PCC Friday Set Dancing Cork and Kerry

Student guide  |  Fridays, September 25–October 16, 2026  |  6:30–8:20 PM

Over four Fridays, we will explore three sets from Cork and Kerry, then meet at the Third Friday Céilí to dance with live music. We will learn a few movements, put them into dances, and review familiar moves as they appear again. Come to enjoy the dancing. There is no need to study or practice between classes. Also each week if you would like to dance the set of the week to live music we will be dancing it at Steeplejack on Hawthornes Tuesdays at 6:30pm.

We will learn the figures that fit our time and our group. The lists below are references for anyone who wants to look back or explore further; you do not have to memorize them.

On each weekly page you will find video references and under the resource page you will find video and music playlists as well as more set dancing resouces.

Missing a class or forgetting a move is no problem. We will review as we dance. I have your back!

Week 1 — September 25 – Televara Set

County Kerry · We began with the polka step, moving in place and around the set, then practiced the swing, house around, and square the house. We found our places in the set and brought those movements into Televara. The set includes jigs, slides, and a reel.

Televara movement guide

The movements below listed in the order they appear in the dance. A move is listed when it first appears, so recurring moves are not repeated.

Figure 1  The Double Chain

• Lock and lead around
• House around
• House inside
• Square the house
• Follows double chain
• Swing partners

Figure 2  Advance and Half House

• Slide towards each other and back, then half house

We did not dance following figures in our frist class. 

Figure 3  Frog in the Middle

• Dance in and swing while the other dancers circle

Figure 4  The Stook of Oats

• Swing behind

Figure 5  Face the Hob

• Couples house and square into a line
• Cast off
• Lead back up the middle and around to the next place

Figure 6  The Slide

Familiar house around and square the house movements, now to a slide

Week 2 — October 2 – Borlin Set

From County Cork

Instructions

This week we’ll build on the polka step and partner movements from our first class, introducing Borlin’s quarterhouse and bringing the skills into the set.

6:30–7:10 — Skills

6:30–6:40 · Warm-up and review

Find the rhythm with the polka step, dancing in place and traveling. Briefly revisit the swing, house around, square the house, and home positions as needed.

6:40–6:55 · Quarterhouse

Introducing the quarterhouse: jump kick. Practice slowly with a partner, then try it with music. Offer a gentler heel-drop option for the jump.

6:55–7:10 · Movements for the first figure

Practice the crossed-hand lead around and follows chain. Bring the movements into half sets or full sets, reviewing familiar skills where they occur.

7:10–8:20 — Dance the Borlin Valley Polka Set

Begin with Figure 1 — Follows Chain, walking through the movements and then dancing with music.

Continue one figure at a time as the group is ready:

• Figure 2 — Two Squares
• Figure 3 — Advance and Retire
• Figure 4 — Four Squares, danced to slide music, if time allows.

The hornpipe figure is optional.

If there is time: Revisit a familiar figure from the Televara Set.

Dance reference: https://setdanceteacher.ie/borlin.htm

https://setdanceteacher.ie/BORLIN.HTM

Week 3 — Oct 9 – West Kerry Polka Set (Kerry)

PCC Southeast · 6:30–8:20 PM

Class goal: Build confidence with West Kerry’s recurring movements and enjoy dancing the figures together.

Skills · 6:30–7:10

6:30–6:40 — Warm-up and finding our places

Begin with the polka step, traveling and changing direction. Form sets and identify partners, top couples, side couples, and home.

Review familiar movements when they appear in today’s dance.

6:40–6:55 — Double reverse house and lead around

Teach one reverse house first: reverse into the next place on the right, then house back home. Repeat to make the double reverse house.

Practice slowly with partners, then with music. Add the waist-hold lead around and connect the two movements.

6:55–7:10 — Skills for Figure 1

Practice in this order:

1. Right-hand star for the follows.

2. Swing partners.

3. Follows’ chain: right hands across, left-elbow turn with the opposite lead, and return to partner.

4. Reverse house around the opposite couple.

Use half sets where helpful, then bring everyone into full sets.

Set dancing · 7:10–8:20

7:10–7:35 — Figure 1: follows Chain

Walk through the figure in manageable sections, then dance with music. Give dancers another run if it helps the movements settle.

Keep calls clear and early. Pause to resolve any confusing pathway before adding more.

7:35–7:50 — Figure 2: First Show

Introduce the double reverse house within the set, danced by one couple at a time.

Taking turns: first tops, second tops, first sides, second sides. Encourage everyone to notice whose turn comes next.

7:50–8:10 — Figure 3: The Slide

Introduce the full slide: dance toward the centre and back, house to the opposite place, then repeat to return home.

Practice that sequence separately before dancing the figure. Reuse the chain and reverse house learned earlier.

8:10–8:20 — Choose a satisfying finish

Depending on the group:

• Repeat a favorite West Kerry figure.
• Revisit a familiar Borlin figure.
• Dance a Televara figure if time remains.

