Author: maldonm

Tea Time Talks

42 | Tea Time Talk | Phil Meehan

maldonm

Tea Time Talk with Phil Meehan

Mon June 12th 10am PST

Join us for a Tea Time Talk with the one and only Phil Meehan, aka my dad! He got me into dancing when I was just a kid and now, at 80 years young, he’s ready to share his experience with all of you. It’ll be part performance, part talk, and all FUN! 

Irish Sean-nós Dance, Old-Style Step Dance, Past Classes

2023 June | Thu 6pm | Hornpipes!

maldonm

intro

We will explore hornpipes, both traditional old style and Sean-nos inspired steps. Over the month each of will work on creating our own steps and style for dancing to hornpipes.

week 1

WEEK 1 | Class notes

week 2

WEEK 2 | Class notes

week 3

WEEK 3 | Class notes

Week 3. Find a tune that you like dancing to and put steps to the tune. Hornpipe steps, reel steps, jig or slide steps. You can create steps or create a routine or just improv to the tune.

week 4

WEEK 4 | Class notes

week 5

resources

Set Dance Instructions

Connemara Set

maldonm

instructions

video

callers notes

Connemara Reel Set

Connemara Reel Set

  • Start: 1 & 2 – Lead/Back & Swing
  • Start: 3 & 4 Circle & Swing
  • Finish: Swing
  • Footwork: Connemara step all start on left foot, or smooth 3’s
  • Swings: Ceili hold, 1st sides on right
  • All moves are for 6 bars, dance out last 2 bars

Fig 1 Follows Chain Reels 160 bars

TopsAdvance / House / Swing
SidesAdvance / House / Swing
Top followsChain / Swing
Side followsChain / Swing
TopsAdvance / House / Swing
SideAdvance / House / All Swing to finish

Fig 2 Back-to-back                        Reels 192 bars 

Active Lead & Opposite Back-to-back / Swing in center

Active couples Advance / House / Swing

(order moves counter clockwise, 1st Top Lead start)

Fig 3 Christmas                       Reels 184 bars 

Active couple Advance & Swing in center

Active couples Christmas

Active follows Chain / Swing

(order moves counter clockwise, 1st Tops start)

Fig 4 Maggie                        Polkas 96 bars 

All Circle / Home

Circle & follows move on 

Home with new partner move ¼ on

(repeat until home)

All Christmas to finish

Other formations 

Fig 1,2,3 – half sets / progressive

Fig 4 – Big circle any number of couples

Great Tunes for the Connemara Reel Set: Miss McClouds, Sally Gardens, New Mown Meadow, Galway Rambler, Boil The Breakfast Early, Dowd’s no 9

Polka: Maggie in The Woods, Sing Maggie orStar of the Country Down

footwork

Connemara Step

Footwork Playlist

resources

Helpful Links

Classes, In Person Set Dance, Irish Set Dancing, Past Classes

Irish Set Dancing

maldonm

intro

The month of April we will be learning sets from Connemara.

Irish Set Dancing

Saturday 4-6pm

Waverly United Church of Christ

3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR, United States, Oregon

$10 general, $5 students

Last Saturday Céilí ~ 4-7 ~ Live Music

week 1

WEEK 1 | Class notes

Saturday April 1, 2023

Our set of the week is: The Connemara Set

Footwork for the Connemara. The Connemara step and the stamp and stamp step. The stamp and stamp step can help you travel when you are first starting out it might be hard to travel across the floor and I find this step easer to move further. I used it for years until I was able to dance the Connemara step fully.

Connemara Set

The Connemara set is a nice 4 figure set. The first sides are on the right of first tops.

We reviewed the Seit Doire Cholmcille (Derry Set). We covered this dance in February. Videos and instructions can be found on the February class page under the week 1 tab.

We also danced 3 figures of the Inis Oirr Set.

week 2

WEEK 2 | Class notes

Sat. April 8, 2023

Set of the Week: The Claddagh Set

This another Connemara set. It was taught by Seamus O Meoloid a great set dancer and Sean-nós dancer. The set was revived in Ráth Chairn, Co. Meath. There is a Gaeltacht in Ráth Chairn.

“n 1935 a number of families from the Connemara Gaeltacht were transplanted east to Ráth Chairn to live on land acquired by the Land Commission. It continues today as a thriving Gaeltacht, where Irish is spoken and its traditions embraced through dance and music.” from Ireland XO.

My hope is to keep working on this set and have become one of Portland’s regular dances.

If there is time we will review the Connemara and The Derry set.

week 3

WEEK 3 | Class notes

Sat. April 15, 2023

Our set of the week is: Foraer a Neaintín (Connemara Jig)

If there is time we will review the Claddagh set.

Week 4

WEEK 4 | Class notes

Sat. April 22 2023

Mini Céilí

  • The Connemara
  • Foraer a Neaintín (Connemara Jig)
  • Inis Oirr
  • Claddagh Set

We might not get to them all but we will try.

Quarterly Rambling House

Saturday Rambling House (Bealtaine)

  • Saturday, April 29, 2023
  • 4:00 PM  10:00 PM
  • Waverly UCC (map)

Quarterly CCE open house and fundraising event. Our quarterly Saturday Rambling House returns for an half-day event featuring a General Meeting of the branch followed by instrumental sessions, singing circles, and music & dance workshops. Potluck and full céilí dance to follow! This is a great opportunity to introduce members of the wider Portland community to Irish cultural traditions while bolstering our current MÓD community with convivial conversation, moving music, superb singing, deft dancing, and FOOD!