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Author: maldonm
2024 February | Sean-nós Dance | Brush Dance
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10/18/2024 | 3rd Friday Céilí | Preston Howard Wilde
Get Ready for the 3rd Friday Costume Ceili Dance This October in Portland
The much-anticipated October ceili is here, inviting everyone to wear their Halloween costumes for a special 3rd Friday Costume Céilí. Join us for an evening filled with music, dance, and celebration of the Celtic holiday Samhain, marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.
The event will take place on Friday, October 18 at 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR. The evening kicks off at 7 PM with a Beginners Workshop, followed by live music and called dances starting at 7:30 PM. Admission is $15.
Local Irish piper Preston Howard Wilde will lead the music, while caller Maldon Meehan will guide participants through a series of traditional Irish folk dances. This monthly event aims to create an inclusive space for individuals of all ages and skill levels—no partner or dance experience is required.
The 3rd Friday Ceili Dance is a celebration of traditional Irish music and dance, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to enjoy the rich traditions of Irish culture. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or new to the céilí scene, this event promises a night of fun, community, and cultural immersion.
Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate Samhain in style with fellow dance enthusiasts. Come dressed in your best Halloween costume and be ready to engage in an unforgettable cultural experience.
About 3rd Friday Ceili Dance
The 3rd Friday Ceili Dance is a monthly event dedicated to promoting and preserving traditional Irish music and dance. It provides an inclusive environment where people from all walks of life can gather to enjoy the vibrant and enriching traditions of Irish culture.
When: Friday October 18
Where: 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR
Time: 7pm: Beginners Workshop, 7:30pm: Live Music & Called Dances
Admission: $15
Music: Preston Howard Wilde
Calling: Maldon Meehan
Join us for a night of tradition, music, and community at the October ceili. We look forward to dancing with you!
09/20/2024 3rd Friday Céilí Dance | Two River’s Céilí Band
3rd Friday Ceili Dance Season Kicks Off with All-Women’s Band in Portland
Portland, OR – September 20, 2024 – Portland’s vibrant Irish dance scene is set to ignite as the 3rd Friday Ceili season kicks off with a spectacular event featuring the city’s only all-women’s ceili band, the Two Rivers Ceili Band. This powerhouse group of talented musicians, fast becoming Portland’s most sought-after Irish dance band, will deliver an evening of driving tunes with fiddles, flutes, Uilleann pipes, piano, and guitar.
The event will take place on September 20, 2024, at 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR. The evening will begin with a dance workshop at 7pm, making it an inclusive occasion for everyone, regardless of experience or dance partner. The Two Rivers Ceili Band will take the stage at 7:30pm, accompanied by Portland’s own renowned Irish dance caller, Maldon Meehan, who will lead the dances throughout the night.
Event Details:
- Date: September 20, 2024
- Location: 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR
- 7pm: Beginners Workshop
- 7:30pm: Live Music & Called Dances
- Admission: $15
- Music: Two Rivers Ceili Band
- Calling: Maldon Meehan
This event promises to be a memorable night of music, dance, and community. Attendees are encouraged to come ready to enjoy an evening of lively Irish dance, learn new steps, and immerse themselves in Portland’s rich cultural landscape.
The 3rd Friday Ceili Dance is a monthly event celebrating traditional Irish music and dance. It aims to create an inclusive space where people from all walks of life can come together to enjoy the rich traditions of Irish culture.
Links
- Facebook Event Page – for sharing on facebook
Downloads
- Canva Posters – you can download the posters in any size or format you would like.
- Press release – press release in google drive
- Two Rivers Photo – download Two Rivers Photo
01/19/24 – Set dancing and craic? Count me in!
Introducing the 3rd Friday Ceili, the ultimate monthly dance extravaganza that will transport you straight to the enchanting world of Irish dancing! This is not just any ordinary dance event, my friends, but a night filled with toe-tapping rhythms, infectious energy, and a whole lot of craic!
