Portland Class notes

Hi All,

Just wanted to let you know there will be dancing, art and music this Thursday at the Alberta Street Public House 5:30-8:30 and your all invited to come down and dance. You can see more at http://www.seannosdance.com/NewsEvents/show.html

Also class this Saturday will be a special workshop with Alicia Guinn. Alicia is a great set dancer and sean-nos dancer. I hope you all come out and meet here. It will give you a chance to see another teacher and style. Alicia is a great set dancer who has lived in Ireland and danced over there for years. She has a vast knowledge of battering steps and sets. This is a great opportunity learn some Clare battering.

Bellow is a note from Alicia Guinn:

Sept 1 - Workshop - Clare Steps for Set Dancing - Portland, Oregon
"I’ll be the guest teacher for Maldon Meehan’s usual series of Saturday afternoon workshops in Portland. We’ll focus on Clare battering, a style of stepping that can be used in either set or sean-nos dancing. We’ll put most of our effort into the steps, and at the end of class, we'll work on incorporating them into a figure of the Clare Plain set. I’m excited to see how the sean-nos dancing community is shaping up in Portland! Performance Works Northwest, 4625 SE 67th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97206. 11am-1pm. Live music. $10".

As for notes from Class we covered 2 steps last week.
The basic step
(notes and video clip are on this blog)

Cross Step (Maldon Meehan)
(This step was inspired by a tune that Joe, Dawn and Lee were playing. Lee told me the name the tune a few times, but alas it escapes my mind. I'll try to get the name from here on Saturday, if any of you know the name let me know.)

step(L) cross(R) step(L) step beside (R)
step (L) back (R) step(L) tap beside (R)
step(R) cross(L) step(R) step beside (L)
step(R) cross(L) step(R) Tap beside (L)
1(L), 2(R), 3(L), 1(R), 2(L), 3(R), 1(L) , 2(R)
step(L) heel(R) step(L) , step(R) heel(L) step(R) 1(L), 2(R)

-Maldon

Salem class Notes

Tuesday Sean-nos Dance class

Here are the notes from the 2 steps we learned on Tuesday night.

THE BASIC STEP Connemara Step
Hop(L), heel(R) step(R) , heel(L) step(L), Stomp(R)
Hop(R), heel(L) step(L), heel(R) step(R), Stomp(L)
(repeat all 3 more times)

STAMP AND STAMP STEP (8 BARS) (Rosin Ni Mhainnin)
Stamp(R) and(R) Stamp(L)
Hop(L), heel(R) step(R) , heel(L) step(L), Stomp(R)

Stamp(L) and(L) Stamp(R)
Hop(R), heel(L) step(L), heel(R) step(R), Stomp(L)

This is a video clip of me dancing the basic Connemara step.

Irish Sean-nos Dance Connamara

Add to My Profile | More Videos


Tuesday Ceili Class

Duke Reel
A round dance for three couples (Reels: 264 bars)

1. Circle Right and back (8 bars)
2. Body

Slip Sides: Slip sides with partner and back(8 bars), Slip sides with corner and back (8bars)
Link Arms: Link right with partner (2 bars), left corner(2 bars), partner(2 bars), corner(2 bars)
Interlace: face partner pass right shoulder to right, left to the next, right and left till home
Advance and Retire: join hands in a circle and advance and retire twice (8bars)

3. 1st Figure

Figure of eight: With promenade step, couple 1 advance towards couple 2 while couple 3 stand idle. Lady 1 dances figure 8 around lady 2 then gent 2, while gent dances figure 8 around gent 2 then lady 2. (8 bars). All circle to the left and swing back to place
Order: couple 1 with couple 2, couple 2 with couple 3, couple 3 with couple

4. Body
5. 2nd Figure

Right and left chain: Couples 1 and 2 dance right and left chain.
House around

6. Body
7. Finish: All house around to finish

Connemara Set
Figure 1: Reels
a. Lead around / lead back
b. Swing
c. Tops Advance / retire twice,
d. house
e. swing
f. Sides dance it
g. Top ladies chain
h. swing
i. Side chain and swing
j. Tops repeat figure
k. Sides repeat figure
l. All swing to finish

Figure 2: Reels
a. Lead around / lead back
b. Swing
c. 1st top gent and opp. Lady dance around eachother for 8 bars and Swing
d. Tops Advance / retire twice, house, swing
e. 1st side gent, 2nd Top gent, 2nd side gent
f. All swing to finish

Figure 3: Reels
a. Join hands in a circle, advance / retire twice
b. Swing
c. 1st top couple Advance / Retire twice, swing
d. Tops Christmas
e. Top Ladies chain
f. Tops Swing
g. 1st sides
h. 2nd tops
i. 2nd sides
j. swing to Finnish

Figure 4: Polka
a. Join hands in a circle, advance / retire twice
b. Dance at home
c. Circle Advance / retire twice change partners
d. Dance at home, moving 1/4 to the right
e. Repeat until home