FIGURE 1: REELS (160 BARS)
| All Couples |
Lower Promenade hold - Lead around
+ Turn the Lady under [8 bars] + Waltz hold - Swing [8 bars] |
16 bars |
1st Top Gent +
Opposite Lady |
Pass left shoulder to left in the
centre [2 bars] + Turn clockwise [2 bars]
+ Swing [4 bars] + Finish with back to own position |
8 bars |
| Top Couples |
Square - Pass Opposite (right shoulder
to right) + Change places with Partner (left shoulder to left)
+ Pass back (right shoulders) + Change places with Partner (left
shoulders) + Finish in own position facing Corner |
8 bars |
| All with Corners |
Swing Corner + Finish facing Partner |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Dance back to Partner [2 bars]
+ Swing Partner |
8 bars |
|
1st Top Lady +
Opposite Gent
|
Pass left shoulder to left + Turn
clockwise + Swing |
8 bars |
| Top Couples |
Square |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing Corner + Dance back to Partner
+ Swing Partner |
16 bars |
1st Side Gent +
Opposite Lady |
Pass left shoulder to left + Turn
clockwise + Swing |
8 bars |
| Side Couples |
Square |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing Corner + Dance back to Partner
+ Swing Partner |
16 bars |
1st Side Lady +
Opposite Gent |
Pass left shoulder to left + Turn
clockwise + Swing |
8 bars |
| Side Couples |
Square |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing Corner + Dance back to Partner
+ Swing Partner |
16 bars |
| All Couples |
House the set doubling the last 2
bars |
8 bars |
FIGURE 2: REELS (192 BARS)
| All Couples |
Lower Promenade hold - Lead around
+ Turn the Lady under + Swing |
16 bars |
| 1st Top Couple |
House inside [8 bars] +
Right hand in right - Lady turns under 4 times while Gent dances
on the spot |
16 bars |
| 1st Top Couple |
Face each other - Pass right shoulders
cross to opposite side + Turn clockwise + Pass Partner and cross
with both Top Couples splitting to form Side Lines |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Advance and retire + Advance and
Side Couples retire while Top Couples dance in place |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing |
8 bars |
| 2nd Top Couple |
House inside + Turn Lady under 4
times + Cross to opposite + Turn and cross - Top Couple split
to form Side Lines |
24 bars |
| All Couples |
Advance and retire + Advance and
Side Couples retire while Top Couples dance in place |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing |
8 bars |
| 1st Side Couple |
House inside + Turn Lady under 4
times + Cross to opposite + Turn and cross - Top Couple split
to form Side Lines |
24 bars |
| All Couples |
Advance and retire + Advance and
Side Couples retire while Top Couples dance in place |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing |
8 bars |
| 2nd Side Couple |
House inside + Turn Lady under 4
times + Cross to opposite + Turn and cross - Top Couple split
to form Side Lines |
24 bars |
| All Couples |
Advance and retire + Advance and
Side Couples retire while Top Couples dance in place |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing + House the set doubling the
last 2 bars |
16 bars |
FIGURE 3: REELS (144 BARS)
| All Couples |
Lower Promenade hold - Lead around
+ Turn the Lady under + Swing |
16 bars |
| All Ladies |
Advance and retire twice |
8 bars |
| All Gents |
Advance and retire twice |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Gents form Left hand star in the
centre and place right hand around Partner's waist - Wheel around
+ Belly to belly turn with Partner |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Gents form right hand star with left
hand around Partner's waist - Wheel around + Belly to belly
turn with Partner to face into set |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Big Christmas left for 8 bars +
Jump to place left foot in on first beat of the next 8 bars
+ Big Christmas right |
16 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing Partner |
8 bars |
| All Ladies |
Advance and retire twice |
8 bars |
| All Gents |
Advance and retire twice |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Gents form Left hand star and open
ballroom hold with Partner - Wheel around + Belly to belly turn
+ Right hands across to Wheel back to place |
16 bars |
| All Couples |
Big Christmas left + Jump to change
supporting foot + Big Christmas right |
16 bars |
| All Couples |
Swing + House the set doubling the
last 2 bars |
16 bars |
FIGURE 4: REELS (192 BARS)
| All Couples |
Lower Promenade hold - Lead around
+ Turn the Lady under + Swing |
16 bars |
| 1st Top Couple |
House inside |
8 bars |
| Top Couples |
Lead around clockwise (left first)
through own position to meet the Couple on the left a second
time |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Tops with the Side Couple on their
left - Right hand star + Left hand star |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Remaining in groups of 4 - Little
Christmas left [8 bars] + Break and Swing Partner
back to place [8 bars] |
16 bars |
| 2nd Top Couple |
House inside |
8 bars |
| Top Couples |
Lead around anticlockwise (right
first) once + Meet Side Couple on the right |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Tops with the Side Couple on their
right - Right hand star + Left hand star + Little Christmas
left + Swing Partner back to place |
24 bars |
| 1st Side Couple |
House inside |
8 bars |
| Side Couples |
Lead around anticlockwise (left first)
once + Meet Side Couple on the left |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Sides with the Top Couple on their
left - Right hand star + Left hand star + Little Christmas left
+ Swing Partner back to place |
24 bars |
| 2nd Side Couple |
House inside |
8 bars |
| Side Couples |
Lead around anticlockwise (right
first) once + Meet Side Couple on the right |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Tops with the Side Couple on their
right - Right hand star + Left hand star + Little Christmas
left + Swing Partner back to place + House the set |
32 bars |
FIGURE 5: REELS (192 BARS)
In this dance at the end of the Chain the Couples line up forming
a Column of 8 dancers with each Lady in front of her Partner
in the following order: 1st the Dancing Couple / 2nd the Couple
on their left / 3rd the Couple on their right / 4th the Couple opposite
- All facing out from the Dancing Couples place.
