CONNEMARA JIG SET (FRERES NANTES)

Other published instructions for this dance may differ slightly. Published sources include Pat Murphy's "Toss the Feathers", Tom Quinn's "Irish Dances" and Volume 4 of the video series "The Magic of Irish Set Dancing". Joe O'Hara has a version of this set online.

FORMATION

Square set of four couples. First Top Couple has their back to the back. Couples are numbered anti-clockwise with 2nd Couple (1st Side Couple) on the right of 1st Tops; 3rd couple (2nd Tops) - opposite 1st Tops; and 4th Couple (2nd Sides) - opposite 1st Sides (on the left of 1st Tops).

FIGURE 1: JIG [288 Bars]

FIGURE 2: JIG [256 Bars]

FIGURE 3: SINGLE JIG [264 Bars]

FIGURE 4: HORNPIPE [184 Bars]

FIGURE 5: POLKA (144 Bars]

DANCE MOVEMENTS:

There are three types of promenade:

Front promenade hold - With your Partner hold join left hands in front and rights hands above left. In the Advance and Retire you maintain crossed hands and use a push-pull motion to change direction to convert from facing in to facing out (or vica versa). This occurs on the second bar, or the 123 count in the 1-2-123 sequence.

Crossed upper promenade hold - From facing into the set with your Partner pivot to the right (clockwise) through 90 degrees - the Gent finishes on the left and slightly behind his Partner. Gents bring right hands (holding Partner's left hand) over your Partner's head and maintain the hold over her right shoulder. Join the other hands (Lady's right + Gent's left) in front at waist level. This is used for the Lead around at the start of the dance (following the Advance and Retire).

Normal upper promenade hold - For this hold the Gent's right hand comes over the Lady's right shoulder and holds her right hand at shoulder level, and the couple join the other hands (Gent's left with Lady's left) in front at waist level. This is used for the most other lead arounds within each figure. To move into this position the couple keep both hands joined (from the front promenade hold) and the Gent brings his right hand over the Lady's head as they both pivot to the right (clockwise) through 90 degrees, keeping left hands joined in front.

The Tug - In "the Tug" you maintain crossed hands in front with your current Partner (right hand in right) and dance away from your current Partner pulling against them (123), then dance toward (or past) them (123) for a swing with your Partner (or with your Corner).

The Hug (Swing) - The Hug swing follows "the tug". The Lady's hands should be on top of the Gent's shoulders or upper arms and his hands just below her shoulder blades. Couples pivot on the right foot with right foot to right foot and right hip to right hip.

REFERENCES

Murphy, Pat (1995). Toss the Feathers. Mercier Press: Cork. 124-126.

Quinn, Tom (1997). Irish Dancing. HarperCollins: Glasgow. 208-213.

Page created by: Arthur Kingsland