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Category: Classes
Live classes, past, current and future.
10am Wednesdays | 2024 Spring | Class | Sean-nós Dance | Reels | All levels
Class | Irish Set Dancing
intro
Irish Set Dance
Discover the Joy of Irish Set Dancing! Whether you’re a novice or an experienced dancer, these classes are designed for everyone. Step-by-step instruction makes dancing accessible and enjoyable for all skill levels.
What You’ll Learn:
- Foundational Footwork: Start with essential steps and percussive “battering” moves unique to Irish Set dancing.
- Partner Techniques: Breakdown of footwork for leads and follows for movements such as house, dance at home and battering while housing. With or without a partner.
- Set Dancing: Put it all together and explore set recourse and calling and memoization tips to get you ready for the dance floor.
classes
Online Class Playlist
clare steps
Clare Steps Playlist
sets
- Ormond Set
- Caledonian Set
- Inis Oirr Set
connemara
Connemara Steps
members only
Links to reference material on the site.
music
Practice Music
Maldon’s Spotify Profile – I have many playlists that you can save to your own account or save the link. The are organized by tune, by set dance and by ceili nights. The tune playlists are great if you are practinging your steps and want a playlist of tunes.
Maldon’s YouTube Profile – I have many playlists here as well. They are organized by sets, tunes, dances and more. Save them to your own youtube account for easy reference or save the link. Youtube you can slow down the video if you want to practice at a slower speed.
Download tunes for practicing at home.
Reels
Class | Irish Old-Style Step
intro
Irish Old-Style Dance
Irish old-style step dance classes focus on teaching the traditional dances that paved the way for modern step dance and the Riverdance style. These dances share a similar structure but are performed close to the ground. Unlike sean-nós dance, old-style step dance incorporates choreographed steps executed on both the right and left foot, usually lasting 8 bars each and repeated on both sides for a total of 16 bars. Join us to learn these timeless dances that have been passed down through generations.
The class recording tab included all the live zoom classes for this course. Each dance we will cover has it’s own page as well so you can go directly to that tab to work on each dance. The members only page had links to additional material related to this course. The tunes tab has streaming playlists and recording that you can download for practicing.
Online
Mon & Wed 5:30 PM
- 8 Weeks (starts 9/30)
- Zoom Link
In-person
Tue 7:30 PM
- 8 Weeks (starts 10/1)
- 2400 NE Alberta Street
class recordings
All the live zoom classes
JOJW
Job of Journeywork
The job of journeywork with Céline Tubridy and Michael Tubridy. Music by Michael Tubridy, flute. Recorded for the DVD ‘Irish Traditional Step Dances’, Dublin : Michael Tubridy, 2007.
- 01:53 Slow tempo with voiceover 05:12
- First step – the leadout 05:13 Set – right foot
- 05:54 Set – left foot
- 06:37 Finishing step
Céline and Michael Tubridy learned this dance from the Clare dancing master Dan Furey.
Helpful links and resources
- My youtube Playlist of the Job of Journeywork – this playlist had videos of other versions as well as the Tubridy’s video.
- The Job of Journeywork – Link to the Tubridy’s instructional video.
- A selection of Irish traditional step dances / Michael Tubridy – Michael donated the book and DVD of old-style step dances and you can have access to the written notes here. This is a very useful tool as it has all the steps written out with words, dance notation and the sheet music. Job of Journeywork is on page.
- Full Tubridy Playlist
joe's hornpipes
Joe’s Hornpipes
choreography
Step creations or choreography
TUNE | STEP |
A1 | |
A1 | Lead out – JOJW first half 2x |
B1 | Joe – ground cuts |
B1 | |
A2 | 2 tricks rocks / heels |
A2 | |
B2 | JoJW Bunny Hop |
B2 | |
A3 | Joe – Drum |
A3 | |
B3 | JOJW Finish stamp |
B3 | |
A1 | 1234 patern |
A1 | |
B1 | heels / drums / heels |
B1 | |
A2 | tip down shuffle 12 hop back stamp |
A2 | |
B2 | Cut & Kick |
B2 | |
A3 | drums / ground cut |
A3 | |
B3 | 3 full shuffles / heels / JOJW ending |
B3 | |
A1 | Murry #1 / Classic Joe (Murrary side & heels) |
A1 | |
B1 | Ground Cut or Cross with tips |
B1 | |
A2 | Rock |
A2 | |
B2 | tip cut / ground cut / kick cut |
B2 | |
A3 | Heels |
A3 | |
B3 | Murry #2 |
B3 | |
A1 | Ground cut / heels / rock |
A1 | |
B1 | tip cut / cut & kick |
B1 |
members only
Membership links related to this course
- Course: Job Of Journeywork – Full course page
- Dance: Job of Journeywork – Dance page
- Hornpipe Page
- Hornpipe Creations
- Joe O’Donovan hornpipes course
tunes
Downloads
Job of Journeywork practice music – A part only, B part only, Full tune with an extra A. These are in a google folder. You can download them or save them to your own google drive.