| All Couples |
Lower Promenade hold - Lead around
+ Turn the Lady under + Swing |
16 bars |
All Couples
(1st Tops) |
Face Partner - Chain all round Ladies
to the left / Gents to the right + Swing Partner one turn in
Opposite position + Chain back to place and form Column
facing out from 1st Top's position (1st Top Lady, 1st Top Gent,
1st Side Lady, 1st Side Gent, 2nd Side Lady, etc. with 2nd Top
Gent last) |
16 bars |
| All Couples |
Ladies slip right / Gents slip left [4 bars]
+ Slip back passing Partner to form Ladies (on the left) and
Gents lines facing across the set |
8 bars |
| Lines of four |
Joining hands along the lines (and
with the next set if possible) - Advance and retire twice |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Dance back and face Partner [4 bars]
+ Swing [4 bars] |
8 bars |
All Couples
(2nd Tops) |
Chain around halfway + Swing Partner
once + Chain back + Form Column (2nd Top, 2nd Side,
1st Side, 1st Top) |
16 bars |
| All Couples |
Ladies slip right / Gents slip left
+ Slip back passing Partner to form Ladies and Gents lines |
8 bars |
| Lines of four |
Advance and retire twice |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Dance back and face Partner + Swing |
8 bars |
All Couples
(1st Sides) |
Chain around halfway + Swing Partner
once + Chain back + Form Column (1st Sides, 2nd Tops,
1st Tops, 2nd Sides) |
16 bars |
| All Couples |
Ladies slip right / Gents slip left
+ Slip back passing Partner to form Ladies and Gents lines |
8 bars |
| Lines of four |
Advance and retire twice |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Dance back and face Partner + Swing |
8 bars |
All Couples
(2nd Sides) |
Chain around halfway + Swing Partner
once + Chain back + Form Column (2nd Sides, 1st Tops,
2nd Tops, 1st Sides) |
16 bars |
| All Couples |
Ladies slip right / Gents slip left
+ Slip back passing Partner to form Ladies and Gents lines |
8 bars |
| Lines of four |
Advance and retire twice |
8 bars |
| All Couples |
Dance back and face Partner + Swing
+ House the set |
16 bars |
Notes:
Big Christmas (Basket): Place your Right arm around the waist of the
person on your right at the level of the small of the back. Place
your Left hand over the right arm of the person on your left clasping
the right wrist of the next person. To Basket left put your right
foot in the centre with the knee bent slightly. In effect you will
hop on this foot pushing with the other foot placed behind. To Basket
right reverse the feet.
REFERENCES
Lynch, Larry (1991). Set Dances of Ireland: Tradition and
Evolution. California: Séadna Books.
Moylan, Terry (1985). Irish Dances. Dublin: Na Píobaairí
Uilleann. 13-18.
Murphy, Pat (1995). Toss the Feathers. Cork: Mercier
Press. 90-92.
Quinn, Tom (1977). Irish Dancing. Glasgow: Harper Collins.
108-113.
|
Square
Set of four couples, Gents on the left of their partners. 1st Top
Couple have their backs to the band, with 2nd Top Couple opposite
them. 1st Side Couple are on the left of 1st Top Couple (when facing
into the set) and 2nd Side Couple are opposite them (to the right
of 1st Tops).