intro
Welcome to Fall Term 2
- Fall Term 1 – We learned
- From term 1 We will keep dancing: Antrim Square Set, Kilfenora Plain Set, Harvest Dance Set
- We will focus on learning these dances:
- Short: Moycullen, Claddagh, Merchant
- Long: Lancers
week by week
| Set | Steps | Inter/Advanced | |
| Week 1: 11/4 | Learn: Long: Lancers (1-5) Short: Moycullen (1-4) | Reel step: up 23’s Polka/Jig Step: Polka step (down23’s) Jig step (down23’s) | Connemara timing step (practice for next week) |
| Week 2: 11/11 | Learn: Short: Claddagh (1-4) | Up 23’s Jig (down 23’s) | Connemara timing step |
| Week 3: 11/18 | Review: Short: Claddagh (1-4) Short: Harvest Dance Set (1-4) | Reel Step: Up 23’s Jig/Polka (down 23’s) up jigs | Connemara timing step |
| 11/21 | Céilí @ Waverly Dance List Kilfenora Plain Merchant Lancers Moycullen Connemara | Dale & Nell Russ What: 3rd Friday Céilí Who: Band: Dale & Nell Russ, Caller: Maldon Meehan | Where: Waverly, 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR 97202 When: Friday November 21, 7-11pm Cost: $15 general, $5 students, under 12 Free |
| Week 4: 11/25 | Learn: Half set: Kilfenora Plain Set Half Set: Connemara Reel Set | Clare Battering | |
| 11/28 Friday November 28 6pm Columbia Ecovillage Condominium 4647 NE Killingsworth St, Portland | Annual Butterball A night of friends, community, family, music, dance and song. Dance List Kilfenora Plain Merchant Ballyvoruney Lancers Connemara Open tunes/dancing (bands choice) | Geraldine Murrary & Friends Dylan Wilde Kevin Grgurich Brian Hart Amber Milmore Phil Meehan Maldon Meehan | Street Parking only Portland Cost: Donations encouraged, there will be a donation basket at the door |
| Week 5: 12/2 | Review & Fine tune 1-2 of these: Long: Kilfenora Plain Clare Lancers Short: Claddagh Moycullen Antrim Square Harvest Dance Set Practice Calling: Connemara Reel Set | Clare Battering | |
| Week 6: 12/9 | Review & Fine tune: Claddagh Uncalled: Connemara Reel Set If time: Kilfenora Plain Clare Lancers Moycullen Antrim Square Set Harvest Dance Set | Connemara Step Clare Battering | Clare Battering |
| Week 7: 12/16 | Prep for the Céilí: Merchant Lancers Ballyvourney Connemara Caledonian | Clare Battering | |
| 12/19 | Ceili with Django Amerson & Friends | Dance List Merchant Lancers Ballyvourney Connemara Caledonian | Where: Waverly, 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR 97202 When: Friday November 21, 7-11pm Cost: $15 general, $5 students, under 12 Free |
| Week 8: 12/23 | |||
| Week 9: 12/30 |
playlist
Playlists
- Included on this tab:
- Spotify Playlist for the Term – A collection of tunes that match the sets we’re focusing on.
- YouTube Playlist – Recordings and performances of the term’s featured set dances.
- Lessons & Steps Playlist – Short videos of key movements, techniques, and steps for practice between classes.
Welcome to the Irish Set Dancing Playlists—a collection of resources to help you stay connected with what’s being danced at céilís near and far. Whether you’re preparing for a local dance, a weekend workshop, or a trip to Ireland, these playlists and notes are designed to help you build your repertoire and step confidently into any set.
Please use these resources to help you better understand the material. It’s not necessary to preview them before or after class, but they’re very helpful tools for remembering—and eventually memorizing—the dances.
Over the past three months, I’ve been keeping an eye on the dances that Bill Lynch (Set Dancing News) has been posting on YouTube. From that, I noticed a clear trend in which sets are most often danced. I’ll continue to track these through the Fall and Winter months to see if the dances shift or stay the same.
The goal is to include these popular dances in our 3rd Friday Céilí line up and in class, so that anyone heading to Ireland—or to céilís around the country—will be ready to jump in with confidence and familiarity.
Below is a list of the sets most often danced recently.
Most Danced Sets as of October 2025:
- Connemara
- Merchant
- Moycullen
- Lancers
- Caledonian
- West Kerry
- Sliabh Luachra
- Ballyvourney Jig
- Plain
- Kilfenora
- Claddagh
- Corofin
Danced Less Often:
- South Galway
- Ballyduff
- Cashel
- Mazurka
- Labasheeda
Céilí Formula
Across the céilís, a common pattern emerged. For a typical three-hour céilí, most programs followed this general flow:
- 3 shorter sets (2–4 figures)
- 3 longer sets (5–6 figures)
- 1–3 couple dances (waltz, jive, or two-step) or a sean-nós dance demo
Many céilís finish with a lively four-figure dance such as the Connemara Set. Usually there are three sets before the break and three after.
Music & Video Playlists
- Spotify Playlist for the Term – A collection of tunes that match the sets we’re focusing on.
- YouTube Playlist – Recordings and performances of the term’s featured set dances.
- Lessons & Steps Playlist – Short videos of key movements, techniques, and steps for practice between classes.
Spotify Playlist for the Term
YouTube Playlist
Lessons & Steps Playlist
steps
Steps for the term
Connemara sets: Connemara Reel Set, Fréres Nantais (Connemara Jig Set), Claddgha Set, Island Sets: Aran Set (Inis Mór) Inis Meáin Set, Inis Oirr Set (sets by county)
- Connemara (timing step)
- Heel downs
Clare Sets: Clare Orange and Green Set, Clare Plain Reel Set, Corofin Plain Set, Clare Plain Polka Set, Kilfenora Plain Set, Lough Graney Set – Full Set & Half Set, Clare Lancers Set, Caledonian Set, West Clare Caledonian Set, Long Caledonian Set, Labasheeda Reel Set, Clare Mazurka set, Paris Set (Labasheeda area), Ballykeale Set, Lakyle Set (early version of Pairs Set), Meelick Polka Set, Mullagh Half Set
- Clare Batter #1
- Smooth Advance & Retire
- Heel drop Advance & Retire
