MAZURKA SET

This dance was first danced by the group in 1998 under the instruction of Christy Mac Gearailt, set dance instructor from Dingle in West Kerry. Other published instructions for this dance may differ slightly. Published sources include Pat Murphy's "Toss the Feathers", Terry Moylan's "Irish Dances", Tom Quinn's "Irish Dances" and Volume 3 of the video series "The Magic of Irish Set Dancing". Joe O'Hara, Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann [Cooley-Keegan Branch of San Francisco] and the Irish-American Lobby Education Foundation have versions of this set online.

FORMATION

Square set numbered clockwise starting with First Top Couple with their backs to the band. First sides are on their left, Second Tops are opposite First Tops and Second Sides are on the right of First Tops.

FIGURE 1: REEL (120 BARS)

All Couples	Advance and retire twice - holding hands in a circle	8 bars
All Couples	Swing - waltz hold	8 bars
First Tops	House inside	8 bars
All Couples	Basket - Top Couples with the Side Couple on their left	8 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
First Sides	House inside	8 bars
All Couples	Basket - Sides Couples with the Top Couple on their left	8 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
Repeat	House inside; Basket; House the set - with Second Top Couple and Second Side Couple dancing the house inside	48 bars

FIGURE 2: REEL (120 BARS)

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	Swing - waltz hold	8 bars
First Tops	House inside	8 bars
All Couples	Top Couples face the Side Couple on their left (right hand in right) - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
First Sides	House inside	8 bars
All Couples	Side Couples face Top Couple on their left (right hand in right) - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
Repeat	House inside; Advance and retire twice; House the set - With Second Top Couple and Second Side Couple leading	48 bars

FIGURE 3: REEL (120 BARS)

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	Swing - waltz hold	8 bars
First Tops	House inside	8 bars
First Tops + First Side Lady	High Gates: First Top Couple face to their left - Gent's left hand joined with Lady's right + Gent's right hand joined underneath with the side Lady's right - Side Lady dances under the arch then both Ladies turn to face the opposite direction + Gent and Side Lady form an arch + Side Lady dances anti-clockwise around the Top Couple as Top Lady goes under the arch twice + Top Couple make the arch and Side Lady dances under and back to place	8 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
First Sides	House inside	8 bars
First Sides + Second Top Lady	High gates with Second Top Lady leading	8 bars
All couples	House the set	8 bars
Repeat	House inside + High gates + House the set - with Second Top Couple (Second Side Lady through first) and Second Side Couple leading (First Top Lady through first)	48 bars

FIGURE 4: REEL 120 (BARS)

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	Swing - waltz hold	8 bars
Top Couples	House around each other	8 bars
Top Gents	Swing with each Lady in turn starting with side Lady on their left and finishing with own partner (2 bars to move on + 6 bars swing)	32 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
Repeat	Sides house around each other + Side Gents swing all the ladies	40 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars

FIGURE 5: REEL (152 BARS)

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	Swing - waltz hold	8 bars
First Tops	House inside	8 bars
All Couples	Face partner right hand in right - Chain all round (Gents anti-clockwise, ladies clockwise - 12 bars) and swing - waltz hold (4 bars)	16 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
First Sides	House inside	8 bars
All Couples	Chain again (12 bars) and swing	16 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
Repeat	House inside + Chain all round and swing + House the Set - Second Top Couple and Second Side Couple leading	64 bars

FIGURE 6: REEL (184 BARS)

All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	Swing - waltz hold	8 bars
First Tops + First Sides	Face the Hob (part 1): First Top Couple and First Side Couple house around each other - finish with First Tops side by side facing out of their position and First Sides behind them	8 bars
Second Tops + Second Sides	Face the Hob (part 2) - Second Top Couple and Second Side Couple house around each other and line up behind them with Second Sides last	8 bars
All Couples	Top Gent and Lady turn out (away from partner) Gents circle left and ladies circle right, going around twice	8 bars
All Couples	First Tops face each other and make an arch with both hands. The other couples house anticlockwise under the arch, around to their own places	8 bars
All Couples	House the set	8 bars
Repeat	Face the Hob - First Sides house with Second Tops and face out from First Sides position followed by Second Sides house with First Tops last in line + Gent's and Lady's circles + First Sides Arch and others house around + All house the set	40 bars
Repeat	Face the Hob - Second Tops house with Second Sides and face out from Second Tops position followed by First Tops house with First Sides last in line + Gent's and Lady's circles + Second Tops Arch and others house around + All house the set	40 bars
Repeat	Face the Hob - Second Sides house with First Tops and face out from Second Sides position followed by First Sides house with Second Tops last in line + Gent's and Lady's circles + First Sides Arch and others house around + All house the set	40 bars

REFERENCES

Moylan, Terry (1985). Irish Dances. Na Piobairi Ulleann: Dublin. 32-38.

Murphy, Pat (1995). Toss the Feathers. Mercier Press: Cork. 157-159.

Quinn, Tom (1997). Irish Dancing. HarperCollins: Glasgow. 298-302.