Study Notes Copyright © William Lynch 2007
| First Figure - Ladies Chain (Polkas) | 160 bars |
| 1 | Quarterhouse: Taking waltz hold, couples dance 2 steps in place then house 2 steps on to the next place on their R. They repeat this 4 step movement into each place and back home. | 16 bars |
| 2 | Top couples:
Ladies chain R hands in the centre, L elbow hook to turn the opposite gent 2 turns (8 bars), R hands on the way back to their partners and take waltz hold (2 bars). |
10 bars |
| Swing. | 6 bars | |
| 3 | Quarterhouse. | 16 bars |
| 4 | Side couples ladies chain and swing. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 5 | Top couples repeat the chain and swing. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 6 | Side couples repeat the chain and swing. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 7 | House around. | 8 bars |
| Second Figure - Show the Lady (Polkas) | 160 bars |
| 1 | Quarterhouse. | 16 bars |
| 2 | 1st top couple show the lady: they house within the set (8 bars) then slide towards the centre and back (4 bars), dancing any slide step, and dance at home, turning twice (4 bars). | 16 bars |
| 3 | Quarterhouse. | 16 bars |
| 4 | 1st side couple (L of 1st tops) show the lady. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 5 | 2nd top couple show the lady. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 6 | 2nd side couple show the lady. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 7 | House around. | 8 bars |
| Third Figure - In Out and Roundabout (Jigs) | 160 bars |
| 1 | Quarterhouse. | 16 bars |
| 2 | Top couples balance and change: keeping waltz hold while facing centre, couples dance into the centre and back (4 bars), then house across to the opposite place (4 bars). They repeat the whole 8 bar movement back home. | 16 bars |
| 3 | Quarterhouse. | 16 bars |
| 4 | Side couples balance and change. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 5 | Top couples repeat the balance and change. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 6 | Side couples repeat the balance and change. | 16 bars |
| Quarterhouse. | 16 bars | |
| 7 | House around. | 8 bars |
| Fourth Figure - Round the House and Mind the Dresser (Polkas) | 88 bars |
| 1 | Lead around, with crossed hand hold in front, ¾ way round the set. | 8 bars |
| 2 | Turn the lady clockwise under the gent's L hand into place and continue in place to complete 4 full turns. | 8 bars |
| 3 | Ladies chain: All ladies give R hands in the centre, L elbow hook to turn the opposite gent 2 turns (8 bars), R hands on the way back to their partners to take waltz hold (2 bars). | 10 bars |
| 4 | Swing. | 6 bars |
| 5 | Lead around.
Turn the lady. Ladies chain. Swing. |
32 bars |
| 6 | Lead around.
Turn the lady. |
16 bars |
| Fifth Figure - The Full Slide (Slides) | 232 bars |
| 1 | Top couples:
House around each other. |
8 bars |
| Slide and change: couples slide towards each other (2 bars) and back (2 bars) and house across into the opposite place (4 bars). They then repeat the whole 8 bar movement back home. | 16 bars | |
| House around each other. | 8 bars | |
| Slide and change. | 16 bars | |
| House around each other. | 8 bars | |
| 2 | Side couples now dance 1. | 56 bars |
| 3 | Top couples now repeat 1. | 56 bars |
| 4 | Side couples now repeat 1. | 56 bars |
| Sixth Figure - The Hornpipe | 160 bars |
| 1 | Quarterhouse. | 16 bars |
| 2 | House around. | 8 bars |
| 3 | Ladies move on, walking around the outside of the set to join the next gent on the R while gents stand in place. | 8 bars |
| 4 | Quarterhouse.
House. Ladies move on. |
32 bars |
| 5 | Quarterhouse.
House. Ladies move on. |
32 bars |
| 6 | Quarterhouse.
House. Ladies move on. |
32 bars |
| 7 | Quarterhouse.
House around. |
24 bars |
| STEPS The 'down' jig step is used in the jig Figure. The step used to dance the first 2 bars of each part of the Quarterhouse has three variations in the source video. The first is the normal 'two in place' of any polka quarterhouse. The second is for the slightly impatient, with just one step in place and the next moving slightly towards the next place on the R. The third version is for those in a hurry, the two in place being replaced by a gentle zig-zag step towards the next place. Each of these is then followed by the normal turn into the next place (2 bars). NOTE: The Hornpipe changeover is now often danced with hands held in a circle, all dancing in and out (4 bars), back in (2 bars) then the gents lifting their L arms to bring the lady on their L hand underarm in front of and into place beside them in waltz hold (2 bars). |
| SOURCE The set is described as it is danced by Dan O'Connell and friends, including Timmy and Rhona McCarthy, on the video "A Feast of Irish Set Dances" produced by Oilean Productions. The dancing styles exhibited are personal to the dancing couples and very different, one from another. They must be seen to be really appreciated. |