Study Notes Copyright © William Lynch 2007
CORNER COUPLES
(X = gent O = lady)
1st corner |
X |
O |
2nd corner |
|
couple |
O |
X |
couple |
|
X O |
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Home place |
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Lead around and back, with inside hands held at shoulder level, partners dropping hands, turning towards each other and again taking inside hands to reverse direction and lead back to place. Partners drop hands, ladies quarter turn clockwise and gents threequarter turn anti-clockwise in place to face into the set and take inside hands. | 16 bars |
| BODY |
| 1 | Sides: with top couples moving to the R behind the side couples who are moving to their L, all sidestep into the next place (2 bars) and dance in place (2 bars). All repeat the movement into the place opposite their own (4 bars), into the next place (4 bars) and back home (4 bars). | 16 bars |
| 2 | Corner chain: partners face each other, take R hand in R and turn a half turn in place (2 bars). They drop hands and the gents dance on to their 1st corner lady (2 bars), turn her L hand a half turn (2 bars), and dance back to face their partners (2 bars). | 8 bars |
| Partners turn R hand one full turn and the gents dance on to their 2nd corner lady, turn her L hand, dance back to their partners and turn R hand into place. NOTE - The chain is often danced more quickly than these timings suggest, allowing partners time for a full turn before turning into place. Go for it - it's more fun. |
8 bars | |
| 3 | Ladies figure-of-eight: they dance across and in front of their own partner (2 bars), behind and around their 1st corner gent (2 bars), behind their partner (2 bars) and into the set to take R hands in the centre (2 bars). They then wheel around to face their 2nd corner gent (4 bars), turn him L hand (2 bars) and turn their own partners R hand into place (2 bars). | 16 bars |
| 4 | Gents figure-of-eight: they dance across their own partners (2 bars), behind and around their 2nd corner lady (2 bars), behind their partner (2 bars) and into the set to take R hands in the centre (2 bars). They then wheel around to face their 1st corner lady (4 bars), turn her L hand (2 bars) and turn their partners R hand into place (2 bars). | 16 bars |
| 5 | Stamp and clap: all stamp their R foot on beats 1 & 3 of the 1st bar and clap hands on the 1st three beats of the 2nd bar then stamp and clap again (4 bars). Partners sidestep past each other (go L in front and R behind) (2 bars) and dance in place (2 bars). They stamp and clap again (4 bars) and sidestep back to dance in place (4 bars). | 16 bars |
| First Figure - Sidestep |
| 1 | 1st top couple: Sidestep: partners face each other R hand in R and sidestep into the set (2 bars), dance in place (2 bars), sidestep back and dance in place (4 bars). They dance a half turn around each other (2 bars), drop hands, and the gent dances in front of and around behind his 1st corner lady while his partner dances in front of and around behind her 2nd corner gent to meet back home (4 bars) and turn R hand into place (2 bars). |
16 bars |
| 2 | 2nd top couple now dance 1. | 16 bars |
| 3 | 1st side couple (Lof 1st tops) now dance 1. | 16 bars |
| 4 | 2nd side couple now dance 1. | 16 bars |
| BODY | 80 bars |
| Second Figure - Gents Chain |
| 1 | Top couples: 1st couple, R hand in R, advance and pass through the 2nd couple and cast off L and R to join that couple in a R hand star (4 bars). They wheel around (2 bars), couples separate and take crossed hand hold, 2nd couple turning clockwise once in place while the 1st couple turn back to place (2 bars) |
8 bars |
| Gents chain: they cross the set L to L (see ENDNOTE) (2 bars), turn their opposite lady L hand (2 bars) cross back L to L (2 bars) and turn their partners R hand in place (2 bars). | 8 bars | |
| House around each other with crossed hand hold. | 8 bars | |
| 2 | 2nd top couple now lead to dance 1. | 24 bars |
| 3 | 1st side couple now lead to dance 1. | 24 bars |
| 4 | 2nd side couple now lead to dance 1. | 24 bars |
| BODY | 80 bars |
| Third Figure - Ladies Chain |
| 1 | Top couples: Ladies chain: R hands in the centre, L to turn the opposite gent, dance back R to R and turn partners R hand in place. |
8 bars | |
| House around each other. | 8 bars | ||
| 2 | Side couples now dance 1. | 16 bars |
| BODY | 80 bars |
| FINISH |
| 1 | Circle: all take hands in a circle and advance and retire twice. | 8 bars |
| 2 | Sidestep R: with hands still held, all sidestep anti-clockwise (2 bars) and dance in place (2 bars), sidestep back and dance in place (4 bars). | 8 bars |
| 3 | Circle: all advance and retire twice. | 8 bars |
| 4 | Sidestep L: with hands still held, all sidestep clockwise (2 bars) and dance in place (2 bars), sidestep back and dance in place (4 bars). | 8 bars |
| 5 | Swing partners with ceili hold. | 8 bars |
| ENDNOTE This splendidly choreographed reel of 576 bars lends itself readily to vigorous performance. To achieve speed and fluidity in the turns, hands should be firmly clasped at about shoulder height and dancers should 'give weight' with a rigid wrist and elbow. In the Second Figure the 'orange book' would have the gents pass each other R to R in the Gents chain before giving L hand to the opposite lady. This seems an awkward manouvre when danced at a bit of a lick and is only attempted by the purists. The rest of us are happier, and safer, passing L to L. |
| PUBLISHED SOURCE "Ár Rinncidhe Foirne Thirty Popular Figure Dances Leabhar 1, 2, 3" p12 |
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