MELLERAY  LANCERS  SET
        © 2008   Larry E. Taylor

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    This set, also known as WATERFORD LANCERS,  is from County Waterford, Ireland.
    Ladies Chain:   with all contacts at waist-level, ladies give right hands to one another
             in the center then left hands to the opposite gent (who has danced into his
             partner's position);  dance around the gent (no arch) and then give right hands to
            one another when returning home.
    Swing in ceili hold.
    Steps:   dance lively in-place right-left-right1,  then left-right-left1,  then right down and 
              left up/across the right then left down and right up/across the left1,  then
              right-left-right1. Otherwise dance an ordinary polka step (down-2-3).
    Gents dance forward on the left foot and ladies begin forward on the right foot -- except
              when dancing THE STEPS.
    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 Pat Murphy at Milwaukee,
              Wisconsin USA in July 1997.
    Edition of December 25, 2008 Contact larryetaylor@hotmail.com 
 
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 1 -- POLKAS (200 BARS)
Top couples: REPEAT "MARKER" as their partners dance in-place, the first top gent and the second top lady
          advance, swing in the center and reverse to-place8.
swing in ceili hold8;
ladies chain (see heading)8;
swing in ceili hold8;
All couples: steps and circle:   face corner partner, take right-hand-in-right and dance
          the steps (see heading)4;
same partners swing in ceili hold3; all take hands in a circle with ladies facing
          out of the set and gents facing into the set (right-hand-in-right-hand
          with original partner and left-hand-in-left-hand with corner partner)1;
          dance the steps4; 
          original partners swing in ceili hold4.
repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"    with the second top gent/first top lady then the first side
          gent/second side lady then the second side gent/first side lady leading144.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 2 -- POLKAS (168 BARS)
First top couple: REPEAT "MARKER" take ceili hold and advance and retire once4;
still in ceili hold, dance at home (one revolution)4;
take right-hand-in-right and dance the steps4; swing in ceili hold4.
Top couples: ladies chain8;
swing in ceili hold8.
All couples: in ceili hold, full house8.
repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"   with second top couple, first side couple then second
          side couple leading120.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 3 -- POLKAS [sometimes SLIDES] (200 BARS)
Top couples: REPEAT "MARKER" first top gent and second top lady: dance to the center, kiss and retire4;
top couples swing original partner in ceili hold4;
repeat the two lines above8;
ladies chain8;
swing in ceili hold8.
All couples: steps and circle as in Figure One16.
repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"    with second top couple, first side couple then second side
          couple leading144.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 4 -- POLKAS (256 BARS)   
All couples: REPEAT "MARKER" chain (gents dance anticlockwise, ladies dance clockwise); meet partner at
          opposite, take right-hand-in-right and, in-place, dance down right, left
          then down right-left-right; continue chain in the same directions to
          home and there again dance down right, left then down right-left-right16;
swing in ceili hold8.
Top couples: ladies chain8;
swing in ceili hold8.
All couples: cast-off; first top gent dances to the left (followed by first side gent, second side
          gent then second top gent) and ladies dance to the right (followed by first
          side lady, second side lady then second top lady);  meet partner
          right-hand-in-right-hand and dance up the center then face partner8;
still holding right hands, partners dance the steps4;
swing to home in ceili hold4.
repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"    with second top couple, first side couple then second side
          couple leading168.
chain, as above16;
swing in ceili hold8.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 5 -- JIGS (200 BARS)   
Top couples REPEAT "MARKER" interlacing crossovers (gents hands on the lady’s waist and the lady’s hands
          on the gent’s shoulders or upper arms);  first top couple:   gallop
          from their right corner diagonally to the opposite corner2;
          second top couple gallop from their left corner diagonally to the
          opposite corner2;
repeat the preceding four-bar pattern to home4;
repeat the interlacing crossovers of the preceding six lines8;
ladies chain8;
swing in ceili hold8.
All couples: steps and circle as in Figure One16.
repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"    with second top couple, first side couple then second side
          couple leading (leading couple begin the gallop in their right corner)144.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 6 -- POLKAS (264 BARS)   
First top couple: REPEAT "MARKER" take ceili hold and dance in and out once (1-2,1-2)4; 
still in ceili hold, dance one anticlockwise turn to face the next couple on the right4;
take right-hand-in-right with opposite partner of the couple on the right and
          dance the steps4; swing the opposite partner4;
repeat the preceding sixteen-bar pattern twice with the gent dancing with a
          new partner each time (he dances to a new position)32;
          with the final new lady, the first top gent dances in and out once and 
          turns once to his home8.
All couples: in ceili hold, full house with new partners in ceili hold8.
repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"    with first side couple, second top couple then second side
          couple leading192.
  SET FORMATION   FIGURE 7 -- POLKAS (88 BARS)   
All couples: take hands in a circle and advance and retire twice8;
swing in ceili hold8.
REPEAT "MARKER" take hands in a circle and advance and retire twice; during the second retire,
          ladies dance inside the set to the next gent on the right8;
new partners swing in ceili hold8.
repeat from   REPEAT "MARKER"    until original partners again swing64.

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