CALEDONIAN SET

Newcastle Irish Set Dancers learnt this dance at the Willie Clancy Summer School in July 2001. The version listed here is closest to that in Pat Murphy's "The Flowing Tide". Other published instructions for this dance differ some in quite significant ways. Other sources include Larry Lynch's "Set Dances of Ireland", Terry Moylan's "Irish Dances" and Tom Quinn's "Irish Dancing". Joe O'Hara has 2 versions of the Caledonian Set online. The Brooks Academy, Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann [Cooley-Keegan Branch of San Francisco] and the Irish-American Lobby Education Foundation also have instructions online.

FORMATION

First Sides to the Left Square Set of four couples, Gents on the left of their partners. First Top Couple have their backs to the band, with Second Top Couple opposite them. First Side Couple are on the left of First Top Couple (when facing into the set) and Second Side Couple are opposite them (to the right of First Tops).

STEPS

Traditionally the Reel and Hornpipe figures are danced with smooth flowing steps pushing flat along the floor. The Jig figure uses the down jig.

FIGURE 1: REELS (128 BARS) - House Across

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice [8 bars] + House at home [8 bars]	16 bars
Top Couples	Slide and change: Waltz hold - Advance and retire + House half way [8 bars] + Repeat to home	16 bars
Top Couples	House at Home	8 bars
Top Couples	Slide and change: Advance and retire + House half way + Repeat to home	16 bars
All Couples	Waltz hold - Advance and retire [4 bars] + House at home [4 bars]	8 bars
Side Couples	Slide and change + House at home + Slide and change	40 bars
All Couples	Advance and retire + House at home + House the set	16 bars

FIGURE 2: REELS (96 BARS) - House Around

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice + House at home	16 bars
Top Couples	House around inside the set	8 bars
Top Couples	House at home	8 bars
Top Couples	House around inside the set	8 bars
All Couples	Waltz hold - Advance and retire + House at home	8 bars
Side Couples	House around inside + House at Home + House around inside	24 bars
All Couples	Advance and retire + House at home + House the set	16 bars

FIGURE 3: REELS (192 BARS) - Home and Across

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice + House at home	16 bars
Top Couples	Waltz hold - Advance and retire + House at home	8 bars
Top Couples	Advance and retire + House to opposite place	8 bars
Top Couples	Advance, Retire + House in place + Advance, Retire + House to original place	16 bars
Top Couples	House at home	8 bars
Top Couples	Advance, Retire + House in place + Advance, Retire + House to opposite place	16 bars
Top Couples	Advance, Retire + House in place + Advance, Retire + House to original place	16 bars
All Couples	Waltz hold - Advance and retire + House at home	8 bars
Side Couples	Advance, Retire + House at home + Advance, Retire + House halfway	16 bars
Side Couples	Advance, Retire + House at home + Advance, Retire + House to original place	16 bars
Side Couples	House at home	8 bars
Side Couples	Advance, Retire + House at home + Advance, Retire + House halfway	16 bars
Side Couples	Advance, Retire + House at home + Advance, Retire + House to original place	16 bars
All Couples	Advance and retire + House at home + House the set	16 bars

FIGURE 4: JIGS (224 BARS) - Gents House Opposite Ladies

In this figure while active Gents are turning across the set their Partners turn once in place. In some regions this figure is danced to reels and has quite different instructions.

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice [1-2-3-kick up back-2-123] + House at home	16 bars
Top Couples	House around inside the set	8 bars
Top Couples	Waltz hold - Advance and retire [1-2-3-kick up back-2-123]	4 bars
Top Couples	Gents change: Gents cross passing left shoulder turning twice clockwise (pulling right shoulder back) to meet the opposite Lady in her place... meanwhile Top Ladies turn clockwise (right shoulder back) once in place while the Gents cross.	4 bars
Top Couples	With Opposite person - House around inside the set	8 bars
Top Couples	Advance, Retire + Gents change back to Partner (while Ladies turn) + House inside	16 bars
Top Couples	House at home + House around inside the set	16 bars
Top Couples	Advance, Retire + Gents change to Opposite Lady + House inside	16 bars
Top Couples	Advance, Retire + Gents change back to Partner + House inside	16 bars
All Couples	Waltz hold - Advance and retire + House at home	8 bars
Side Couples	Repeat: House + Advance, retire + Gents change, etc. as for Top Couples	88 bars
All Couples	Advance and retire + House at home + House the set	16 bars

FIGURE 5: REELS (192 BARS) - Gents House all the Ladies

In this figure while active Gents are turning around inside the set all four Ladies turn once in place (not inside the set!). After the active Couples have Advanced and retired the first time all four Ladies join in the Advance and retire.

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice + House at home	16 bars
Top Couples	House around inside the set	8 bars
Top Couples	Waltz hold - Advance and retire once	4 bars
Top Gents + All Ladies	Gents left: Gents pass each other (left shoulders) turning clockwise twice and continue around inside the set to meet the Lady on the left of his original place... meanwhile All Ladies turn clockwise once in place. Side Ladies finish slightly inside the set to meet Top gent.	4 bars
Top Gents + Side Ladies	House around inside the set	8 bars
Top Gents + All Ladies	Top Gents with Side Ladies - Advance, Retire + Gents change to next Lady on the left / Ladies turn clockwise once in place	8 bars
Top Gents + Opposite Ladies	House inside	8 bars
Top Gents + All Ladies	Advance, Retire + Gents change to next Lady on the left	8 bars
Top Gents + Side Ladies	House inside	8 bars
Top Gents + All Ladies	Advance, Retire + Gents change back to Partner	8 bars
Top Couples	House inside	8 bars
All Couples	Waltz hold - Advance and retire + House at home	8 bars
Side Couples	Repeat: House + Advance, retire + Gents change, etc. as for Top Couples	72 bars
All Couples	Advance and retire + House at home + House the set	16 bars

FIGURE 6: HORNPIPES (160 BARS)

All Couples dance all parts of this figure.

Body	Body: Dance in and back in waltz hold (pause-1-2-3-pause-1-2-3) [2 bars] + Dance on to next position [2 bars] + Repeat 3 times back to place	16 bars
House	House the set	8 bars
Advance and retire	Waltz hold facing into the set - Advance and retire once (1-2-123 back-2-123)	4 bars
Ladies change	Ladies move to the Gent on the right turning clockwise twice outisde the set, ... meanwhile Gents turn once anticlockwise (inside the set)	4 bars
Body + House	Body + House the set	24 bars
Change, Body, House	Ladies change + Body + House the set	32 bars
Change, Body, House	Ladies change + Body + House the set	32 bars
Change, Body, House	Ladies change (to own Partner) + Body + House the set	32 bars

REFERENCES

Lynch, Larry (1991). Set Dances of Ireland: Tradition and Evolution. California: Séadna Books. 17-56.

Moylan, Terry (1985). Irish Dances. Dublin: Na Píobaairí Uilleann. 25-31.

Murphy, Pat (2000). The Flowing Tide. Cork: Mercier Press. 79-81.

Quinn, Tom (1977). Irish Dancing. Glasgow: Harper Collins. 86-90.

Updated: 13 October 2001