East Galway Set Battering Footwork

Patrick O'Dea was in Seattle for a workshop in February 2010 and taught Irish set dancing battering footwork for the East Galway Set. [links to Mary McKibbin's YouTube video]

It's not easy to apply the complicated and bedazzling footwork into a set, especially when it is new. In this video, the dancers are learning the 5th Figure of the East Galway Set also taught by Pat O'Dea.

The notes for the East Galway Set can be found on Set Dancing News. Bill Lynch's glossy Set Dancing News magazine is filled with stories and photos of events and set dancing information.]

The Plain Clare Set

Tonight we are teaching The Plain Clare Set to Beginners at Harrington's

Plain Clare Set Study Notes:
also known as The Plain Set, The Plain Clare Set, or simply, The Clare Set
Plain Clare Study Notes [Set Dancing News]
The Plain Set Study Notes [San Francisci's Cooley-Keegan Branch CCE]
The Plain Set [Brooks Academy on setdance.com]


The Figures for The Plain Clare Set (brief descriptions):
[6 figures: all reels except jig fifth figure]
Figure 1 - Pass Through, Ladies Chain, Half Lead Around - Turn Under (reel)
Figure 2 - Ladies Turn While Crossing Over (reel)
Figure 3 - Chase the Ladies  - turn once right hands & twice with left hands (reel)
Figure 4 - Wheelbarrow - Hold Hands & Turn the Ladies Out & Under (reel)
Figure 5 - The Gallop - Alternating - (Gallop-Chain-Swing) Top Ladies Start Gallop & Chain (jig)
Figure 6 - Ladies In  (Shake Your Skirts) / Ladies Move On (reel)


Plain Clare Set Videos:
First Figure Plain Clare by clarebannerman - excellent set dancing led by Aiden Vaughan
First Figure Plain Clare  at Miltown Malbay 2008 by  martialmailet
First Figure Plain Clare "Tulla Céili Band & Clare Set Dancers ♪♫" posted by clarebannerman

Second Figure Plain Clare Private Spring Ceili in Southern Maryland by lesliemac56

Third Figure Plain Clare Private Spring Ceili in Southern Maryland by lesliemac56

Fourth Figure Plain Clare  danced in the Square at Kilrush (Co Clare, Ireland) in August 2004 by lazyhound

Fifth Figure Plain Clare  danced by the Copenhagen Set Dancers 2007 by lenemads
Fifth & Sixth Figures Plain Clare  danced in the Square at Kilrush (Co Clare, Ireland) in 2004 by lazyhound

Sixth Figure Plain Clare (see 5th & 6th above) 

Update: I added links to the "study notes" and short descriptions of the figures above to the links to YouTube videos originally on this post. I welcome your comments or additional links about this set. 

Johnny Reidy Ceili Band

Talking With Your Eyes

Killarney area set dancers head for the Grand Hotel on Wednesday nights to dance to the music of the Johnny Reidy Ceili Band (Bebo website). The band is "up-tempo" as you can see in these set dancing videos from West Cork on Ceilimor.net and this video of the band playing at a festival in Tralee. I was impressed by the Irish dancers when I was there last February and shot this video of them dancing to "Talking With Your Eyes" sung by Johhny Reidy (on the Irish Thymes blog). Enjoy!

Benefit Session at The Burren with Set Dancing

Some of Boston's best traditional Irish musicians will be playing a benefit at The Burren authentic Irish music pub / restaurant in Davis Square, Somerville on Sunday June 13th from 4PM to 1AM. The trad session goes from 4 to 9 featuring Helena Delaney, Peter Malloy (catch Helena and Peter Thursdays in the Burren's Front Room), Jimmy Noonan, and many more; this is followed at 9:30 by the Johnny Come Lately's.

The fundraiser event is for the Maunsell family, Seamus Maunsell, a friend and valued employee of The Burren and Hannah Maunsell, his 8 year old daughter, her mum Jen Maunsell, brother Seamus Jr. and sister Micheala.

If you're a set dancer, Ger Cooney will be leading a set or two around 5 o'clock. What an opportunity to dance to the live music of these great musicians!

Set Dancing at The Burren in the Back Room

Set Dancing at Vaughan's Barn in Kilfenora

Set Dancing at Vaughan's Barn, Kelfenora, Ireland February 2010

On a recent trip to Ireland, I made my way far to the West of Ireland for a night of set dancing with friends at Vaughan's Barn in Kilfenora before heading back home. Yes, it was worth it. Here's a little video of a set with Mr. John Vaughan himself in the set closest to us dancing to the music of the Four Courts Ceili Band.

Irish Dancing at Your Wedding

A wedding is a great time to celebrate your heritage and what better way to entertain your Irish guests than with an Irish dance. You could, for instance, like this bride, surprise your husband and amaze your guests with an Irish jig you've secretly practiced.

Or you could hire a professional dance troupe, like Celtic Storm, to perform during your wedding reception.  How about the bride kicking off freestyle Irish dancing with the guests, the wedding party, and the groom joining in - that looks like a lot of fun to me. You're lucky if you've got a talented Irish dancer in the family, like this bride's brother,  willing to do an Irish dance on your special day.

The whole family joined together in what looks like an Irish set dance (or an 8-hand reel) in this video. That's very impressive and they've done a great job. You can hear in the background a guest commenting, "This is my favorite part of the whole wedding."

Here the bride and groom join the traditional Irish dance troupe (girls with curls). This video clip had me laughing out loud at the non-dancer groom's efforts (What a good sport!) and the groomsmen as they are obviously having a great time, and that's the way it should be.

Even if it's just you and your new spouse doing your first dance together, like this couple dancing to a bagpipe tune, you can honor your Irish heritage with a two-hand reel or a highland fling. But then, why not respectfully dance down the aisle like this wedding party - it's not Irish, but you get the idea.

Even if there is nothing in particular scripted into the event, with an Irish tune playing, the guests will surely want to give it a try and have some fun.

So, if there's a wedding being planned in your family, these videos  provide some great ideas to express your individuality and honor your culture. But you don't have to wait for a wedding to incorporate Irish dancing into an event. Get inspired and, most of all, have fun!

Clare Lancers Set With Sean-Nos Style

The Clare Lancers is a fun traditional Irish Set Dance. with a variety of moves. This YouTube video clip of the 3rd & 5th figures of the Clare Lancers, "Maldon Meehan's Irish Dance Show "An Damhsa": Clare Lancers Set Dance," is especially well done and what footwork!

The video is a clip from a show presented in Portland, Oregon, in September 2008. I recognize  the names of two of the dancers in the video from my brief foray into Sean-Nos Irish Step Dancing, Alicia Guinn and Maldon Meehan, who are dance teachers, as well.

There are some links to videos and study notes for the Clare Lancers on the Irish set dancing social network, irishsetdancing.ning.com along with notes for other sets in the Notes tab.