SOUTH SLIGO LANCERS SET

Newcastle Irish Set Dancers learnt this dance from Pat Murphy at the South Sligo Summer School in Tubbercurry in 2006. Other published instructions include Pat Murphy's "Toss the Feathers" and Tom Quinn's "Irish Dancing". Joe O'Hara and Larry Taylor have online versions of this set.

FORMATION

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).

FIGURE 1:REELS (136 BARS)

1st Top Gent + 2nd Top Lady	Dance in & Swing (ceili hold)	8 bars
Top Couples	Lower promenade hold - Advance & retire + Diamond left half way (Advance to Couple on left & reverse back to Opposite position) + Repeat to Home	16 bars
Corners	With Corner - House around to home [Ladies start on left foot dancing around / Gents start on right foot dancing in place] - Dancing to join Partner on the last bar [Ladies turning in place / Gent dancing on]	8 bars
2nd Top Gent + 1st Side Lady	Swing	8 bars
Top Couples	Advance & retire + Diamond left half way + Repeat to Home	16 bars
Corners	House around to home	8 bars
1st Side Gent + 2nd Side Lady	Swing	8 bars
Side Couples	Advance & retire + Diamond left half way + Repeat to Home	16 bars
Corners	House around to home	8 bars
2nd Side Gent + 1st Side Lady	Swing	8 bars
Side Couples	Advance & retire + Diamond left half way + Repeat to Home	16 bars
Corners	House around to home	8 bars

FIGURE 2: REELS (168 BARS)

Top Couples	Lower promenade hold - Advance & retire twice	8 bars
Top Couples	See-saw: Holding left hands & facing Partner - Dance forward just passing left shoulders & retire & Advance & retire	8 bars
Top Couples + Side Couples	Tops house around (ceili hold), while... Sides "Dance & back away" - Dance in place [4 bars] + Dance apart to join Tops forming Top Lines	8 bars
Top Lines	Advance & retire + Advance + Tops: Retire / Sides: Dance in place	8 bars
All Couples	Around the house	8 bars
Top Couples	Repeat: Advance & retire twice + See-saw + Tops: House around (Sides: Dance & back away) + Top lines - Advance & retire	32 bars
All Couples	Around the house	8 bars
Side Couples	Advance & retire twice + See-saw + Sides: House around (Tops: Dance & back away) + Side lines - Advance & retire	32 bars
All Couples	Around the house	8 bars
Side Couples	Repeat: Advance & retire twice + See-saw + Sides: House around (Tops: Dance & back away) + Side lines - Advance & retire	32 bars
All Couples	Around the house	8 bars

FIGURE 3: JIGS (88 BARS)

All Couples	Circle - Advance & retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	House around	8 bars
All Couples	Circle - Advance & retire + Advance & Ladies dance on to join Gent on their right	8 bars
New Couples	House around	8 bars
Repeat   3 more times	Advance & retire + Advance & Ladies dance on + New Couples: House around - finishing with original Partner	48 bars

FIGURE 4: REELS (232 BARS)

Ladies / Gents	Ladies - Right-hand star + Left-hand star, while... Gents - Dance around outside set to the right + Turn & dance back to Partner	8 bars
Top Couples	Lower promenade hold - Lead around to the right three-quarters [6 bars] + First couple - Face Partner & retire (Lady to Partner's position / Gent to 2nd Top Lady's position), while... Second Couple - Turn anti-clockwise once & retire (Ladies in 1st Tops / Gents in 2nd Tops)	8 bars
Side Couples	Lower promenade hold - Lead around three-quarters [6 bars] + Face Partner & retire on own half of the set forming Ladies' & Gents' lines	8 bars
Lines	Advance & retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	Dance home [2 bars] + House at home [6 bars]	8 bars
Top Couples	Lead around to the right three-quarters to face the Side Couple to the left of their home position [6 bars] + Ladies shake hands & Gents shake hands	8 bars
Swing in four	Same group of four - Basket [6 bars] + Partners: Reverse to place [2 bars]	8 bars
Tops Repeat: Ladies / Gents	Ladies - Left-hand star + Right-hand star, while... Gents - Dance around outside set to the left + Turn & dance back to Partner	8 bars
Top Couples	Lead around + Separate (Ladies in 2nd Tops position /Gents in 1st Tops)	8 bars
Side Couples	Lead around + Separate	8 bars
Lines	Advance & retire twice	8 bars
All Couples	Dance home + House at home	8 bars
Top Couples	Lead around to the left three-quarters to face the Side Couple to the right of home [6 bars] + Ladies shake hands & Gents shake hands	8 bars
Swing in four	Same four - Basket + Reverse to place	8 bars
Sides Repeat	Repeat - 1st Sides Leading as for 1st Tops (Ladies to 1st Sides position)	56 bars
Sides Repeat	Repeat - 2nd Sides Leading as for 2nd Tops (Ladies to 2nd Sides position)	56 bars

FIGURE 5: HORNPIPES or MARCHES (120 BARS)

All Couples	Grand chain: Face Partner - Ladies turn under Partners' right hand + All dance on + Ladies turn under next Gents' left hand + Repeat until back home	16 bars
All Couples	House around	8 bars
Repeat   3 more times	Grand chain + House with Partner	72 bars
All Couples	Grand chain - Shaking hands instead of turning Ladies under	16 bars

NOTES:

Figure 2 - Dance (in place) & Back Away

As two couples house around inside the set...
the other two couples dance 4 bars in place facing into the set, then face their Partner and dance 4 bars retreating away from each other (to their corner) to join the other two couples in lines (Top lines first, then Sides lines later).

The footwork for "Dance in place and back away" is...

Facing into the set:

Tap right toe (tap out + tap back) + Hop left + Step right left right
Tap left toe (tap out + tap back) + Hop right + Step left right left
Down-heel right-left-right-left-right-left
Tap right toe (tap out + tap back) + Hop left + Step right left right

Facing Partner & backing away:

Tap left toe (tap out + tap back) + Hop right + Step left right left
Tap right toe (tap out + tap back) + Hop left + Step right left right
Down-heel left-right-left-right-left-right
Tap left toe (tap out + tap back) + Hop right + Step left right left

Figure 3 - Advance & retire

Ladies starting on right foot / Gents with left foot...

Walk + Walk + Heels: 1-2-3-4 / Back + Back + Heels: 1-2-3-4
Ladies: Right + Left + Right-heel - Left-heel - Right-heel - Left-heel / Right + Left + Rh-Lh-Rh-Lh
Gents: Left + Right + Left-heel - Right-heel - Left-heel - Right-heel / Left + Right + Lh-Rh-Lh-Rh

REFERENCES

Murphy, Pat (1995). Toss the Feathers. Cork: Mercier Press. 205-207.

Quinn, Tom (1977). Irish Dancing. Glasgow: Harper Collins. 425-429.

Page created by: Arthur Kingsland