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ANTRIM SQUARE SET |
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© 2008
Larry E. Taylor |
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This set dance was composed in 2003 by Des Jackson, a dancer with the Sydney Irish |
| Ceili Dancers in Australia. Mr. Jackson was born in County Antrim, Ireland and | |
| chose to create a set dance to celebrate the place of his birth. | |
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Bar counts (quantity of measures) for dance patterns are shown in bold. |
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The total bar count for each Figure includes an eight-bar introduction of music. |
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Gents dance first on the left foot and ladies dance first on the right foot. The first step |
| is usually forward but see the big square pattern wherein dancers dance | |
| backward initially. | |
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Swing in waltz hold. |
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Documentation is based upon a posting on the Newcastle Irish Set Dancers website. |
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Abbreviations are used in a version recorded below. |
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Edition of March 15, 2008 — Contact larryetaylor@hotmail.com |
| FIGURE 1 -- REELS (144 BARS) LEAD
UP THE LADY |
| Dance an ordinary reel step—lift 2, 3, 4. | |
| All couples: | lead around anticlockwise (gents place the right arm across the lady’s shoulder |
| and couples take right hands there and they hold left hands in-front) for six | |
| bars; pivot and change hand positions (no arch, gents remain in the center) | |
| for two bars then lead around clockwise16; | |
| swing in waltz hold8; | |
| ladies pinwheel (Star of Ulster) with the right hands clockwise and reverse4; | |
| pinwheel with the left hands to home4; | |
| gents Star of Ulster rights/lefts as above8; | |
| Top couples: |  house around each other (all houses
of the set are to be in waltz hold)8; |
| take open waltz hold, dance forward to the position on the right and turn to have | |
| backs to the next position2; dance backward to the next position on the right | |
| (original opposite)2; take waltz hold and house halfway around4. | |
| All couples: | square with a side couple one direction (8) then square the opposite |
| direction (8)—Big Square with Tops dancing with the Side couple on their | |
| left; when initially dancing the big square, couples dance anticlockwise then | |
| clockwise; partners hold inside (closest) hands and Tops face into the set and | |
| Side partners face each other, with the lady prepared to dance backward; all | |
| squaring-couples dance at the same time : | |
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Top couples dance into the set2 and turn to a file (lady with back |
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| outside-the-set) to dance toward the side position on the left2; | |
| as Tops dance the two lines above, Side couples dance to the | |
| next position on their right with the lady dancing backward and | |
| the gent dancing forward2; turn one-quarter to have Sides side- | |
| by-side, facing the next position of their square2; | |
| repeat the six lines above except Top ladies, Side ladies then Top | |
| ladies dance backward with their partners dancing forward4; | |
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Top couples repeat from except dance the square
clockwise |
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| (gents backward)8; | |
| swing in waltz hold8; | |
| full house in waltz hold8. | |
| Side Couples: | repeat from except
dance the big square clockwise then anticlockwise; |
| Sides dance into the set first as Top ladies dance backward and so alternately | |
| around the square; Side couples square with the Top couple on their | |
| right—same couples for both big squares48. |
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FIGURE 2 -- JIGS (136
BARS) BACK TO BACK |
| Dance the rising jig step—slight skip/hop, 2, 3, 4. | |
| All couples: | lead around and lead back as in Figure One16; |
| swing original partner8. | |
| Top couples | ladies
crossover (change places), passing right-shoulder-to-right without |
| touching (solo crossover)2; | |
| gents crossover (change places) passing left-shoulder-to-left without | |
| touching2; | |
| partners turn in to one another at opposite and ladies then gents | |
| crossover toward home4; | |
| partners turn into one another near home then meet opposite couple in the | |
| center for a big Christmas6; reverse to home (swing to-place)2; | |
| swing original partner in waltz hold8. | |
| All couples: | big square anticlockwise then clockwise as in Figure One16; |
| swing original partner in waltz hold8. | |
| Side couples: | repeat from except dance the big
square clockwise then anticlockwise |
| as in Figure One48. | |
| All couples: | full house8; |
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FIGURE 3 -- SLIDES (152
BARS) |
| Dance an ordinary polka step—down- 2-3. | |
| All couples: | lead around and lead back as in Figure One16; |
| swing original partner8. | |
| in waltz
hold, slide in and out once (1-2, 1-2)4; house halfway around4; |
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| repeat the slide in/out and house halfway around8; | |
| swing corner partner, in waltz hold8; | |
| dance to original partner2; swing in waltz hold6. | |
| big square anticlockwise then clockwise as in Figure One16; | |
| swing original partner in waltz hold8. | |
| Side couples: | repeat from except dance the big
square clockwise then anticlockwise |
| as in Figure One56. | |
| All couples: | full house in waltz hold8; |
ANTRIM SQUARE SET ORD: TT, SS F1 Reels 144 bars Clare-style lift-2-3-4 ALL: LASWH6 REV2 LASWH TO HO8 SWGW8 Ls: PW (STAR ULSTER, SHLD-HT, PALMS TCHg) R/L8 Gs: PW R / L as above8 TT: BKWD TO-PL)4 HSE HOW4 ALL: Big Sq: TT & L PR ACW, CW (G’s R to L’s L) TT FWD THEN TRN L AS SS BTL THEN TRN2 SS FWD THEN TRN L AS TT BTL THEN TRN2 RPT ALTERNATELY TO END ACW SQ AT HO4 RPT 3 LNs ABOVE CW (Gs BKWD)8 SWGW8 FH8 SS: RPT FR F2 Jigs 136 bars Up jig ALL: LASWH6 REV2 LASWH TO HO8 SWGW8 L-XMAS6 REV TO-PL (swing to place)2 SWGW8 ALL: Big Square ACW THEN CW16 SWGW8 SS: RPT FR ALL: FH8 F3 Slides 152 bars Down jig/polka (down-2-3) ALL: LASWH6 REV2 LASWH TO HO8 SWGW8 ALL: CORNERS SWGW8 TO PARTs2 SWGW6 ALL: Big Square ACW THEN CW16 SWGW8 SS: RPT FR ALL: FH8
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