Playlists or Streaming
Spotify Playlist for the Job of Journeywork. Feel free to save it to your own Spotify account for future reference.
Class | Sean-nós Dance
intro
Irish Sean-nós Dance
This course is suitable for dancers of all levels, from beginners to advanced. We will focus on sean-nós jig steps, providing material tailored to each skill level. Throughout the course, you’ll learn steps, improvisation techniques, and variations. By the end, you’ll have a set routine and the opportunity to explore improvisation or freeform dancing.
Sean-nós, which means “old-style,” is a highly improvisational and rhythmic dance form that stays close to the ground. Unlike traditional Irish step dancers, sean-nós dancers swing their hips and use their arms to express the music. Historically, dancers performed solo on small surfaces like the hardwood of a half door or the top of a barrel, leading to steps confined to a small space. In sean-nós dance, the dancer and the musician are closely connected, with the dancer interpreting the music through their movements.
Online
Mon & Wed 6:30PM
- 8 weeks (starts 9/30)
- Zoom Link
In-person
Mon 7:30PM
- 8 weeks (starts 9/30)
- 2400 NE Alberta Street
classes
Class Playlist
practice
Deep Dive
Whole Dance
Roisin’s Steps
- Connemara Step
- Stamp & Stamp
- Heel & Stab
- Cross Step
- Circle Step
- Zig Zag
- Side Step
- Heel Toe Heel
- Drum
choreography
Step Creation and Improvisation
- Step Spreadsheet
- Variation List
- Yuka – Heel Stab/Connemara/Zig Zag (2x)
- Marianne – 2 Connemara’s/Zig Zag to side (2x)
- Kathy – Heel Stab (same pattern as cross step)
members only
- Whole Connemara Course
- Spring Course with step creation & improvisation
- Reels Lesson 1 | Connemara Step
- Reels Lesson 2 | Stamp & Stamp
- Reels Lesson 3 | Heel & Toe
- Reels Lesson 4 | Cross Step
- Reels Lesson 5 | Circle Step
- Reels Lesson 6 | Zig Zag
- Reels Lesson 7 | Side Step
- Reels Lesson 8 | Heel Toe Heel
- Reels Lesson 9 | Drum
- Reels Lesson 10 | Finishing Step
- Whole Thing
music
Class | In-Person | Irish Set Dancing
intro
Irish Set Dance
Discover the Joy of Irish Set Dancing! Whether you’re a novice or an experienced dancer, these classes are designed for everyone. Step-by-step instruction makes dancing accessible and enjoyable for all skill levels.
What You’ll Learn:
Foundational Footwork: Start with essential steps and percussive “battering” moves unique to Irish Set dancing.
Partner Techniques: Master the art of dancing in sync with a partner, focusing on leading and following techniques.
Set Dancing: Put it all together by dancing in a full set of four couples, exploring various patterns and figures.
Wednesdays 12:00 PM
1/15 – 3/5
$120 for 8 weeks
Early Bird $100 if signed up by 12/23
2400 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR
Entire Playlist
week 1
Week 1 – Killdownet Half Set
- Callers notes & links
- Video Playlist on Youtube
- Scrap Set music resources
- Music playlist on Spotify
- This dance is in Pat Murphy’s book the flowing Tide pg. 100
Solo Work
- 3’s
- Advance & Retire
- Clare #2
Partner Work
- Advance & Retire
- Square Left or Dimond
- Ceili Swing
Set Work
- Follows Chain
- Top lead & Opposite swing, while others turn on spot
week 2
Week
Steps
week 3
Week
Steps
week 4
Week
Steps
week 5
Week
Steps
week 6
Week
Steps
week 7
Week
Steps
week 8
Week
Steps
November Triplets
2024 March | Thurs. 10am | Connemara Set & Battering
2024 March | Tues. 10am | Performance and Stage Presence
2024 February | Old-Style Step Dance
intro
Introducing the Online Class Old-Style Step dance! Get ready to jump, swirl, and tap your way into the intriguing world of traditional Irish dance. This weekly online Irish old-style step dance class is the perfect opportunity for dancers of all levels to indulge in their passion for dance and embark on an exciting journey like no other.
