Category: Irish Ceili/Ceilidh

Description:

This is an 8-hand figure dance described in Ar Rinci Foirne, the ceili dancing book published by the Irish Dancing Commission. It can be danced to any double jig, but if dancing “by the book” the tune should be Trip to the Cottage.
For details and recordings of the Trip to the Cottage tune: https://thesession.org/tunes/833

When couples hold inside hands (lady’s left in gent’s right), the hands are raised so the upper arms are at the shorter person’s shoulder height. When swinging around, couples hold hands and dance promenade step or skip threes, rotating clockwise while traveling counter-clockwise.

Videos:

Shows Cross Over, Body, and the 1st “pretzel” figure, then stops: https://youtu.be/zXqrkSd1wn4?t=1m42s
Shows Cross Over, Body, and 2nd figure but not pretzel figure: https://youtu.be/2L3FC8j5HVw
Won’t win any medals but they do the whole dance! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06MM7lforM0

(Double Jig)

328 Bars + 8 bar lead-in

1	Everyone Cross Over: Cross over and lead around First and second top couples dance with promenade step to pass each other by the gents' left shoulders and turn counter-clockwise (as a couple) into the opposite position. (2b) Side couples dance the same cross-over move, except they turn only 90° and stay facing counter-clockwise around the set. (2b) Top couples cross over the same way the sides did. (2b) Everyone dance two short threes in place. (2b)	8
2	Promenade and cross to home All couples dance with promenade step halfway around the set, and turn to face into the center. (4b) Tops cross over and face into the center. (2b) Everyone dance two short threes in place. (2b)	8
3	Sides Dance 1 and 2	16
4	Tops Body: Diagonal lines Top gents take near hands with ladies on both sides of him to form two lines of three, angled diagonally across the set. The lines advance toward each other, retire, and repeat. Side gents stand.	8
5	Everyone Rings Each line of three joins hands to make a ring, and dancers sidestep left (revolving clockwise). At the same time, side gents sidestep to their right, into position to join one of the rings between two ladies. All dance in place while letting the side gents into the rings. (4b) All now holding hands in rings of four, sidestep right. (2b) Releasing hands from the ring, partners dance two short threes while turning to face each other and taking uncrossed hands. (2b) Couples form a diagonal line across the set.	8
6	Swing around Couples who were just in a ring together swing around each other and back to home positions.	8
7	Sides Dance 4 to 6	24
8	2nd top lady Arches & pretzel, first figure: Arches Second top lady dances to first top couple, taking the top gent's left hand in her right. She dances under an arch formed by the gent's right arm and his lady's left, and the gent follows her under the arch. The gent raises his left arm to make an arch with the guest lady, and the top lady dances under it. Repeat with the guest lady dancing under the arch again. These three plus second top gent dance to the center of the set, and take hands in a ring.	8
9	Tops Pretzel Both couples sidestep right in a ring, and dance two threes in place. (4b) Still holding hands, the second top couple moves under and arch made by the first couple, then let the first couple pass under. (Hint: Each dancer turns only one way, and the hands held with their partner make an arch. i.e. 2nd top gent goes forward with his right hand and lady's left hand held low, then he raises his right hand to make an arch and lowers his left hand while turning left and traveling past the opposite lady.) (4b) Sidestep left/clockwise in the ring (2b), dance in place (2b), then take crossed hands as couples and swing home (4b).	16
10	1st top lady Dance 8 and 9 First top lady dances arches with second top couple, and first tops go under the pretzel first.	24
11	2nd side lady Dance 8 and 9 Second side lady dances arches with first side couple, and second sides go under the pretzel first.	24
12	1st side lady Dance 8 and 9 First side lady dances arches with second side couple, and first sides go under the pretzel first.	24
13	Everyone Dance the Body	48
14	Tops Big interlace, second figure: Advance, retire and interlace Top couples take inside hands and advance and retire once. (4b) Repeat (4b) Top ladies dance left past their partner, between the side couple, around the side gent, through the center of the set, between the opposite side couple, around that side gent and back to home. Top gents pause long enough for their ladies to pass by and then dance a comparable path - between the couple on their right, around that lady, across the set and between the other side couple, around the lady and back home. Ladies pass by right shoulders in the middle of the set, and gents pass by left. (8b)	16
15	Sides Dance movement 14	8
16	Everyone Dance the Body	48
17	Dance Cross Over	32

Added on 2016-06-25 17:46:14.
Modified on 2016-10-06 14:58:15.
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