Classes, Current Classes, Irish Sean-nós Dance

Class | Online | Sean-nós Dance

intro

Sean-nós Dance – jigs (week 1-5)

The first 5 weeks of course welcomes focuses on dancing in jig time. The last 3 weeks of the course focuses on Reels, keeping the jig steps alive and building up speed & endurance.

Sean-nós Dance – reels (week 6-8)

Mondays & Wednesdays 7:30 AM

Zoom Link

Jig Playlist

Reel Playlist

week 1

Week 1

Drills

  • Stuff-les 8/4/1
  • Stuff-les with tap 8/4/1
  • Heels 1234 / 123
  • Balls 1234 / 123

Advance & Retire – Right / Left

week 2

Week 2

Advance & Retire – Right / Left


week 3

Week 3


  • Creep along

week 4

Week 4

Woodsheding all three steps and working on transitioning between steps.


  • Drills
    • ball catch drop (123’s forward)
    • ball drop drop (heels back)
  • Woodshed
    • All the steps

week 5

Week 5

  • All the steps!

week 6

Week 6

Sir George MacKenzie

Breakdown of step & practice


week 7

Week 7

Matt Peoples’ / The Rookery 


Edith was asking a quesiton about learn the dance step by ear – I realized what I was trying to say learn with by ear in regards to dance is learning the step by ear and eyes in time with the music, rather than me breaking down the step slowly with words or movements and no music. Just listening to a dancers step and the reproducing the sounds in your own way.


week 8

Week 8


Classes, In-Person

Class | In-Person | Sean-nós Dance

intro

Sean-nós Dance

This course welcomes all skill levels and focuses on dancing in jig time. Sean-nós is a grounded, often improvised style of dance. You’ll learn dance steps, routines, and improvisation techniques through fun exercises and games.

Saturdays 10:00 AM

1/18 – 3/8

$120 for 8 weeks

2400 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR

Playlists



jigs

Practice videos – I have all the steps that we will cover over the 8 weeks in the video playlist on the intro page. Feel free to dig around in there. They should be in the order that I will be teaching them. On this week 1 tab you will find notes for what we covered on our first day. Also the practice videos that I made in class and below that you will find our practice videos for the 3 shuffles, 2 shuffles, 4 heels step.

We covered:

  • Jigs – 6/8 timing, humpty dumpty is a jig
  • tap step
  • heel step
  • toe behind step
  • stamp step
  • Shuffle
  • 3 shuffles (with tap, heel, or toe behind endings)
  • 4 heels (1234 sound)
  • 2 shuffles and 4 heels
  • Step: 3 shuffles, 2 shuffles, 4 heels

Practicing: You don’t have to practice but using the practice video of steps once or twice here and there will help. This will take 4-6 minutes. A good place to start a practice routine is to habit stack your practice sessin with a habit you already do. Like dancing while you are waiting in line for something, waiting for the coffee to brew in the morning, before you sit down for lunch, before after brushing your teeth. Find something that you do regularly and link it with your new dancing habit.



reels


recourses

Classes, In-Person, Irish Set Dancing

Class | In-Person | Calling for Sets

intro

Calling for Sets

Dive into the art of calling dances with our energizing 8-week course! Whether you’re a dancer looking to take the mic or simply eager to master the craft, this step-by-step program will guide you through everything—starting with calling your very first dance and building up to creating an unforgettable night of calling. Are you ready to bring the dance floor to life? Let’s do this!

Saturdays 11:30 AM

1/18 – 3/8

$120 for 8 weeks

2400 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR

Entire Playlist

week 1

Week 1

week 2

Week

week 3

Week

week 4

Week

week 5

Week

week 6

Week

week 7

Week

week 8

Week

Classes, In-Person

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

2400 NE Alberta Street, Portland, OR

Playlist

foundation

Frame / Lead

Hands & turning

Hands & Turn

This is a playlist for ballroom lead and follow, but many of the things and tips will transfer over to set dancing. Set dancing frame looks more relaxed and the arms and elbows are not as high, but the tension and pressure is the same in the connecting points is the same.

Sliabh Luchra

Polkas / Slides / Hornpipes

Week one we will look at dancing to polkas, jigs and slides. In particular sets from Slaibh Luchra (Cork, Kerry and Limerick). I was lucky enough to be able to dance to the music of Johnny O’Leary, Timmy O’Connor and John Walsh. All great Sliabh Luchra musicians. Timmy recently passed this last month. I had the opportunity to spend my free time at Willie Week with Timmy and John. I had many lovely chats with both of them that week as well as danced to their music and danced with them. Beautiful music and people.

We will work on the down step used for polkas, slides and jigs as oposed to the up step used for last terms reels.

Solo

  • Down 2 3’s
  • 1 2 & 123
  • & 1 & 2 & 1 2 3

Partner

  • Swing
  • House
  • Body

Group

The Set of the Week: Sliabh Luchra Set

Timmy O’Connor

Timmy & John

Sliabh Luchra Dancing, music and history

Polkas / Slides / Hornpipes

Review – Sliabh Luchra Set

Clare Dancing

Week

Clare Dancing & The Caledonian

Steps

Willie Keane

Mick’s Advance & Retire Step

Ormond

Week

Ormond Set – page with video and instructions.

Steps

Smooth Clare reel steps or other Clare battering steps. You can find those steps under the Clare dancing tab.

review

Polka/Slide/Jig

review of polka and slide steps. These steps can also be used for dancing to jigs.


Current Event, Events, Past Classes

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.

Keep Her Lit – Winter 2021

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

week 3

Week three we will work on St. Patrick’s Day.

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