Join us on Tuesdays as we take you on a delightful adventure of learning new steps at a nice handy pace. Whether you are a seasoned dancer or a beginner, our expert instructors will guide you through every move with patience and expertise. Don’t worry about missing a session – all classes are recorded, allowing you to dance to your heart’s content at any time that suits you best.
Now, let’s dive into Wednesdays, where we woodshed the steps. No, it’s not a mystical dance move, but rather a term embraced by musicians to describe intensive practice sessions before taking their tunes out to a lively session. Here, we’ll practice and fine tune the steps you learned on Tuesday, ensuring that your feet are in perfect harmony with the rhythm of the music.
Thursdays are all about embracing the spirit of “Keep Her Lit.” As the Irish saying goes, keep the tune going, even if you make a few missteps along the way. In this session, we’ll work on the entire dance routine learned thus far, allowing you to immerse yourself in the magic of old-style step dance. So, let your inhibitions go, and let your feet do the talking!
And then comes Fridays, where the energy is high, and the excitement is palpable. Get ready to experience the Speed and Craic session, where we focus on speed, endurance, and most importantly, having an absolute blast. Craic, which loosely translates to fun and a good time, perfectly encapsulates the joyous atmosphere you’ll find here. It’s all about dancing up to tempo, pushing your limits, and reveling in the sheer exhilaration of the dance.
Our signature learning and practice style ensures that you’ll master these mesmerizing dances in just half-hour sessions. Take them live and dance alongside others, or enjoy the flexibility of dancing at your very own leisure. The choice is yours!
Old-style step dance is a treasure trove of Irish cultural heritage, offering a glimpse into an era before Riverdance and modern step dance. With its distinctive lower-to-the-ground style and intricate steps, this magnificent dance form is the perfect choice for those who crave a routine and meticulously mapped-out steps.
So, let your inner dancer leap into action, and join us for the Online Class Old-Style Step dance. Let’s kick, twirl, and shuffle our way through the captivating rhythms of Irish tradition, all while having a ton of fun. Get your dancing shoes ready, because this class is about to take you on a journey you’ll never forget.
- Tuesdays – Learn steps
- Wednesdays – Woodshed steps
- Thursdays – Keep Her Lit
- Fridays – Speed & Craic
week 1
Welcome Step Dancers!
Old-style step dance, not to be confused with sean-nós dance, is the precursor to modern Irish step dance. If you have step dance experience many steps in this style will be familiar to you. In traditional Old-style step dance each step is danced for eight bars and is danced on the right and left foot. In future courses we will learn set dances which are “crooked” with a variety of bars of music (i.e. 7 1/2 bar phrases). We begin the Old-style step dance series by learning Maggie Pickie. This is the perfect introduction to old-style step dance. Each step has a structure that is repeated four times. Maggie Pickie is considered a set dance meaning there are specific steps to a specific tune. It is not crooked as many set dances are.
Maggie Pickie or Maggie Pickins is a traditional dance from Donegal. This particular dance is currently experiencing widespread popularity and we love it too. I first learned Maggie Pickie from Nic Gareiss during a residency that he held at Stomptown Collective Dance Studio in Portland, Oregon. Nic got the dance from Joe McGuiggan. Through several years of performing Maggie Pickie I created a few new steps along the way to go with the traditional dance. I include one of these new steps in the lesson — the Slide step. I hope you will love to dance Maggie Pickins as much as I do.
Want to get a jump on your learning start here with the full Maggie Pickie Course.
Damhsa áthais sona ort! (Happy dancing to you!)
Tuesday
- Cross
- Hop hop flick flick
- Side step (I taught this wrong :(, the good news is what I taught is very similar to the box step which we will learn on Wednesday) Correct version is here and in the Wednesday video.
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
week 2
Welcome to week 2 where we will learn the Priest in His Boots. I first learned this dance from Ben Power who learned it from James Keane while at the University of Limerick. James danced this a little differently than most dancers today. James danced the 4th step as two different steps with the 4th step being only 8 bars and then going back to the 16 bar structure. We will be learning the Tubridy because the music I have and the music you will be able to find will most likely be for a straight version of the dance. I will demonstrate both versions. If you dance this with live music you can make your choice how you want to dance the piece.
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
week 3
Week three we will work on St. Patrick’s Day.
- October 2023
- St. Patrick’s Day – Keep Her Lit
- St. Patrick’s Day – playlist
- St. Patrick’s Day – Woodshed
Tuesday day 9
Wednesday day 10
Thursday day 11
Friday day 12
week 4
Old Style Step Dance – Hornpipes
Wednesday
cross, heels and drum step
Thursday
Rock & Kick and Cut
Friday