January 19, 2023, 3rd Friday Ceili Dance
6:30pm-9:30pm
Waverly United Church of Christ, 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR
$15
Music: Geraldine Murray | Calling: Maldon Meehan
Calling all dance enthusiasts and novices alike – our Ceili is the place to be! No partner? No problem! Experience? Not necessary! All you need is a thirst for fun and a readiness to let your inner dancer shine. Come join us on the third Friday of every month, as we embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart and soul of Ireland’s largest social dance.
Indulge yourself in an evening of Set dancing, a traditional Irish dance style that brings people together in a symphony of synchronized movements. Picture this: dancers forming vibrant squares, gracefully weaving their way through intricate patterns, as laughter and cheers fill the air. Prepare to be amazed as those seasoned old-timers showcase their mind-boggling footwork, leaving you in awe and inspiration.
But this is not just about watching – this is about joining in on the action! Get ready to work up a sweat and feel the joy coursing through your veins as you step, twirl, and stomp your way through each exuberant dance. With each whirl and twinkle of your feet, you’ll feel a surge of adrenaline, a fire within you that ignites your soul and makes you come alive.
The 3rd Friday Ceili is not just a dance event; it’s a carnival of emotion, a celebration of culture, and a gathering of kindred spirits. With every beat of the bodhrán and every fiddle’s sweet melody, you’ll find yourself immersed in a rich tapestry of Irish heritage. The Ceili is where friendships are born, memories are made, and a community of dance enthusiasts come together under one roof to spread the joy of Irish dancing.
So, whether you’re a seasoned dancer looking to master new steps or a curious soul eager to dive into uncharted dance territory, come join us at the 3rd Friday Ceili. Experience the pulse-pounding rhythms, the infectious energy, and a sense of belonging that will leave you longing for more. Let your feet find their rhythm, your heart find its joy, and your spirit find its home. The dance floor awaits you, eager to witness the magic that happens when passion meets dance – don’t miss out on this extraordinary journey into the heart of Irish culture!
Remember, the 3rd Friday Ceili is where the music calls, the floor invites, and the memories are forever etched in your soul. Come one, come all, and let’s dance the night away!
3rd Friday Ceili
Jan. 19, 2024
6:30pm-9:30pm
Waverly, 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR
Music: Gerlidne Murrary
Calling: Maldon Meehan
- Lesson
- Merchant
- Lancers
- Antrim Square
- Claddagh
- Plain Set
- Ballyvourney
- Connemara
Discover the dance trick that will blow your mind
Learn a fascinating dance trick that will transform your reel steps into lively jig steps! During a memorable trip to RosMuc, Connemara, I discovered this technique while waiting for a bus with the talented Kieran Jordan. She taught me Roisin’s jig steps, whic turned out to be the same as her reel steps but in jig time. This got me thinking – could I do the same thing with other reel steps? And the answer is a resounding yes!
By simply eliminating one beat in a reel step, it seamlessly becomes a jig step. Some steps will amaze you and become beloved additions to your dance repertoire, while others may not be as interesting or easy to convert into jig steps.
To illustrate this concept, I have prepared a FREE lesson showcasing the transformation of the shuffle back step. You will find this lesson at the end of this article.
But it doesn’t end there. After discussing this technique with the talented dancer Ben Power, we discovered that you can amplify the effect by adding two beats instead of eliminating one. The step becomes a rhythmic sequence of 123456. It took some practice, but once it clicked, the results were truly incredible.
In this lesson, I also demonstrate how you can take a reel step and adjust the movements to fit the 6/8 time signature, resulting in a captivating fusion of styles. You will find this lesson at the end of this article. Members this concept is taught in the March 2024 Jig course.
I invite you to share your own experiences and steps applying this concept. Remember, this trick can be applied to any step and time signature – reel steps into polka steps, slide steps into hornpipes, and beyond. It’s a valuable technique that I personally use when creating new steps and honing my improvisation skills. As you explore this exciting path, you’ll be able to effortlessly incorporate it into your dancing. Get ready for a super fun and thrilling journey!
