Study Notes Copyright © William Lynch 2007
First Figure - Swing (Polkas) | 104 bars |
NOTE - All batter the last 2 bars of the introduction. | ||
1 | 1st top gent and 2nd top lady dance in and swing, with ceili hold. | 8 bars |
2 | Swing corners: gents face L and ladies R and new couples
swing.
Swing partners. |
16 bars |
3 | 2nd top gent and 1st top lady dance
in and swing.
Swing corners. Swing partners. |
24 bars |
4 | 1st side gent (R of 1st tops) and
2nd side lady dance in and swing.
Swing corners. Swing partners. |
24 bars |
5 | 2nd side gent and 1st side lady dance
in and swing.
Swing corners. Swing partnersand all clap on the last beat of the 8th bar. |
24 bars |
Second Figure - Form Fours (Polkas) | 104 bars |
NOTE - All batter the last 2 bars of the introduction. | ||
1 | 1st top couple house within the set. On the last 2 bars, side couples separate and dance into line with the nearest top couple to form two lines of four, facing each other. | 8 bars |
2 | Advance and retire twice, arms around each other's waists and battering in on the advance. | 8 bars |
3 | Swing partners. | 8 bars |
4 | 2nd top couple house within and form fours. | 8 bars |
5 | Advance and retire.
Swing partners. |
16 bars |
6 | 1st side couple house within and form fours. | 8 bars |
7 | Advance and retire.
Swing partners. |
16 bars |
8 | 2nd side couple house within and form fours. | 8 bars |
9 | Advance and retire.
Swing partners and clap. |
8 bars |
Third Figure - First Chain (Polkas) | 152 bars |
NOTE - All batter the last 2 bars of the introduction. | ||
1 | First chain: partners face each other and chain R hand, L hand to meet each other in the opposite place and batter the 7th and 8th bars (8 bars). They then continue the chain back to place without the batter. | 16 bars |
2 | Top couples house around each other twice. The standing
couples batter the last 2 bars of the movement.
First chain. |
32 bars |
3 | Side couples house around each other twice.
First chain. |
32 bars |
4 | Top couples house around each other twice.
First chain. |
32 bars |
5 | Side couples house around each other twice.
First chain and clap. |
32 bars |
Fourth Figure -Second Chain (Polkas) | 144 bars |
NOTE - All batter the last 2 bars of the introduction. | ||
1 | Second chain: partners face each other and chain R hand, L hand until each gent meets his corner lady with L hand (4 bars). The gent turns this lady clockwise ½ turn underarm as he dances past her, leads her back to her own place, drops hands and dances on into his own place. | 8 bars |
2 | Top couples:
Ladies chain R hands in the centre and L to turn clockwise under the opposite gent’s arm and around behind him as he dances facing centre. Ladies chain R hands in the centre again and into waltz hold with their partners. |
8 bars |
House around each other twice. | 16 bars | |
3 | Second chain. | 8 bars |
4 | Side couples chain and house.
Second chain. |
32 bars |
5 | Top couples chain and house.
Second chain. |
32 bars |
6 | Side couples chain and house.
Second chain and clap. |
32 bars |
Fifth Figure - The Polka | 176 bars |
NOTE - All batter the last 2 bars of the introduction. | ||
1 | Lead around, with waist hold. | 8 bars |
2 | Top couples:
House around each other. |
8 bars |
Balance and cross: with the same hold, they batter into the set and back and house across to the opposite place (8 bars). The movement is then repeated back home. | 16 bars | |
House around each other. | 8 bars | |
3 | Lead around. | 8 bars |
4 | Side couples now dance 2.
Lead around. |
40 bars |
5 | Top couples now repeat 2.
Lead around. |
40 bars |
6 | Side couples now repeat 2.
Lead around and clap. |
40 bars |
Sixth Figure - The Offering Up (Jigs) | 120 bars |
1 | Circle: all join hands in a circle, advance and retire twice. | 8 bars |
Swing partners. | 8 bars | |
2 | Lead around: gents dance 2x3s in place while ladies dance on to the next gent on the R. New couples lead around, with waist hold, back to the gent's place. | 8 bars |
3 | Circle.
Swing new partners. Lead around. |
24 bars |
4 | Circle.
Swing new partners. Lead around. |
24 bars |
5 | Circle.
Swing new partners. Lead around. |
24 bars |
6 | Circle.
Swing partners and clap. |
24 bars |
STEPS The batter used in all polka Figures is as follows, the underlined foot carrying the weight:
In the Jig Figure dancers may batter the advance with the double jig step as follows:
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SOURCE Larry Lynch, at his Aras na nGael workshop, London, 1993. Kilmanagh is in Co. Kilkenny. |