward and dance a full anticlockwise turn at the other side (4b) then reverse, passing left shoulder to left as they retire and turn anticlockwise again to face the opposite person in the centre (4b). (Note: It is acceptable to dance right instead of the anticlockwise turn after dancing forward and to dance left after reversing back.) |
8 |
| 4 | Circle in and back Take hands in a small circle in the centre. They step in and back with lively polka steps (2b), then release all hands and each dancer turns clockwise once as they move one position to the right (2b). They circle, step in and back again, then releasing hands, each dancer turns clockwise as they move into opposite top positions, slightly inside the set (2b). | 8 |
| 5 | Ladies cain Ladies chain with right hands and turn under the opposite gent's left hand while dancing around him. The gent takes the lady's hand, then he steps back as she comes around him. Ladies chain back home with right hands and turn in to face their partners, still in opposite positions. | 8 |
| 6 | Swing In opposite positions. | 8 |
| 7 | Sides Dance 3 to 6 To finish in opposite positions. |
32 |
| 8 | Tops Dance 3 to 6 To finish swinging back in their own places. |
32 |
| 9 | Everyone Dance 3 to 6 To finish swinging back in their own places. Top couples also swing at the end of the repeat. |
32 |
| 10 | Swing All swing in a circle (6b) and dance out with cross steps (Connemara style) while still in the circle (2b). | 8 |
Figure 4: Body (Hornpipe)
168 Bars + 8 bar lead-in
|
|
| 1 | Everyone Advance and retire twice Holding hands in a circle. |
8 |
| 2 | Dance at home Turning clockwise twice. | 8 |
| 3 | Body In waltz hold, all dance the body, dancing the stamp as in the North Kerry Set. They dance one step to the centre and back, then turn clockwise into the next position on the right (4b). They now repeat the movements three times as they dance around to home (12b). | 16 |
| 4 | House House around. | 8 |
| 5 | Ladies star Ladies join right hands to form a star in the centre and dance three quarter way around the set to face the gent right of their own original position (4b), then dance back to back with him, dancing forward right shoulder to right and reversing left shoulder to left to take waltz hold (4b). | 8 |
| 6 | Repeat 3 to 5 Repeat three times, ladies moving right to each gent until back with their own partners again. | 96 |
| 7 | Body In waltz hold, all dance the body, dancing the stamp as in the North Kerry Set. They dance one step to the centre and back, then turn clockwise into the next position on the right (4b). They now repeat the movements three times as they dance around to home (12b). | 16 |
| 8 | House Doubling the last two bars. | 8 |
Added on 2015-08-16 14:49:13.
Modified on 2016-05-29 12:36:32.
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Modified on 2016-05-29 12:36:32.
Sign in to see who added or last modified this dance.