Sean-nós & Set Dance with Maldon
Specializing in easy to follow step by step instruction for all levels
All the courses on the site.
Willie Keane’s Advance & Retire Step
Woodshed – Left Side
Step 1 – Lead Out
Tip down Tip down shuff-le 1 2
Hop tip down shuff-le 1 2
Hop tip down shuff-le 1 2
Hop tip down shuff-le 1 2
Hop tip down shuff-le hop back
Tip down tip down shuff-le hop back
Tip down tip down treble hop tip down treble hop
tip down shuff-le hop back
Drill 1 – “Hop tip down shuff-le 1 2”
Drill 2 – “Tip down tip down shuffle-le hop back”
Drill 3 – Second half of step
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
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 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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Sat. April 22 2023
Mini Céilí
We might not get to them all but we will try.
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!
Shake out those shamrocks ‘n let’s boogie!
This March, our theme of the month will be advance and retires. We will focus on basic Clare advance and retires as well as including some battering. We will continue to review previous techniques and learn new dances.
As always I encourage you to review the videos and instructions before and after class. If you don’t have time, I’ve got your back. I will break everything down nice and handy and we will progress through the months dances. There’s never a better time to enjoy the art of Irish Set dancing. St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner!
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
Sat. March 4, 2023
Our set of the week is: Caledonian
This is one of my favorite sets. It is one I love teaching both beginners and experienced dancers. It’s the perfect set for perfecting housing and dancing at home. It also allows room for battering. The set can be receptive and when you aren’t focusing on footwork it some might call it boring. But adding a little battering and some great advance and retire steps lights up the dance. We will cover the basics and beginning of advancing and retiring as well as more advanced steps for those with more experience.
If there is time we will review the Claddagh Set. Reviewing the instructions and video before class will give you a nice leg up. If you don’t have time or forget no worries I’ve got your back and will teach and call everything.
Sat. March. 11, 2023
Our set of the week is: Clare Plain
If there is time we will review 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.
Sat. March 18, 2023
Our set of the week is: Corofin Plain
Jim Belcher recently taught a lesson on the Corofin Plain set at our Sweet Hearts dance in February. We will review the set and add more footwork.
If there is time we will review the The Cashel or (The Castle). We covered this dance in February. Videos and instructions can be found on the February class page under the week 2 tab.
Sat. March 25, 2023, 4-7pm
Last Saturday Céilí music by Preston Howard
We might not get to them all but we will try.