Finish on time, with a dance the group can enjoy confidently.

Optional extensions

Save these for a group ready to continue:

• Figure 4 — Second Show: double lead around with an underarm turn; slide and change.
• Figure 5 — follows Move On: circle, advance and retire, then stars and partner changes.
• Figure 6 — Hornpipe: leave for a later session.

Teaching reminder: The times are guides. Repeat a figure when useful; completing all the figures is not the goal.

Dance notes: https://setdanceteacher.ie/wkerry.htm

Week 4 – Field Trip

Waverly United Church, 3300 SE Woodward, Porltand, Or

7-10pm

Dance List

• Claddagh
• Borlin (polkas slides)
• Merchant
• Televera (Jigs)
• Antrim Square
• West Kerry (polkas slides)

After 9pm (session musicians to join, informal dancing/calling)

1. Caledonian
2. Connemara
3. Clare Lancers
4. Balvourney Jig Set

Resources

• Youtube music playlist
• set dancing news – webpage & facebook page
• Portland Set dancing Facebook page
• dance minder – a site with dance instructions
• Maldon’s spotify page with music playlists
• Maldon’s YouTube channel with videos

Places to dance Sets in Portland

• 3rd Friday Ceili
• Friday nights PCC Southeast Campus
• Tuesday nights Steeplejack

Hello dancers,

For the next 8 Wednesday evenings

• 5:00 PM Pacific – Beginners
• 6:00 PM Pacific – Intermedates
• 7:00 PM Pacific – In-person
• Zoom link:
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84235671611?pwd=XQ3CucBEyzT016HK0O4Ts7zKNGiJ2p.1

Week 1 — You Can Dance

1. Start Here: You Can Dance

The goal of this course is not to collect as many steps as possible.

The goal is to be able to dance.

Some of my favorite dancers have only a handful of steps. What makes their dancing compelling is not how many steps they know. It is how they use what they have, how they listen, and how they play with the music.

This week we begin with three pieces of vocabulary: 3 Shuffles, 2 Shuffles, and 4 Heels. 

Intermediates you will have grapevine step & triplets.

These are building blocks, not a routine you have to reproduce.

One movement is enough to begin. A handful of movements can make a lot of dancing.

And one step is enough to begin.

Intermedates

Week 2 — Practice Counts

Practice does not have to be long, formal, or happen on a dance floor. Thirty seconds counts. One small piece counts. Coming back to it counts.

This week, beginners learn Cross Step and revisit 3 Shuffles, 2 Shuffles, and 4 Heels. Intermediates learn a cross step with extra beats and build on Grapevine and triplets, exploring direction, both sides, and connections to familiar movements.

Our focus is on making the movements more comfortable and finding our way from one to another.

Learn a Little Chunk

I once found myself practicing a tiny piece of a dance step in the cheese aisle at the grocery store. It helped change the way I thought about practice.

You can practice while the kettle boils, while waiting for something, or during a little pause in your day. You don’t always need music or a whole step.

Read the cheese-aisle story.

This week we’ll use a word I say often: woodshed.

To woodshed something means to take out one small piece, slow it down, repeat it, listen to it, and then put it back into the larger movement.

Where Is Your Weight?

When something feels tangled, ask:

Where is my weight? Where does it need to be?

• Step: If you step it alows you to change your weight from one foot to the other.
• Tap: If you tap it alows you to make a sound while keeping your weight the same.

Notice which foot is available for the next movement. Sometimes changing a step to a tap—or a tap to a step—opens up a connection.

Make the weight change obvious at first. You can make it smaller as it becomes familiar.

The Transition Game

Choose two movements. Dance the first into the second, then reverse the order.

For beginners, try Cross Step and one movement from Week 1. Intermediates can try Grapevine and something already in their feet.

If the connection feels sticky, practice just the end of the first movement and the beginning of the second. Then put them back together and try with music.

These are experiments. You don’t have to memorize a particular sequence.

Home base and Keep Dancing

Choose one comfortable movement as your Home Base. This is the step that is easies for you and that you can come back between playing with these steps. My dance teacher Mick calles this is banner step.

Put on a jig. Begin with your home base step and bring in another movement when you’re ready.

If you get lost, return to home base. Listen. Choose again.

You don’t have to use everything you know every time you dance.

Your Practice Menu

Choose one thing that helps today:

• Practice one small piece for 30 seconds.
• Revisit Cross Step or Grapevine.
• Connect two movements.
• Check your weight at a sticky connection or change weight in a step.
• Listen to your feet without music.
• Put on a jig and dance.

This is a menu, not a checklist.

What felt more comfortable this week? Where could a tiny moment of practice fit into your day?

Resources

• Google Drive Folder
• About Shoes: https://maldonmeehan.com/shoes-shoes-shoes/
• Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@maldonmeehan
• Spotify channel: Jig playlist