THE DERRADDA SET

Study Notes Copyright © William Lynch 2007

First Figure - The Jig 192 bars
1 Advance and retire twice, facing centre with crossed hand hold in front. 8 bars
2 Top couples:
Diamond: with the same hold, couples dance to face the couple on the L (2 bars), fall back into the place opposite their own (2 bars), dance to face the couple R of their own place (2 bars) and fall back to place (2 bars).
8 bars
Swing, with ceili hold. 8 bars
Ladies chain R hands in the centre, L arm to turn the opposite gent and back R to R into ceili hold. 8 bars
Swing, while side couples take crossed hand hold in front and dance in place, facing centre. 8 bars
3 Side couples now dance 2. and at the second swing, top couples dance in place. 32 bars
4 Top couples:
1st gent and 2nd lady dance in and swing, falling back to place on the last 2 bars.
8 bars
 Diamond. 8 bars
2nd gent and 1st lady dance in and swing. 8 bars
Diamond. 8 bars
Ladies chain R hands in the centre, turn the opposite gent L arm (4 bars) and dance across him to his wrong side (2 bars).  The four dancers dance the last 2 bars in place, and take hold to swing four. 8 bars
Swing four, falling back to place on the last 2 bars. Side couples dance in place 8 bars
5 Side couples now dance 4.  While sides swing four, top couples dance in place. 48 bars
6 Advance and retire twice. 8 bars
7 Swing. 8 bars
Second Figure - The Polka 184 bars
1 Short sevens: all take waltz hold and sidestep towards the centre of the set and back (dancing in234567, and back234567) twice, the weight being kept on the leading foot in each direction. 8 bars
2 The Bus-stop: ladies dance round clockwise within the set, bowing to each gent as they pass him. 8 bars
3 Swing partners, with waltz hold. 8 bars
4 Top couples:
Long polka: with the same hold, couples sidestep, the gents back-to-back, across to the opposite side and then into the corner behind the gent, dancing  12345678,1234567 (4 bars), again with the weight on the leading foot.  From the corner the movement is repeated back across the set, ladies passing back-to-back, and back to place (4 bars).
8 bars
House around each other. 8 bars
Long polka. 8 bars
House around each other. 8 bars
Ladies chain. 8 bars
Swing,  while side couples take waltz hold and dance 4 steps in place.
5 Side couples now dance 4.  When sides swing, top couples also swing. 48 bars
6 Short sevens.
Half house, turning 4 full turns into the opposite place.
Short sevens.
Half house back to place.
Short sevens.
40 bars
7 Ladies dance the bus-stop. 8 bars
8 Swing partners. 8 bars
Third Figure - The Reel 152 bars
1 Circle: all join hands in a circle and advance and retire twice. 8 bars
2 Ladies wheel and change partners: while gents dance in place, ladies wheel R hand (4 bars) and back by the L, dance past their partners and out behind the next gent to turn inwards and move into the gent's place. 8 bars
3 Gents wheel RH then LH to finish with backs to the centre and facing their new partners. 8 bars
4 Swing new partners with waltz hold. 8 bars
5 Lead around with R hands held on the lady's R shoulder and L hands held low in front. 8 bars
6 Ladies wheel and change partners.
Gents wheel R and L.
Swing new partners.
Lead around.
32 bars
7 Ladies wheel and change partners.
Gents wheel R and L.
Swing new partners.
Lead around.
32 bars
8 Ladies wheel and change partners.
Gents wheel R and L.
Swing new partners.
Lead around.
32 bars
9 Circle. 8 bars
STEPS
The ‘down’ jig step is used in the jig figure and the normal polka step in the polka.  The reel is danced with a flat reel step.
This set is named after the townland of Derradda near Newport in Co. Mayo and is danced with a very relaxed style.
SOURCE
Mick Mulkerrin at Priddy, Somerset, October 1994

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