Study Notes Copyright © William Lynch 2007
CORNERS AND CORNER COUPLES
(X = gent O = lady)
1st corner |
X |
O |
2nd corner |
|
couple |
O |
X |
couple |
|
1st corner |
2nd corner |
|||
X O |
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Home place |
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Lead around and back, with crossed hand hold, partners turning towards each other with hands still held to return. | 16 bars |
| BODY |
| 1 | Quarter chain: partners face each other, full turn R hand and gents give L hand to turn their 2nd corner lady and back to turn their partners R hand and face in. | 8 bars |
| 2 | Crossover: top gents cross R to R to take the opposite lady's L hand. As soon as they are clear, the side gents do likewise. All turn, and the gents move on to turn the same 2nd corner lady R hand and face into the set. | 8 bars |
| Top gents again cross the set, side gents cross and gents turn their 1st corner lady L hand and dance back to turn their partners R hand 1 full turn so that ladies face clockwise and gents face anti-clockwise around the set. | 8 bars | |
| 3 | Return chain: All chain R hand, L hand to meet, ½ turn their partners R hand in the opposite place (8 bars) and chain back to meet R hand and ½ turn at home (8 bars). | 16 bars |
| 4 | The Tilley/Back-to-back: keeping R hands held, top couples and their 2nd corner couples dance together to finish with the gents back-to-back and holding their partner's R hand in R and the corner lady's L hand in L, the ladies facing each other, and all dance 2 steps in place (4 bars). All drop R hands and gents turn the corner ladies L hand then, passing each other R to R, turn their partners R hand in place and into waltz hold. | 8 bars |
| 5 | Change places: top couples cross into each other's place with a gliding walk step 1, 2, 3, 4, gents passing back-to-back, while sides dance at home (2 bars). Side couples change while tops dance in place (2 bars). Tops change back, ladies back-to-back, while sides dance in place and sides change back while tops dance in place. | 8 bars |
| Top couples and their 1st corner couples face each other and change places, dance 2 bars in place, change back and dance 2 bars in place. | 8 bars |
| First Figure - Advance and Retire |
| 1 | Top couples advance and retire, R hand in R (4 bars), and crossover, the ladies changing places R to R and the gents L to L (4 bars). They turn inwards to take R hand in R and the whole movement is then repeated back to place. | 16 bars |
| 2 | Side couples now dance 1. | 16 bars |
| BODY | 64 bars |
| Second Figure - Gents Chain |
| 1 | Top gents dance in to link R elbows and turn ¾ to face their 2nd corner gent, turn him L elbow, cross the set to turn the 1st corner lady R elbow and meet in the centre (8 bars) to swing with ceili hold, falling back to place on the last 2 bars (8 bars). | 16 bars |
| 2 | Side gents now dance 1. | 16 bars |
| BODY | 64 bars |
| Third Figure - The Arches |
| 1 | Top couples take inside hands and dance across into each other's place, 2nd tops forming an arch for 1st tops to dance through. Partners drop hands and turn inwards in the opposite place, take inside hands and dance back to place, 1st tops this time making the arch for 2nd tops to dance through. | 8 bars | |
| Partners take crossed hand hold and both couples house around each other. | 8 bars | ||
| 2 | Side couples now dance 1. | 16 bars |
| BODY | 64 bars |
| FINISH |
| Lead around and back. | 16 bars | |
| Swing, with ceili hold. | 8 bars |
| STEP A brushed jig step is used throughout the dance, apart from the Change places movement |
| SOURCE This is a jig from Abbeyfeale, Co.Limerick, which had not been danced since the 1920s until given recently to Timmy McCarthy by Maureen Murphy of Abbeyfeale and danced by Maureen, Johnny 'The Lepper' Lynch and friends at Fleadh Cheoil Luimnigh at Abbeyfeale in June 1994. It is recorded here as given by Timmy at a workshop in Liverpool in November 1994 and can be seen on an amateur video recording made at the Fleadh. According to Timmy, this is not yet regarded as the definitive version and may be amended as public performance prompts others to remember how they once used to dance it. May 1995, at Priddy - Timmy changed what had been 'The Gallop' at 5.of the Body to the gliding walk described above as Change places, this being thought to be more in keeping with the dancing style of the 20s. |
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