Claddagh Set dance instructions – detailed instructions with written descriptions of each move. This is from the Dance Minder site, a great resource for dances. Much like the session.org is for music the danceminder.com is for set dancing.
I have written out my callers notes for each figure. I like having simpler callers notes to reference as the dance minder notes are very detailed and harder to take a quick look at for referencing once you know the moves from the dance and need to just remember the order of things.
Unique to this dance:
House: cross hand house half way, then lead back home half way. I will just call it house.
Ladies Chain: right in the center, left to the to the opposite (gent dose not turn around he faces forward the whole time, making sure to dance to the right and back so that the lady can get around him). Ladies no chain on the way back.
Here is a video from Ireland of the whole dance straight though with no teaching.
Figure 1 – Dance around the opposite
Memorizing tips
- Lead Around: the lead around is for 6, turn 7 & 8, lead back is for 6, gents back to the set, lady facing him for 7 & 8
- The swing with opposite is for 6, 7 & 8 to get back to your partner, keeping the pointy hand with the opposite. You partner can help by dancing 7 & 8 up to meet you.
- After dance around opposite and swing we will always dance Advance/House/Swing
- The couple or dancer who is active in the next movement dances out the last 2 bars (7 & 8) before they start the movement.
- Last Swing: All step out the last 2 bars (7 & 8)
- Starts with Lead around/Lead back/Swing and ends with all swing.
| First Figure – “Dance around the opposite” Reels | 192 | |
| All | Lead around for 6, turn for 2 (Cross hand) Lead back for 6 (gent finish with back to set, lady facing) Swing (waltz hold) | 24 |
| 1st Top | Gent & Opposite lady dance a circle around each other Swing for 6, back up to home keeping pointy hand | 16 |
| Tops | Advance & Retire 2x House Swing | 24 |
| 1st Side | Gent & Opposite Lady dance a circle around each other Swing for 6, back up to home keeping pointy hand | 16 |
| Sides | Advance & Retire 2x House Swing | 24 |
| 2nd Top | Gent & Opposite Lady dance a circle around each other Swing for 6, back up to home keeping pointy hand | 16 |
| Tops | Advance & Retire 2x House Swing | 24 |
| 2nd Side | Gent & Opposite Lady dance a circle around each other Swing for 6, back up to home keeping pointy hand | 16 |
| Sides | Advance & Retire 2x House | 16 |
| All | Swing to finish | 8 |
Figure 2
Memorizing tips
- Circle Advance and Retire, Advance and Retire and the lead around are all for 6, with the last 2 bars as a step it out.
- The circle advance & retire for 6 bars and then face your partner for the last 2 bars.
- The advance and retire to the center is for 6 and step out the last 2 bars as you get into the Christmas.
- LADIES CHAIN – Every time there is a ladies chain in this figure it is followed by a house and swing (Montra – chain/house/swing). The Christmas always has a ladies chain after it. The gent dances to the right and back to the left so that he can allow for the lady to get around him.
- SECOND MOVEMENT – (mantra)
- gents star/lead/advance/christmas
- chain/house/swing
| Second Figure – “Christmas” Reels | ||
| All | Advance & retire 2x (Cross hands) | 8 |
| Swing | 8 | |
| Top | Ladies Chain House Swing | 24 |
| Sides | Ladies Chain House Swing | 24 |
| Top | Gents Right hand star in the center Left hand back for 2, pick partner dance on spot for 2 | 8 |
| Tops | Lead round for 6, back up into home spot Advance & Retire, Advance & Dance on spot (open waltz hold) Christmas (ladies hand on gent near shoulder) Ladies Chain House Swing | 48 |
| Side | Gents right hand turn / Left hand back / pick up partner | 8 |
| Sides | Lead around Advance & Retire, Advance & Dance on spot (open waltz hold) Christmas (ladies hand on gent near shoulder) Ladies Chain House | 48 |
| All | Swing to finish | 8 |
Figure 3
Memorizing tips
- The beginning and end movement are the same
- 3rd figure montra – circle/house/swing to start and to end the dance
- First movement mantra star/house/swing
- CROSS CHAIN – ALL ladies look to the left (this is the first gent you will chain with) Gents help them out!
- TOP LADIES – chain twice first, then advance to the gent on the right and cross over to end up beside him
- SIDE LADIES – advance to the gent on the right and cross inside twice/ chain twice
- CROSS CHAIN – TOP GENTS
- First chain – advance/turn
- Second chain – turn/chain
- Third chain – turn/chain
- Fourth chain – advance/turn
- CROSS CHAIN – SIDE GENTS
- First chain – turn/chain
- Second chain – advance/turn
- Third chain – advance/turn
- Fourth chain – turn/chain
- Finished circle/house/swing same way it begins
| Third Figure – “Cross Chain” Reels | ||
| All | Circle Advance & Retire, Advance & turn to partner House Swing | 24 |
| Ladies | Right hand star / Left hand back for 2 / Gent turn lady for 2 | 8 |
| Gents | Left hand star / Right hand back for 2 / Gent turn lady for 2 | 8 |
| All | House Swing | 16 |
| All | Cross Chain (top ladies lead) Swing | 16 |
| Cross Chain (top ladies lead) Swing | 16 | |
| Cross Chain (side ladies lead) Swing | 16 | |
| Cross Chain (side ladies lead) Swing | 16 | |
| All | Circle Advance & Retire, Advance & turn to partner House Swing | 24 |
Figure 4
- Polka down jig step
- Beginning montra circle/chain/swing
- Active couple goes under the arch first (mantra) arch/house/swing
- Leading order: 1st Tops/1st sides/2nd top/2nd sides
- Ending mantra chain/swing (you don’t repeat the beginning exactly!)
Figure 4 – Arches – Jigs 192 bars
| Fourth Figure – “Arches” Jig | ||
| All | Circle Advance & Retire 2x Grand Chain (turn lady in opposite position) Chain home (dance on the spot for 2 bars) Swing | 32 |
| Tops | Advance & Retire / Arch (1st Tops under the arch lady turn 2x) Advance & Retire / Arch (2nd Tops under the arch lady turn 2x) House Swing | 32 |
| Sides | Advance & Retire / Arch (1st Sides under the arch lady turn 2x) Advance & Retire / Arch (2nd Sides under the arch lady turn 2x) House Swing | 32 |
| Tops | Advance & Retire / Arch (2nd Tops under the arch lady turn 2x) Advance & Retire / Arch (1st Tops under the arch lady turn 2x) House Swing | 32 |
| Sides | Advance & Retire / Arch (2nd Sides under the arch lady turn 2x) Advance & Retire /Arch (1st Sides under the arch lady turn 2x) House Swing | 32 |
| All | Chain Swing to finish | 16 |
