SKIBBEREEN  SET
         © 2008   Larry E. Taylor

GO TO DOCUMENTATION INDEX PAGE

    This set, also known as the BALTIMORE SET, is from County Cork, Ireland.
    Chain:  pull the hand and face in  -- Ladies grasp right hands at waist-height in the
              center and dance on to the opposite gent (who has danced into his partner's
              position; the gent takes left-hand-in-left with the opposite lady, forms an arch for
              her to dance under and around him as he continues to face into the set at his
              position; ladies also chain to home.
    Long body:   couples, in waltz hold, usually slide in and out once (1-2, 1-lift, 1-2, 1-2);
              occasionally, however, a lively batter-step is danced (1 and 2 and 1-2-3) for the
              in and out and elsewhere in the set; dance the following eight-bar
              pattern four times:
                        dance in and out once 4;  house to the next position on the right,
                        dancing two clockwise revolutions4.
    Swing in waltz hold.
    Gents dance forward on the left foot and ladies begin forward on the right foot.
    Bar counts (quantities of measures) for patterns are shown in bold.
    The total bar count for each Figure includes an eight-bar introduction of music.
    First side couple is on the right of the first top couple.
    Documentation is based upon a workshop taught by Mick Mulkerrin at Monticello, New
              York USA on October 21, 1995, and a video workshop with Connie Ryan, Betty
              McCoy, Pat Murphy, et al.
    Edition of December 25, 2008 Contact larryetaylor@hotmail.com 
 
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 1 -- POLKAS (136 BARS)
Dance ordinary polka steps (down-2-3) and   s o m e t i m e s
          a lively polka-batter (1 and 2 and 123).
All couples: long body (see heading)32.
Top couples:  take open waltz hold and advance and retire twice (1 and 2 and 123)8;
ladies chain8.
Side couples: repeat the two lines above16.
Top couples: REPEAT "MARKER" as their partners dance in-place, first top gent and second top lady
          advance to the center2; swing4; reverse to home2;
take sweetheart hold and crossover anticlockwise (to the right): dance to the center2;
          dance on-the-spot2; dance to opposite2; turn anticlockwise to face-in2.
All couples: repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"   with second top gent/first top lady, first side gent/second side
          lady, then second side gent/first side lady leading48.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 2 -- SLIDES (80 BARS)  Short Slide
Dance ordinary polka steps (down-2-3) and   s o m e t i m e s
          a lively polka-batter (1 and 2 and 123).
Top couples: REPEAT "MARKER" take waltz-hold and slide in and out once4;
house half-way around to opposite4;
repeat the two lines above to home8.
Side couples: repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"    16.
All couples: repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"    32;
swing in waltz hold6; face-in and dance in-place (1-2-3, 1-2-kick)2.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 3 -- POLKAS (208 BARS)  The Basket
Dance ordinary polka steps (down-2-3) and   s o m e t i m e s
          a lively polka-batter (1 and 2 and 123).
Top couples: REPEAT "MARKER" ladies chain8;
swing in waltz hold8;
first top couple:  take waltz-hold and advance and retire once (polka-batter)4;
house across and turn-the-lady under clockwise leaving her beside the second top
          gent who takes the ladies' outside hands for an across-the-shoulders
          (sweetheart) hold as the first top gent takes the ladies' inside hands4;
trio-and-one:   advance (solo gent dances backward)4; dance to the center2;
          the first top gent pulls the ladies' hands up as they turn into a circle-of-four2;
little Christmas8;
ladies chain8;
All couples: repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"   with first side couple, second top couple, then second
          side couple leading144.
swing in waltz hold6;  face-in and dance in-place (1-2-3, 1-2-kick)2.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 4 -- SLIDES (120 BARS)   Long Slide
Dance ordinary polka steps (down-2-3) and   s o m e t i m e s
          a lively polka-batter (1 and 2 and 123).
All couples: REPEAT "MARKER" take open waltz hold and lead around anticlockwise, dancing two bars
          on-the-spot at each position16;
Top couples: take waltz-hold and dance fourteen sevens (1-2-3-4-5-6-7) to opposite
          with gents back-to-back4;
dance fourteen sevens to home with gents again back-to-back4;
still in waltz hold, house half-way around to opposite4;
repeat the four lines above12;
All couples: turn the lady:  partners face and gents take the lady’s right hand in his left hand
          and turn the lady under clockwise once as the gent turns beside her,
          ending with all dancers facing clockwise4;
take open-waltz hold and dance a turn (gents dance backwards, ladies dance
          forward)to face anticlockwise4.
Side couples: repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"   48.
All couples: take open-waltz hold and lead around anticlockwise, dancing two bars
          on-the-spot at each position14;
face-in at home and dance in-place (1-2-3, 1-2-kick)2.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 5 -- POLKAS (120 BARS)   
Dance ordinary polka steps (down-2-3) and   s o m e t i m e s
          a lively polka-batter (1 and 2 and 123).
All couples: take hands in a circle and advance and retire twice8;
swing in waltz hold8;
REPEAT "MARKER" ladies dance behind their partners then into the set and three-quarters
          around to the gent previously on the lady's right8;
new partners swing in waltz hold8;
repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"   until original partners again swing48.
long body32.

                                     GO TO THE TOP OF THIS PAGE.     GO TO DOCUMENTATION INDEX PAGE

S E T     F O R M A T I O N