I look forward to hearing from you and witnessing the innovative steps you create using this technique.
5 Easy Tips for Memorizing Irish Set Dances
Learn the art of Irish set dancing by following these step-by-step instructions, even without a partner or a full set of dancers. Whether you’ve been asked to teach or call set dancing, want to perfect your battering steps, or simply want to expand your repertoire, these techniques will help you master the dance.
As a teacher and caller, I understand the importance of learning and memorizing sets before stepping into a classroom or a ceili. I’ve developed these 5 tips to help you learn and practice set dances without a partner or a full set.
1. Utilize Different Learning Styles: Tap into your natural learning preferences, whether it’s kinesthetic, audio, written, spoken, reading, or watching. Incorporate all these styles to maximize your memorization skills and achieve your goals.
2. Find Written and Visual References: Access both written instructions and video references to enhance your understanding of the dance. Pat Murphy’s set dance books are a fantastic starting point, and websites like danceminder.com and setdanceteacher.ie offer clear instructions. YouTube is a great resource for video references, with Michael Harrison, Pat Murphy, and Set Dancing News providing reliable recordings.
3. Personalize Callers Notes: Write out the calls in your own words while watching and reading the dance moves. This personalized approach deepens your understanding and makes the dance more manageable during the learning process.
4. Practice with Video: Watch instructional videos and dance along, following a specific dancer’s position. This interactive approach enhances your visual learning and helps you synchronize your movements with the video.
5. Record and Listen: Record yourself calling the dance over a track of music. This allows you to listen to the music while visualizing or dancing along without constantly referring to the written instructions. Regularly listen to these recordings during your daily activities to reinforce your memorization.
By following these steps, you’ll eventually be able to perform the dance without relying on any external references. Additionally, platforms like Spotify and danceminder offer recordings for specific dances, further enhancing your learning experience.
Start your journey towards mastering Irish set dances today. Incorporate these tips into your practice routine and witness your skill and confidence soar.
Here is a dance to get you started Connemara Set
Take your feet on a musical journey
How to dance tunes with your feet
At first when I was thinking that my students wanted to Sean-nós dance on stage and to work on stage presence, but the response that I got from the majority of them is that ‘we want to dance like you”. When I asked what does that mean? They said we want to dance in sessions to tunes.
This month in the membership I will be doing a tune a week. You can do this on your own or in the membership with us.
The first step I take is to listen to the tune over and over. Well the first step is to pick a tune. Don’t try to pick the perfect tune, just start with one and work from there. Once I have the tune, I start to sing along or tap out rhythms along. Then I slow the tune down in the amazing slow downer or other app. I listen to just one part of the tune and write out the counts or beats. Next I get the sheet music from thesession.org and compare it with what I am hearing.
Next second step is to get the tune into my body and feet. I tap or sing each part of the tune and start working on creating sounds with just my heels. Next I began to add in steps that would work. Once I have a step for each part of the tune I put it all together and work on the whole piece.
If you want extra accountability I will be doing a tune a week this month. The live class will be on Wednesday nights and the recording will be available by Thursday morning for you to work on your own. You can also join our FREE weekly accountability sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8:30am PST. These accountability sessions are free and self guided. It’s a time and place to practice your craft. What get scheduled gets done.
Free Lesson
Munster Buttermilk – A Part – Step 1 & B Part – Step 2
This week we will learn the Irish jig Munster Buttermilk. In this lesson we will learning the tune by ear and then translate it to our feet. In the download section you will find a set of tunes, Munster Buttermilk is the second tune in the set. Download the tunes and listen to the second tune in the set. You can also find the tune here on the sesson.org.
OPEN STUDIO [ZOOM LINK]
Mon, Wed, Friday 8:30am PST
Set Dancing Catalog
2023 December | Wed. 6:00pm | Mobility with Mel
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